Global broker Marsh, life and wealth technology provider iPipeline, specialty insurer Ascot and law firm Kennedys have all announced senior appointments as they look to deepen governance, strengthen leadership benches and support growth in key markets.
Ascot adds two non‑executive directors
Ascot Group Limited has appointed Patrice Walch‑Watson (pictured, left) and Christopher Gallagher (pictured, right) to its board of directors.
Walch-Watson is senior managing director, chief legal officer & corporate secretary at CPP Investments, where she serves on the senior management team. Meanwhile, Gallagher, who has 30 years of industry experience, most recently serving as CEO of commercial property & casualty insurance and executive director at Sompo International.
Board chair Kewsong Lee said the pair’s leadership and global experience would enhance the Ascot board and support the group’s strategic evolution. CEO and president Jonathan Zaffino said their perspectives would benefit both colleagues and clients as Ascot pursues its “perfect partner” positioning.
Sam Blaichman, managing director at CPP Investments and an Ascot director, said the new appointments would support work on corporate strategy as the company continues to scale, highlighting their experience with complex global insurance and regulatory environments.
Marsh adds Peter Harrison to board
Marsh has appointed Peter Harrison as a director, effective immediately, bringing its board to 13 members.
Harrison has more than 30 years’ investment management and executive leadership experience. He retired from Schroders in 2024 after over a decade at the firm, having served as CEO from 2016 and previously as global head of investment. He earlier led RWC Partners as chairman and CEO from 2006 to 2013, and was global chief investment officer of Deutsche Bank’s asset management businesses between 2004 and 2006.
He is currently chair of the board of Morgan Sindall and serves on the board of Lazard.
iPipeline strengthens revenue and services leadership
iPipeline has appointed Loren Brockhouse as chief revenue officer (CRO) and Mike James as executive vice president (EVP) of professional services, as part of a broader refresh of its senior leadership team.
Brockhouse will lead North American go‑to‑market strategy, overseeing sales, marketing and revenue operations, as well as customer experience functions including support and customer success. He joins with revenue leadership experience in legal tech and fintech at BigHand, Vanco and Businessolver, where he built go‑to‑market teams and simplified complex sales models.
Meanwhile, James will head iPipeline’s professional services function, with a focus on operational excellence, scalable delivery and long‑term value for clients. He brings nearly three decades of executive‑level experience in consulting, software implementation and managed services, having led large‑scale transformations at organizations including WellSky, Hyland, Lexmark and Amdocs.
The company has also named Alex Tompkins as vice president of product management, responsible for its life and wealth value streams, and said Ben Grant will lead UK go‑to‑market functions – including sales, marketing and customer success – as part of the UK senior leadership team.
Kennedys builds West Coast insurance coverage bench
Global litigation and dispute resolution firm Kennedys has strengthened its US insurance coverage practice with the addition of veteran coverage lawyer Alan Barbanel (pictured immediately above), who joins the Los Angeles office alongside special counsel Mark Seplak and Henry Truszkowski.
Barbanel, who has more than 40 years’ experience advising domestic and international insurers and reinsurers, was a founding partner of Barbanel & Treuer, P.C. He has built a practice focused on complex third‑party coverage disputes across financial lines, including professional liability, employment practices liability and D&O, as well as commercial general liability, specialty and surplus lines such as excess indemnity, contingent liability, product recall and high‑risk special event policies.
He also has more than 15 years’ experience as a claims administrator for professional liability programs in the Lloyd’s of London market, and regularly acts as a lecturer and expert witness on insurance claims handling.
