Howden has announced a series of leadership appointments and regional structural changes designed to align its international operations more closely with client needs and insurer relationships.
The moves, effective April 1, are the next step in integrating businesses developed under its International Growth Markets (IGM) division into its core regional framework. IGM, led by Sonia Caamaño since 2023, has built and scaled operations in high-growth territories, delivering average organic growth of 16% per year over the past three years and preparing those businesses for regional integration.
In the Americas, Howden is moving to a more unified structure. For carriers, a single Americas leadership team may simplify discussions on facilities, delegated authorities, and cross-border programs.
Mike Parrish will become CEO, Americas, with a mandate to align capabilities across the region and ensure clients can access the full range of Howden's expertise.
Meanwhile, Caamaño will lead Latin America and the Caribbean as CEO, reporting to Parrish. Her remit is to meet rising demand for specialty expertise and cross-border service in the region’s fast-growing economies and to drive collaboration with the US retail business as Howden deepens its presence in the world’s largest insurance market.
Caamaño will be supported by José Ignacio Lathrop, who will take up the role of executive chairman, Latin America. Howden said Lathrop will bring “deep sector expertise and longstanding relationships” to support regional acceleration, signaling that the broker sees further M&A, senior hires, and specialty build-out as central to its Americas strategy.
Over the past decade, Howden has invested heavily across Latin America, building operations in major markets such as Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Chile.
Howden is also creating a single EMEA broking region by aligning its Middle East and Africa (MEA) operations with its European business.
MEA businesses, including the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Tanzania, South Africa, and the newly launched operation in Saudi Arabia, will sit within the EMEA region led by Luigi Sturani, CEO EMEA. Richard Mockett, CEO, MEA, will report to Sturani.
Howden said the change is aimed at "unlocking further opportunity through close collaboration and sharper connectivity across the regions," suggesting a push to leverage European specialty and placement capabilities more systematically into MEA and vice versa. That is likely to be particularly relevant in energy, infrastructure, aviation and political risk, where MEA demand is growing and capacity is often sourced from London and continental Europe.
In addition, Paul Redgate will become chairman, MEA, alongside his existing role as chairman, specialty.
In Asia, Howden is integrating its Indian business into the wider regional structure.
Howden India, led by Amit Agarwal, will become part of the Asia region under Rohan Bhappu, CEO Asia. The combined team is expected to collaborate more closely for clients across the subcontinent and wider Asia and to strengthen Howden’s ability to attract senior talent in what remains one of the most competitive broking markets globally.
Redgate will also take on the role of chairman, Howden India, adding another link between the firm's specialty leadership and a key growth market.
Aligning India within a broader Asia strategy gives Howden more flexibility to deploy sector specialists and regional facilities into the market and to channel Indian outbound risks into London, Singapore and other hubs.
Howden CEO David Howden said the changes are driven by the need to organise around client demand as the group continues to add teams and businesses globally.
"As we continue to attract talent, aligning them to deliver to our clients is our priority," he said. "These changes reflect our continued commitment to get into the right shape, with the right talent in the right places for where clients need us today, and where they will need us next."
The reorganisation reinforces several existing trends, with global brokers consolidating regional structures to simplify decision-making processes, as well as creating stronger links between retail and specialty.
Insurer partners can expect more coordinated discussions on capacity deployment portfolio strategy and innovation with Howden at a regional level, while local markets are likely to see intensified competition for talent as global and regional brokers build out sector and product teams.
