ACHIEVEMENTS

• Pre-emptively positioned International Holdings & UK Boards 6 months prior to FSA audit which necessitated the need for a new Board of Directors in the UK.
• Managed cultural change from West End broker to City broker through to Lloyd’s broker.
• Key architect in more than doubling the size of the company from £2.8M income in 2003 to £7M in 2009
• Led and managed the Compliance operations through a successful ARROW’s visit in June 2009 and handled all subsequent RMP requirements within FSA deadlines.
Currently have CF1 & CF3 FSA Approvals
• Relocated specialist Fine Art Division to a greenfield site at Stevenage in 2008 in order to increase profitability – first full year of trading (2009) profits were over £100,000 with 4 staff and since have already broadened scope to include small commercial business.
• Responsible for increasing personal wealth of key property owning client through offshore Captive operation resulting in vastly increased profitability for the company.
• Developed a separate Production Team to drip-feed new business via a pipeline to highly profitable team handling existing business.
• Diversified into Asian markets which achieved new income of £200K in the first year.
• Heavily involved in both the acquisition and servicing of new lines of business in the Middle East
• Personally led successful 2003 Provisional Lloyd’s Accreditation application (fully ratified in 2006).
• Strategic acquisition of new income stream together with staff wherein successful integration of same resulted in hugely increased income both in the UK and at overseas Group offices.
• Successful management and implementation of numerous processes following selection of a new IT broking system suited to the future business needs of the business.

KEY ATTRIBUTES

• Managed staff growth from 32 to 80.
• Responsible for setting and delivering overall strategy for the company.
• Forward thinker with proven ability to anticipate market and resource accordingly.
• Politically astute – developed motivational relationships from broking floor to Boardroom.
• A strong believer in the value of developing people – moved organisation from previous underperforming silos into integrated high performing teams.
• Influencer, gaining staff buy-in in the face of major cultural change
• Challenges poor performance. Delivers fair and swift action where necessary.
• Prime responsibility for the acquisition of a Lloyd’s broker from the initial sourcing thereof through negotiating with the principals, due diligence right up to the penultimate hurdle although subsequently jilted at the altar!
• Acted as expert witness in an insurance property dispute at the Lands Tribunal.



CAREER EXPERIENCE

H W Wood Ltd (City) February 1997 to date Managing Director

Beginning as an account executive role, I was rapidly promoted to the Board as Director of the Commercial Division in 1999 – taking the role of Deputy Managing Director in late 2002 and Managing Director in January 2009. During this time I helped develop the organisation from a small West End Property and Fine Art broker into a highly respected, fiscally successful Lloyd’s broker now handling Property, Fine Art, Marine (Hull & Cargo), Corporate and Wholesale (Insurance & Reinsurance). Whilst still retaining some client servicing and broking responsibilities, over 80% of my time is now spent implementing business strategy and operations within the international arena.

Minet Limited
(City and Redhill, Surrey) June 1984 to February 1997 Divisional Executive Director

My responsibilities here were to provide all aspects of service to several large national and international clients within the Risk Managed Unit including Tesco, Chloride, GEI and Silverstone (BRDC). This included client servicing throughout the UK, Europe (incl Eastern Europe) as well as the United States, broking into both local and City markets, utilization of captive insurance companies, non conventional liability programmes, preparation and delivery of client reports, defence documents, running client strategy meetings and assisting in new business presentations.

Campbell Roberts Limited
Fish Street Hill (City) July 1982 to June 1984 Account Handler


Alexander Howden Insurance Brokers Limited
Billiter Street (City) July 1977 to July 1982 Junior Account Handler

Member of IIB,
Occasional panellist at ILM

Analyzing benefits and viability of becoming Lloyd's broker to small London Market non-Lloyd's broker.
Writing 5 year strategic growth plan for insurance broker with a view to trade sale.
Expert witness on Landlord/Tenant property insurance dispute