New GB head of Finex D&O for Willis Towers Watson

Willis Towers Watson’s (WTW) GB financial lines and executives risk team (Finex) has appointed Eve Richards as its new GB head of Finex D&O, and Angus Duncan as executive director and coverage specialist. According to WTW, they will be tasked with working with large complex clients on structuring “long-term sustainable placements in a move that reflects the need for a more innovative and nuanced approach to D&O cover in a challenging market”. Olivia Cooper, head of Finex GB at WTW, said: “The arrival of Eve and Angus is in keeping with our commitment to build a diverse and market-leading Finex D&O team. These new hires, combined with our existing mix of underwriting experience and broking talent, mean we are able to offer the most up-to-date and comprehensive client service available. They join us at an exciting time in our growth strategy, with heightened demand for solutions across the full spectrum of services we offer for UK and international exposures – a demand that is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.” Ms Richards joins WTW from AXA XL, where she had held the position of head of UK financial institutions since 2015. Prior to that role, she spent 12 years as a senior underwriter for XL, Munich Re and AIG in London and Dublin, predominantly focusing on financial lines products for financial institution clients. Ms Richards said: “Having worked closely with Willis Towers Watson throughout my career, I have always really admired the leadership and culture of the Finex team. Angus and I have a long and established working relationship, and the opportunity to work together in the same team and within a business that is built upon the strength of its relationships – both internal and external – was a big incentive for me. The consultancy and relationship-focused approach we take with our clients helps us to deliver outstanding results and I am eager to start contributing to this. The diversity of different professional backgrounds that our new team brings together positions us well to continue solving the evolving needs of our clients.” Mr Duncan joins from Clyde & Co where he was a partner and, before that, spent more than ten years with Mayer Brown where he was a partner in the insurance and reinsurance practice in London. He has amassed more than 20 years of experience in insurance, working with leading financial lines insurers to draft their policy wordings and advising on high-value, complex insurance claims across all areas of financial lines including commercial D&O and crime. As former chair of Clyde & Co’s London LGBT+ groups, diversity and inclusion are high on his agenda. Mr Duncan said: “Directors and officers are seeing ever-increasing exposures, with more class actions in more jurisdictions and regulators turning an increased focus on individual accountability and personal liability. This increase in exposure comes at a challenging time for the D&O insurance market. Willis Towers Watson has focused on building the right team in the context of these challenges, combining an understanding of underwriting and insurer’s expectations of how policies work, with the necessary broking expertise. My experience of working with Eve during the past decade, and knowledge of the team’s existing strength, gives me the confidence to say that we now have the right balance to help clients navigate such challenges.”

New GB head of Finex D&O for Willis Towers Watson

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