Marsh has named Lisa Quest (pictured above) as its new UK chief executive officer, effective April 6. Quest will retain her current role as head of UK and Ireland at Oliver Wyman.
Quest will be based in London and report to Flavio Piccolomini, CEO of International at Marsh. She succeeds Chris Lay, who is retiring from the company.
Marsh UK (formerly Marsh McLennan) is the principal subsidiary of the recently rebranded Marsh. The London-headquartered operation generated £10.06 billion in revenue in 2024 and employs approximately 2,000 staff across 30 offices nationwide.
In the newly expanded role, Quest will work with the UK's business CEOs to shape commercial strategy across Marsh's four business units. Her remit includes strengthening client relationships and developing data-driven solutions for organisations operating in the UK market.
Quest first joined Oliver Wyman in 2006 before moving to private equity. She returned to the firm in 2013 and was later appointed co-head of the Government and Public Institutions Practice in Europe. In 2023, she took on the additional role of head of UK and Ireland.
Her background includes work in data and analytics, workforce planning, and organisational design.
Lay currently holds both the CEO of Marsh UK and CEO of Marsh Risk UK positions. Upon his departure, the roles will be separated under new organisational arrangements.
In November, Marsh also announced the appointment of James Addington-Smith as CEO of Marsh Risk UK (formerly Marsh), a position distinct from Quest's broader UK chief executive role.
Lay departs after more than 40 years with the firm, having served as Marsh UK CEO since 2018. In March 2023, his remit expanded to include CEO of Marsh McLennan UK, overseeing collaboration across Marsh, Mercer, Guy Carpenter, and Oliver Wyman.
Lay has been one of the London market's most vocal advocates for a UK captive regime, contributing to the Treasury's decision to develop a framework by 2027. He took on the chairmanship of the London Market Group in January 2026, a role he will continue following his retirement from Marsh.
Read more: Marsh Risk names James Addington-Smith CEO
Piccolomini said Quest's global leadership experience and management consultancy background position her to guide the firm's growth in the UK.
"Lisa is well-placed to steer our growth as we create and deliver exceptional services that support our UK clients and enable them to continue to thrive," Piccolomini said.
Quest said she looks forward to working with colleagues and clients to address the risk landscape facing UK organisations.
"I look forward to working with our colleagues and clients as we turn these risks into opportunities and support their future growth," Quest said.
