Miller strengthens professional risks unit with ex-Willis hire

Specialist re/insurance broker  Miller has hired a former  Willis Towers Watson executive to strengthen its position in the professional, executive and financial risks market.

James Gowen-Smith (pictured) joins Miller as its new head of after-the-event (ATE) insurance. He will report into joint head of international professional and financial risks Ed Pickard.

Gowen-Smith was most recently director of professions at CKRe, and before that worked with Willis Towers Watson in its financial and executive risk team, Prior to that, he was in the legal sector with firms Simmons & Simmons and Allen & Overy.

Pickard said: “He [Gowen-Smith] brings with him an in-depth understanding of After The Event insurance, and how it can empower claimants during litigation proceedings. I’m confident the clients of the solicitors and litigation lawyers Miller works with will greatly benefit from the peace of mind this product offers.

"James will be able to offer clients the benefit of his range of connections within the market to enable them to access this niche product. This new hire strengthens Miller’s position as a leading broker of professional, executive and financial risks in the London market, and enables us to offer greater value to our clients.”

Gowen-Smith commented: “Claimants face the financial exposure of having to pay an opponent’s legal costs in the event they are unsuccessful during legal proceedings. After The Event (ATE) insurance is an innovative product that enables litigation lawyers to help transfer the risk exposure of having to pay the other side’s legal costs in the event of an unsuccessful claim away from their client. By helping the claimant to minimise their litigation costs risk, it also sends a signal to larger, wealthier defendants that they cannot simply outspend a claimant and force them to settle.

Did you get value from this story?  Sign up to our free daily newsletters and get stories like this sent straight to your inbox.