Gallagher’s Pen lures Munich Re, Allianz talent to drive expansion

London-based managing general agent (MGA) Pen Underwriting, a subsidiary of re/insurance broker  Gallagher, has revealed two new hires from Allianz and a Munich Re unit to expand its business across the Midlands, UK.

Helen Barnes (pictured left) and Liz Abrahams (pictured right) have joined Pen as business development managers dedicated to working with brokers across the Midlands, as part of its ongoing investment in having a network of region-specific support for distribution partners right across the UK. Barnes will be responsible for the South of Midlands and Abrahams for the North.

Barnes most recently worked in a similar role for HSB Engineering, a subsidiary of Munich Re, in the same region. She has more than a decade’s industry experience in delivering business growth, broker relationship management, technical product knowledge, customer service and underwriting. She began her career at Zurich as a construction market underwriter, before moving to HSB – initially as a construction & engineering underwriter.

Abrahams previously worked at Allianz, where she was a business developer, specialising in engineering, construction and power. She also brings nearly a decade of industry experience, having begun her insurance career in commercial and corporate claims, spending five years at broker Gallagher, before moving to Markel UK as an underwriter, specialising in social welfare.

Both will report to Nick Hewland, national sales manager for Pen, who said: “The Midlands continues to be an area with a strong broker base and great growth potential, so we are delighted to welcome Liz and Helen to the team to further increase our capabilities and dedicated broker support in the region.

“Given their proven strengths in building relationships with brokers, and the technical knowledge that comes from working within specialist underwriting and claims areas before making the transition to business development, both are fantastic additions to our UK-wide team.

“Together they can ensure the full power of Pen, with our continued investment in expanding and diversifying our product offering as well as maintaining multiples ways to trade, are brought to bear for the benefit of the brokers they support and to help those brokers grow and sustain their own businesses.”

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