This week's appointments cover aviation broking leadership at Marsh, financial institutions broking at Gallagher, capacity management at an MGA, and digital trading at a specialist underwriter.
Marsh has appointed Ed Gold (pictured, left) as chief executive of UK aviation and space at Marsh Risk, from January 1, 2027. He will be based in London and report to Dominic Samengo-Turner, chief executive of UK specialty.
Gold joined Marsh in 2016 and is currently deputy chief executive for UK aviation and space, with more than 17 years of experience in the sector. He succeeds Tony Ambrose, who will continue as global chairman of aviation and space.
“The UK aviation and space sector is a global force for innovation, combining world-leading expertise, cutting-edge technology and an unrivalled talent base to shape the future of flight and space,” said Gold.
Gold takes over at a testing time for aviation, with hoax bomb threats disrupting flights across Europe this month and war risk cover under scrutiny. An internal succession, with Ambrose staying on as chairman, suggests continuity for clients and markets. It follows Marsh’s marine leadership succession announced earlier this month.
Specialty MGA HIVE Underwriters has appointed Kenrick Aldrich (pictured, centre) as head of capacity management, its first hire from the broking market. Aldrich was previously a director at Howden Re.
He will lead a new in-house function to develop HIVE’s independent panel of insurers and Lloyd’s syndicates for its multi-class specialty business.
Chief executive Bruce Carman said the strength of HIVE’s independent insurance panel was fundamental to its strategy.
The hire follows HIVE’s recent build-out of a property direct and facultative team. A dedicated capacity function should help it secure long-term panel support as it expands, giving brokers more confidence in the durability of HIVE’s capacity.
Bspoke Commercial has appointed Ian Newman (pictured, right) as director of digital and transformation. He reports to Wayne Tonge, managing director of commercial and delegated authority, and will lead Bspoke Online and its Acturis E-Trade capability.
Newman has more than 20 years’ experience across insurers, brokers and MGAs. Bspoke Online, launched in 2025, lets brokers quote and manage policies online at any time, and now has more than 3,000 users.
Bspoke’s push to trade through brokers’ existing software, as well as its own platform, should make its specialist products quicker to place. Speed of trading is increasingly a key differentiator for brokers.
Gallagher has appointed Rawden Leigh as head of retail in its financial institutions practice, leading its proposition for retail financial institutions in the UK and Europe. He reports to David Rogers, managing director of financial institutions.
Leigh joins from Marsh, where he spent seven years as a managing director in its FINPRO practice, most recently leading its UK private capital and M&A business. He previously held roles at WTW, Lockton and Howden.
Rogers said financial institutions faced a more interconnected and less predictable risk landscape, citing private credit, liquidity, regulatory change, claims severity, AI and geoeconomics.
Financial institutions face rising exposures in areas such as private credit and motor finance redress. A senior hire from a rival broker strengthens Gallagher’s competition for financial lines business, particularly with private capital clients.
