Interview
The hardest market in 27 years
A year ago, Mark Geoghegan found Chris Clark (CC) lamenting the softness of a marine market that was only just recovering from Hurricane Ivan - at that time its biggest-ever loss. One year and two big storms later, the world has been turned upside-down..
Best-laid plans
Groupama's international boss, Jean-Franaois Lemoux, admits the group had its doubts about staying in the UK market but, as David Worsfold reports, it is here to stay
From fags to riches
Insure and Go director Perry Wilson admits the firms business plan was devised on the back of a cigarette pack. Andrew Foxwell reports on how it has since gone from strength to strength
Niche to see you
Ecclesiastical director and general manager Steve Wood believes it is the right time to take a leap of faith and develop the insurer's latent strengths. Jonathan Swift asks how far the insurer is likely to go
Aiming for a soft landing
Every industry needs to recruit new blood to survive - the new Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters president Harry Roberts tells Jonathan Swift how it is looking to defuse its own demographic time bomb
Stick to your knitting
Mairi Mallon meets president and chief executive David Brown and chairman Mark Byrne of Bermuda start-up Flagstone Re, and finds out what drives them to dare to be different
An eye for a market
NIG managing director Charles Crawford explains how his new managerial team, its "One NIG" message and e-trading moves will win over brokers. Jonathan Swift explains
Mastery of the universe
Bridget McIntyre, late of Norwich Union, is clearly passionate about her new role as UK chief executive of Royal and Sun Alliance and the company itself. Andrew Foxwell talks to her about her ambitious plans for raising its game and stamping her mark on…
No need to rush - this mar ket will continue to harden
Robert Childs brings a wealth of London market experience to his sprightly Hiscox Bermuda start-up. Mairi Mallon caught up with one of the island's newest (and busiest) residents, to reveal his strategy for "not quite a flea bite in the world of…
Stepping into the big league
David Blackburn is on the hunt for a candidate to lead Miller's assault into the direct-to-client market. Jonathan Swift asks what the Lloyd's broker has in store for the future, and discovers there is a bigger game plan to talk about
Spa-rring to success
Helphire boss Mark Jackson tells Jonathan Swift how, having fought a few rounds with insurers, the Bath-based firm is now cleaning up
Mr Fix-It
Tony Boobier is a man charged with popularising his new firm's solution in the UK: a single pricing schedule for all property repairs, drawn up by independent valuation, to which the whole insurance industry and its suppliers can adhere. If the price is…
Meet the chiefs of two new Bermuda start-ups
After years of being out of the business, Richard Brindle is now back and loving it, bursting with an enthusiasm tempered with a conscientiousness gained from his time out. Mairi Mallon reports
Off to a flying start
A year after his appointment, Nick Starling tells Lynn Rouse why he has not had to kick down doors to make his voice heard
Reithian values
Having resigned in the late summer of 2000, Martin Reith had a long period in the garden to look forward to. By the following year, he was in Maurice 'Hank' Greenberg's office asking AIG to back his venture, Ascot Underwriting. Ralph Savage finds out if…
Why the class of 2005 will find it hard to write a balanced book
Aspen Re has been in the thick of the action after Katrina. Mark Geoghegan tracked down Nick Bonnar, Aspen's head of specialty lines, for a frank exchange of views on the way the renewal season has panned out
Another re volution is ahead
Ashworth Mairs Group surprised the industry with its swift management buyout, and then topped it by appointing Churchill founder Martin Long to the board. Jonathan Swift talks to group managing director Kevin Wood and Mr Long about their plans for the…
Steve Langan - Good things come to those who wait
After a gruelling eight interviews Steve Langan, who previously worked for drinks giant Diageo, was made head of Hiscox UK and group marketing director. He talks to Tanya Powley about his unexpected switch to the insurance industry
Stephen Bland - Action man
The introduction of statutory regulation has been a difficult and trying process for the industry. Stephen Bland talks to Ed Vinales about the regulator's steep learning curve and the need for enforcement, especially over payment protection insurance
The advocate general
With a new building at 51 Lime Street, Willis has made a statement of intent. Jonathan Swift talks to Joe Plumeri about adapting to the post-Spitzer insurance world
Diversification - The only way to go
With the pure catastrophe reinsurers taking the biggest hit from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, Patrick Thiele, the president and chief executive officer of PartnerRe, tells Mairi Mallon that diversification has proven to be the only way to go
Brave Spirit!
Mairi Mallon interviews industry veteran Don Kramer to find out about his new start-up venture, Ariel Re - not coincidentally named after the character of Ariel, Shakespeare's 'brave spirit' from The Tempest
The disciplinarian
Andrew Torrance talks to Jonathan Swift about how he intends to be more Scrooge than Santa with regard to rate cuts as the year comes to an end
Our mutual friend
The relative merits of mutuality have been topical of late but Ian Geden tells Jonathan Swift he has no doubts about its benefits, pointing to the continued success of his firm