The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) has opened a new members' lounge at its forthcoming London headquarters, naming the space in honour of Brian Caruth.
Members of the Caruth family visited CII's new offices on Old Broad Street in London on April 17 to mark the official opening of the Caruth Lounge. The visit comes ahead of the CII Group's move of its global headquarters and London base to 30 Old Broad Street from March 2, following the end of its five-year lease at 20 Fenchurch Street.
Liz Caruth and family were joined at the opening by Callum Beaton, president, CII Group; Alex Clegg, vice president, CII Local Institutes; Fiona Cambridge, president, Insurance Institute of Northern Ireland; and Les Gillanders, vice president, Insurance Institute of Northern Ireland.
Caruth served as a council member at the Insurance Institute of Northern Ireland (IINI) for more than 30 years and as its president in 2018 to 2019. He also served as CII's vice president for Local Institutes from October 2023 to the end of 2025.
His insurance career began in 1973 with Friends Provident & Century in Belfast before he moved into broking and later became a partner in Andrews Insurances (Life & Pensions). Alongside his insurance roles, he was a prominent figure in Irish hockey, serving as chair of Hockey Ireland and as a long-standing administrator and former president of CI Annadale Hockey Club.
Callum Beaton, CII Group president, said: “We were delighted that so many members of the Caruth Family were able to join us on Friday, as there can be no finer tribute than to name our members’ area the Caruth Lounge: a lasting tribute to the infectious enthusiasm that Brian brought to everything, immediately allowing him to engage with members in all areas of our profession.”
Effective immediately, CII members will have access to the Caruth Lounge, ahead of the full relocation of staff later in the year. CII described the new space as part of a "modern, vibrant environment" intended to support collaboration among colleagues and provide a convenient base for members to meet, study or work between appointments.
The move to Old Broad Street keeps the CII within easy reach of the Lloyd’s building and many market participants’ headquarters, something the organisation highlighted as a priority when it confirmed the relocation. It also marks another stage in the body’s evolving physical footprint, following previous moves from Insurance Hall, Aldermanbury, to Lombard Street and then to 20 Fenchurch Street in 2021.
The decision to dedicate the members’ space to Caruth underlines the emphasis the CII continues to place on its volunteer‑led local institute network. According to CII, there are 55 local institutes across the UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands, offering technical CPD, revision sessions and networking locally.
Against that backdrop, a named members’ space at the CII’s City base has both symbolic and practical significance.
Symbolically, it links the organisation’s London headquarters to a volunteer who spent decades building local engagement in Northern Ireland and across the wider network. Practically, it responds to calls from some members for more accessible meeting and study space in the Square Mile.
The opening of the Caruth Lounge also coincides with wider efforts by the CII to “realign” and “evolve” its relationship with local institutes, including new data‑sharing arrangements, engagement measures and digital town halls aimed at strengthening links between the central body and its volunteer base.
CII said it still sees a role for physical spaces where members can connect with peers, work between client meetings and engage directly with their professional body – while recognising the contribution of individuals such as Caruth who have helped sustain that community over many years.
