Zurich has appointed Lawrence Hawkins (pictured) as general counsel for its UK business. He will join from Standard Life in the first quarter of 2027.
Hawkins replaces Ed Bridge, who has become general counsel of Beazley and Zurich Global Specialty, the business created when Zurich completed its acquisition of Beazley earlier this month. Until Hawkins arrives, chief compliance officer Georgina Fleet will continue to oversee general counsel responsibilities alongside her current role.
Hawkins has more than 20 years’ legal experience in financial services, including senior leadership roles at Barclays and Deutsche Bank before Standard Life. At Zurich, he will lead the UK legal team and advise the UK executive committee on legal, regulatory and governance matters.
“Lawrence brings a wealth of legal expertise, deep commercial understanding and extensive experience of supporting large, complex organisations through an evolving regulatory environment,” said Drazen Jaksic, chief executive of Zurich UK.
Jaksic also thanked Bridge, saying his leadership had been instrumental in supporting the business over many years. Hawkins said Zurich had a strong reputation for doing the right thing for customers, colleagues and communities.
The appointment is part of a wider reshuffle following the Beazley takeover. Zurich completed the £8.1 billion all-cash acquisition on 2 October. It is combining Beazley with its existing global specialty operations to create what it describes as the world’s largest specialty insurance business, headquartered in London. The deal also gives Zurich its first presence at Lloyd’s.
Zurich has drawn on its UK leadership to staff the combined business. Alongside Bridge’s move, Zurich UK chief financial officer Helen Pickford has become chief financial officer of Beazley and Zurich Global Specialty. Kristof Terryn has been appointed its chief executive, subject to regulatory approval, and Beazley chief executive Adrian Cox is leaving.
Zurich has said it expects the combination to generate more than $1 billion of extra annual revenue by 2029, and at least $150 million in annual cost savings.
For brokers trading with Zurich UK, the immediate effect is limited: an interim arrangement until Hawkins joins, then a new legal lead from outside the insurance industry.
More broadly, the move of senior Zurich UK leaders into the specialty business is worth watching. Brokers will want to see how responsibilities are divided between Zurich UK and the combined specialty operation, especially for clients whose programmes span both businesses.
