Gallagher today announced a new UK Retail operating structure with the creation of two new trading divisions which will align to different client segments. The introduction of the new model comes following the acquisition of AssuredPartners, which saw 1,000 colleagues and a number of new businesses become part of Gallagher in the UK & Ireland.
Retail will now have distinct divisions focused on Gallagher’s commercial and corporate client portfolios reflecting the different needs, scale and complexity of these customers. The changes are designed to enhance the customer experience as the firm integrates the additional clients, offices and colleagues into the business.
The commercial division will specialise in the insurance and risk management needs of mid-market organisations which are managed by Gallagher’s extensive office network across the UK. The 60 + offices in the network operate within the local communities where they are based ensuring they know and understand the challenges and opportunities for businesses in the region. Gary Fletcher has been appointed Managing Director, having previously headed up Gallagher Retail in the South of the UK since he joined the business through the acquisition of Oval Insurance Brokers in 2014.
Gary will have six Regional Managing Directors reporting to him who will oversee Gallagher’s existing UK wide office network along with the recently acquired AssuredPartners regional UK presence. The team includes Steve Risk who moves from his current role leading the South West to lead London & South East, Mark Kerry, Scotland and Northern Ireland; James Fletcher, the North; Elaine Lennox, the Midlands; Cheryl Phillips, who is promoted to oversee the South West, having previously headed up Gallagher’s Exeter office and Simon Mabb as Regional Managing Director of Romero. Other trading members of the leadership team will be Doug Pereria, Sales Director, Andrew Marvin, Client Services Director and Kat Moon, Commercial Director.
The corporate division will specialise in large clients under the leadership of newly appointed Managing Director, Simon Waine, who previously was Managing Director of the South East & London in Gallagher’s Retail division. Simon joined Gallagher in 2010 from Lark and in his new role will lead the firm’s services and solutions for large organisations and oversee the specialist practices that look after real estate and public sector & education.
The corporate team will provide tailored risk management and insurance solutions to clients and advise on the more complex risks that these organisations need to manage. His leadership team will include James Murray, Managing Director of Major Corporate, Tim Devine, Managing Director of Public Sector & Education and Jon Phillips, Managing Director of Real Estate.
Nick Harris, CEO of UK & Ireland Retail Broking at Gallagher, said: “This move sees us introduce a new operating structure focused on different client needs and better reflects our size and scale given Gallagher’s growth in both these different client portfolios over recent years. The new trading divisions will focus on the specific and evolving needs of our different client bases with a shared remit of providing tailored solutions, deeper expertise and great outcomes for our clients. Now is the right time to introduce this new model as we start to integrate AssuredPartners teams and their clients into our existing operations.
“I am particularly pleased we have been able to make a number of promotions from within the business to create this new leadership team, which demonstrates the breadth of talent we have at Gallagher.”