SSL Endeavour appoints group non exec chair Palmer-Brown and CFO Crossland as it finalises ‘significant’ aviation M&A

Specialist independent Lloyd’s broker SSL Endeavour has unveiled two “important” senior executive hires for the group on the same day it confirmed it was finalising the acquisition of Worldlink Holdings, a North American aviation brokerage and MGA.

The broker said it would make further announcements on the “significant” deal when the transaction was completed.

The company's growth ambitions were clear as it unveiled London market veteran Jonathan Palmer-Brown as its new group non executive chairman and experienced finance professional Hugh Crossland as group chief financial officer.

SSL Endeavour group CEO David Lawrence said: “In August last year specialist Marine broker SSL Insurance Brokers merged with delegated authority specialist Endeavour Insurance Services in a deal backed by JC Flowers. The appointment of Jonathan Palmer-Brown as group non executive chairman and Hugh Crossland as group CFO provides another significant boost to our platform at a time of unprecedented opportunity in our market, not least our expansion into North American and London market aviation business.”

He said Palmer-Brown “hardly needs an introduction having had a very successful career in the London market over fifty years”, adding that his experience and connections would “help guide us through the next phase of growth”.

Palmer-Brown started in the London market in 1968 with brokers Stewart Smith. In 1988 he went on to co-found NCC Insurance Brokers, which had fully merged with Aon by 1993. At Aon he held the posts of chairman and chief executive of Aon Global Specialty and was deputy chairman of the UK group. He joined JLT in 2009, becoming a member of the group executive and chairman of their Specialty Business before becoming senior adviser to the group CEO. He has also been chairman of LIIBA and LIBC.

Crossland joins the company from JLT where he held the role of CFO & commercial director for Latin America & Canada. Prior to that, he was JLT’s group head of M&A for five years. He is a chartered accountant having qualified with KPMG in its financial services division.

Palmer-Brown said: “It is a privilege to Chair this group at such an opportune time and with the support and backing of JC Flowers. We have exciting plans for global expansion whilst we will also continue at pace to build in new business areas SSL Endeavour’s London operation. Going on the ground in various geographies and getting underway in the reinsurance sector are included in our priorities.”
Crossland said,

“I am delighted to be joining SSL Endeavour at such an exciting time. The team has big ambitions to build upon the platform of its existing, well-established businesses and I'm looking forward to working with Jonathan Palmer-Brown, David Lawrence and the rest of SSL Endeavour's Executive team to drive the next phase of growth."

Jonathan Cox, vice president at JC Flowers, said: “These appointments mark the next step in the development of the SSL Endeavour platform and come at a time in which we are seeing enormous opportunity to expand into new lines such as aviation. We look forward to working with Jonathan Palmer-Brown and Hugh Crossland during the next phase of development.”

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