A series of senior appointments and promotions have been announced across the UK and international insurance market in the last 24hrs.
Commercial Express has appointed Gary Holmes (pictured, left) as its new head of schemes development, in a newly created role that will support the managing general agent’s transition to an MGU by the end of 2026.
Holmes will play a central part in shaping the development and delivery of Commercial Express’s schemes proposition, including delegated broker authorities and new product solutions as the business evolves its model.
He joins from Jensten Underwriting, where he was head of property and casualty, and previously spent 15 years with Direct Line Group. With more than 30 years’ industry experience, Holmes has a background in leveraging commercial opportunities and driving strategic development through changing market conditions.
The appointment comes during a period of sustained growth for Commercial Express, as it expands its capabilities and strengthens its distribution platform.
HLPartnership has appointed Toby Miles (pictured, centre) as recruitment manager, bringing him in from Legal & General after more than eight years with the firm.
Miles most recently served as key relationship manager within Legal & General Mortgage Club, where he was responsible for strategic relationships with intermediary partners. Prior to that, he was a telephone relationship manager for the club, supporting directly authorised brokers and helping them grow and scale their businesses.
In his new position, Miles will work with firms considering their next stage of growth, helping them understand HLPartnership’s proposition and the support available as part of the network.
DUAL Group has promoted Scott Sayce (pictured, right) to group chief commercial officer (CCO), effective April 1, 2026.
Previously group chief innovation officer, Sayce joined DUAL in 2024 and has since been involved in initiatives including the launch of new global cyber capacity, working with regional teams to roll out solutions across multiple geographies.
AXIS Capital Holdings has confirmed that Matthew Kirk has formally assumed the role of chief financial officer, effective March 31, 2026, completing a planned leadership transition first announced in August 2025.
Kirk reports directly to AXIS president and CEO Vince Tizzio, serves on the company’s executive committee and is based in New York. He has spent the past four months acting as a strategic adviser to the group ahead of stepping into the CFO role.
Kirk joined AXIS from Enstar Group Limited, where he served as CFO overseeing global finance functions, and previously as group treasurer responsible for treasury, capital management and investor relations. Before Enstar, he held senior roles at Sirius International Insurance Group, including group treasurer and president and managing director of Sirius Investment Advisors, and began his career at Arthur Andersen.
Arkel has appointed Joshua Pool as claims manager as it continues to scale its operations.
Pool brings more than 20 years’ industry experience, having previously served as claims manager at Sedgwick International. An experienced claims professional, he has worked across case management and relationship management with both brokers and claimants, with earlier roles at Acumen Claims, Innovation Group and HSBC.
The hire comes as Arkel grows its claims capability in line with wider business expansion. Since the start of 2026, the MGA has signed major partnerships with Markerstudy, Gallagher and Intelligent Insurance. Launched seven years ago, it has reported year‑on‑year growth, reaching £52 million in GWP at the end of 2025, and has set a target to exceed £100 million GWP by 2030.
