Howden lures top talents from rivals in major expansion move

International insurance broker  Howden is on an aggressive hiring spree and is luring talent from competitors such as Aon and Marsh JLT to expand its offering in the Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) market.

The company has recently recruited 19 new senior construction specialists in London and Dubai, in a move it hopes will "elevate its construction and infrastructure offering to rival that of any of its competitors".

Howden stressed its commitment to investing in the “best talent in the market”, saying it is central to its ambitious growth strategy.

Led by recently appointed global head of construction Naresh Dade (pictured), and Andrew Harrison Sleap, deputy global head of construction, the strengthened team will focus on developing bespoke retail and specialty solutions for Howden’s construction clients.

Howden has appointed four executive directors - Andrew Birt as head of UK projects, Duncan Willcocks as head of UK contractors, David Lyle as deputy head of UK contractors, and Neil Higgins as head of claims for construction and infrastructure assets.

The team will be joined by divisional directors Larissa Rosam, Martin Hurley, Christopher Graves and Steve McGuckin from October 2021. Rosam brings a wealth of experience in international project risk, whilst Hurley will be an integral part of the division’s retail growth strategy. Graves will join the international team in November 2021 and McGuckin will join in Q1 2022 as head of operations. James Crow joined in August from Aon, and will support the team with the retail proposition in the UK.

Separately, the construction division’s associate director bench has been bolstered to include Nick Sparrow, Mike Robinson, Jessica Lee and Lizzie Conolly joining from Marsh JLT. Sparrow joins the division’s Dubai hub, with Robinson, Lee and Conolly based in London.

Furthermore, Howden's recently launched infrastructure assets team will onboard divisional directors Karen O’Donnell and Matheu Challinor, and associate directors Nicole Welch and Emma Archer from October. They will be supported by Jack Gilbert who joins as an account executive from Aon, where he specialised in PFI/PPP and onshore renewable energy.

Howden hopes this significant investment in talent will strengthen its existing team focused on international projects. The new hires will join executive directors John Perrin and Mark Playle, divisional director Robert Webb, associate directors Orla Crosara, and Leandro Ramirez, and Connor Martiello, an account handler servicing international clients across Howden’s construction portfolio.

Naresh Dade, managing director, global head of construction, said: “I am thrilled to be in the position here at Howden where we have the flexibility and autonomy to build our construction offering directly in line with the needs of our clients.

“Talent acquisition is central to our ambitious growth strategy and is evident in the tribe we have brought together. As a division and as a business we are excited to see how this highly experienced group of individuals will elevate our construction and infrastructure offering to rival that of any of our competitors.”

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