Ardonagh Group hires former Lloyd's CEO Ward

UK independent insurance broker Ardonagh Group has appointed former Lloyd's CEO Richard Ward as executive chairman of its specialty & international and MGA segments that include Bishopsgate and Price Forbes.

Ward was chief executive of Lloyd's of London from 2006 to 2013. In 2014, he was appointed chairman of Brit Insurance; he chaired the company through its IPO and subsequent sale to Fairfax and will be stepping down from Brit in September. Ward was also appointed executive chairman of Cunningham Lindsey in 2014, where he completed its sale to Sedgwick earlier this year following which he has relinquished his role.

Ward served as non-executive director of Partnership Assurance Group between 2013 and 2016. He remains on the board of Direct Line Group as a non-executive director and senior independent director, having joined in January 2016. He is a member of the PRA Practitioner Panel, an independent statutory panel that represents the interests of practitioners regulated by the Bank of England.

Commenting on the appointment, John Tiner, chairman of The Ardonagh Group, said: “Richard’s career speaks for itself; he has exceptional pedigree and will bring unrivalled expertise to the Ardonagh Group Executive. The Board and all the shareholders are delighted to welcome him to the team.”

Ardonagh Group CEO David Ross added: “If anything was to validate the momentum behind The Ardonagh Group, the arrival of Richard is in itself another milestone for our organisation. I have worked with Richard in many guises over the past decade and to be able to now call him a colleague is a great moment for us all. The perfect cultural fit, Richard will become an integral part of a cohesive, highly skilled Executive team.

"His presence across the MGA and Specialty & International segments can only add substantially to our ability to both create and capitalise on future growth opportunities. Under his leadership, one can only feel genuinely excited by what’s to come.”

Ward commented: “Spending time with the Ardonagh team has given me the chance to really understand the unique position the Group holds in the industry, having built an unrivalled stable of a market leading brands and businesses. The arrival of this high profile, diverse portfolio continues to generate interest from across the globe nearly twelve months after its creation. This makes for a captivating, personal opportunity which I am very much looking forward to.”

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