Articles by Mairi MacDonald
Interview: Martin Oliver: Grafting the Gallagher way
Having joined Gallagher last year as MD of personal lines, Martin Oliver explains why he’s there to stay, his relationship with Grahame Chilton and how the role plays to his experience and strengths.
Lloyd's supportive of syndicates that expect to turn motor profit
Lloyd’s motor book produced a calendar year combined ratio of 106.4% (2013: 108.6%) in a market described as competitive by Lloyd’s director of finance, John Parry.
Axa targets brokers with a £5m growth fund via its ‘Premier Partner' broker community
Axa has confirmed its commitment to regional brokers by launching a broking community called ‘Premier Partner' to provide core benefits to reward strong local business relationships.
Q&A: Ash Roots, director of digital at Direct Line Group
Ash Roots has been director of digital at Direct Line Group since joining the insurer from Three UK just over two years ago. Since then, he has built an in-house digital services team and led the successful launches of new apps and consumer websites. He…
Q&A: Dr Sebastian Herfurth: Digital friends with benefits
Dr Sebastian Herfurth, co-founder and managing director of Friendsurance, discusses the future of peer-to-peer insurance, how the industry is not getting the most out of social media and why meeting customer needs is key to insurers succeeding in the…
Video: State of the Broking Nation Webinar
Service and the shift towards digital technology in the general insurance market were discussed in a lively webinar session hosted by Post and LV this week, which is now available to watch.
James Hallam reveals £200m growth plan
A merger or acquisition could be instrumental in a plan to build broker James Hallam from its current form as a top 30 UK independent broker into a major UK player of £200m gross written premium or more.
Insurers sign up to cyber summit agreement with government
Twelve insurers have signed a joined pledge to more actively highlight cyber threats to UK businesses and work more closely with government to improve cyber security risk management.
Deputy Editor's Comment: Looking beyond the EU rhetoric
Is it impossible for anyone in public office to talk about the European Union without expressing or feigning anger for their own side’s short-term political gain? It seems that way this week.
Brokers criticise Aviva and RSA for lack of consistency
Insurance brokers are looking for a consistent strategy and team at the top from their insurer partners and anything else might make them think twice about where they place their clients' business.
Private equity eying larger EMEA insurance stake
Insurance firms across Europe, the Middle East and Asia are more focused on disposals than acquisitions as they look to shed non-core units and strengthen their market positions elsewhere.
Polish insurance market faces 'moderate' risk, says S&P
Poland's general insurance industry is benefiting from the country's "strong and competitive economy and good growth prospects", according to Standard & Poor's.
Weightmans turns to rivals to grow Glasgow headcount
Anderson Strathern partner Douglas Keir is understood to be the latest insurance specialist set to join Weightmans burgeoning Glasgow office.
Interview: Mike Brown: Taking a moment
As senior partner at BLM, Mike Brown is overseeing his firm through a period of incredible change for the legal sector – although some of the changes don’t sit too comfortably with him
Novae profit rises despite rating and currency conditions
Novae Group has attributed a five percentage-point improvement to its combined ratio to 90.8% (H1 2013: 95.8%) in the first half of this year to a positive claims experience, resulting in an 89.4% increase in underwriting contribution to £19.7m (H1 2013:…
Counter-fraud specialist Gracey goes solo
Crawford & Company's former counter-fraud boss Bobby Gracey has set up his own consultancy firm after quitting a senior role at the US investigation firm Global Options.
Interview: David Robinson: Giving the people what they want
David Robinson tells Post how listening to customer demand has been the driving force behind his strategy since taking over as Ace regional president for UK and Ireland
Russian risk manager joins Ferma board
Four directors and one substitute are joining the board of the Federation of European Risk Management Associations.
In-Focus: Public Sector - Q&A Bill Sulman
Post spoke to Bill Sulman, director for public sector at Aon Risk Solutions, about the common business continuity threats for the public sector and how insurers, brokers and risk managers can work together for mutual benefit.
Samsung Fire & Marine eyes China expansion
Samsung Fire & Marine Company is in talks with Chinese firms to establish a marine insurance company in the country, according to local news reports.
Hong Kong legal changes win captive audience
Recent legislative changes in Hong Kong have set out the government's "determination" to promote the city state as a hub for captive insurance, according to law firm Howse Williams Bowers.
Double figure hike for Japanese earthquake premiums
Japanese non-life insurers are expected to raise earthquake insurance premiums by an average of 15.5% according to a report in the Jiji Press.
Aviva poaches Great Eastern chief
The chief executive of Great Eastern, Chris Wei, is to join Aviva as head of its global life insurance business and Asia chairman.
Flood defence funding at 'bare minimum'
Funding for maintaining flood defences is at a "bare minimum" and is the first area to be cut when "budgets are tight", according to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.