The UK insurance market has opened November with a wave of senior appointments and strategic developments across broking, underwriting and specialty segments.
The British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) has appointed Sarah Chadburn (pictured, left), director at One Call Insurance, as chair of its Regional Chairs' Advisory Board (RCAB).
Chadburn, who also chairs BIBA's Yorkshire & Northern Regional Committee, will take a seat on the association's main board.
She succeeds John Batty, of Bridge Insurance Brokers, who has completed his advisory board tenure and now joins BIBA’s Insurance Brokers’ Standards Committee. With more than 20 years in broking, Chadburn will lead the RCAB in representing brokers’ interests across BIBA’s 11 regions. Her appointment highlights BIBA’s focus on ensuring local issues continue to inform national advocacy for the broking community.
Westfield Specialty International has appointed Anthony Baldwin (pictured, centre) as president, specialty international, subject to regulatory approval. Based in London, Baldwin will oversee all Westfield Specialty business outside the United States, reporting to global president Jack Kuhn.
His appointment follows strong financial performance, with Westfield Specialty’s gross written premiums reaching $1.4 billion in the first nine months of 2025. Baldwin, previously CEO UK and CEO Europe at AIG, brings 30 years of industry experience as Westfield continues to build its international footprint.
Arch Insurance UK has strengthened its regional underwriting capability with the appointment of Chris Walker (pictured, right) as senior property & casualty underwriter, based in Bristol.
Walker, who joins from Aviva, will focus on expanding Arch’s property & casualty portfolio and developing strategic broker relationships across the West, Southwest and Wales. The move supports Arch’s regional growth strategy and its ongoing investment in experienced underwriting talent.
Arc Legal Group, a subsidiary of AmTrust International, has appointed John Walsh as commercial director, responsible for driving growth and strengthening relationships with existing and new partners.
Walsh brings over 20 years of industry experience, including senior roles at RSA, Swinton Insurance, and British Engineering Services. His appointment reflects Arc Legal’s ongoing expansion across its legal expenses and assistance product lines, with strong growth expected through 2025 and into 2026.
Bridge Specialty International (BSI) has expanded its specialty broking operations with the appointment of a new transactional liability leadership team. Charles Russell joins as managing director, with Hollie Markham and Jack O’Flaherty named executive directors.
All three previously held senior roles at Gallagher and will lead BSI’s development of Warranty & Indemnity and tax insurance capabilities. The move marks a strategic step for BSI as it seeks to broaden its presence in high-growth specialty lines.
BPL, the independent credit and political risk insurance (CPRI) broker, has launched a funded solutions team offering insurance-related capital and credit management strategies.
The initiative introduces collateralised and insured risk participation structures to help financial institutions manage capital more efficiently while opening access to institutional investors. The new team, led by George Biddulph and Harriet Rowland-Clark, reflects growing convergence between credit insurance and structured finance markets, as insurers seek new avenues for capital deployment and portfolio diversification.
MAXIS Global Benefits Network (MAXIS GBN) has promoted Jean-David Bridoux to regional manager -- Western Europe, succeeding Damian Allepuz, who was recently appointed regional director -- EMEA.
Bridoux, who joined MAXIS in 2019, will lead outbound business development and oversee partnerships with multinational clients and intermediaries. His promotion comes as MAXIS continues to expand its global employee benefits network, which now covers nearly seven million employees worldwide.
