Active Underwriter For New Lloyd’s Syndicate

The client had developed a new insurance product which was not widely written by traditional markets. Establishing a Lloyd’s platform was a key pillar to growing the business globally and one that needed to be completed within a defined timeframe.

The client had a young leadership team by comparison to others in the more traditional markets, had a different approach to office working and was concerned that some of the older and more antiquated behaviours and practices would not integrate well into their culture and environment.

As a new company, with a new product opening up within an established market, the client faced several significant challenges, not least making sure they appointed the best possible leadership team in a highly competitive market for top talent. They required a candidate who would have deep technical underwriting expertise, albeit not specific to a certain class, understood the complex governance and compliance requirements of Lloyd’s, whilst also having an innovative, creative and disruptive approach to developing new products and methods of distribution.

• We worked meticulously through candidate pools in the insurance market and related financial services areas to identify high-quality, relevant talent. We researched candidates with experience setting up a new Underwriting product and/or someone with experience in a related start-up company.
• We identified more than 245 individuals, assessing their skills and experience to select the highest quality and most appropriate for client review.
• Following this research, we presented the initial longlist of 13 candidates for discussion. The longlist included technical biographies on each candidate including third-party validations on their culture, leadership approach/style and personal push pull factors.
• Six candidates – four female and two male – were selected for interview. The client chose a candidate after three interview stages, including a business plan review and a workshop.

• The longlist was made up of Lloyd’s underwriters and brokers, with a focus on innovation, strategy and leadership.
• The longlist was 69% male and 31% female.
• The selected candidate has extensive experience in insurance, supported by a strong technical foundation and an exceptional academic background, including a PhD.
• The candidate’s expertise is complemented by a strong focus on technical and scientific products, driven by her passion for innovation and the development of new offerings.

The search process was highly successful, identifying a dozen first-class candidates, from which the client chose six to interview. Three were considered most suitable for the role. The search and interview processes were undertaken inside the tight timescale.

Through our meticulous research and consultative approach, we successfully placed top talent within this innovative insurance firm. The search exceeded expectations, showcasing a highly efficient and professional process and the presentation of exceptional candidates.