Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM) has announced the formation of a single integrated third-party division for its UK and MENA operations.
The new unit consolidates the financial and professional (FinPro) and casualty portfolios, aiming to align underwriting divisions and products more closely with current market trends and client requirements.
Terry Fitzgerald (pictured above, left) has been appointed as divisional director of the new third-party division. Fitzgerald, who joined Liberty in 2021, will oversee both the FinPro and casualty portfolios. He brings 25 years of industry experience to the role.
Supporting him are Emma Pearce (pictured above, middle), who steps into the role of head of FinPro, Daniel Munro (pictured above, right) as head of casualty, and Niamh Moloney, who continues as general manager of insurance in Ireland. All three will report directly to Fitzgerald to maintain consistency across the region’s client and broker relationships.
Stuart Sutherland, previously head of liability lines, has been named director of UK retail alongside Dermot Walsh. In this newly created position, Sutherland will focus on commercial products within the UK retail sector and will report to Henry Nelson, chief underwriting officer for the UK and MENA region.
Reporting structures in the MENA region remain unchanged. In the marine and aviation segment, Chris Hicks, currently underwriting manager for marine cargo, has been promoted to head of marine, overseeing marine cargo, ports and terminals, and marine hull and war.
Miles Taffs, senior underwriting specialist for aviation, will serve as interim head of aviation. Both will report to Meghan Walker, divisional director for marine and aviation.
Luis Prato, president of LSM’s UK and MENA region, stated, “These changes are designed to help us deliver our strategic objectives in a more streamlined manner. By providing greater alignment with our brokers and clients, we can do business more effectively and increase our speed to market.”
In a related move, LSM also recently appointed James Cole as head of client and broker distribution for the UK and MENA region. Cole is tasked with strengthening LSM’s distribution strategy and aligning its global approach with regional opportunities.
The appointment comes at a time when the UK and MENA insurance markets are showing divergent growth rates, with the MENA region expanding by around 6% in 2024, compared to a modest 1–2% in the UK.
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