Aviva and Specialty MGA have strengthened their market positions with senior appointments aimed at accelerating regional expansion and enhancing niche underwriting capabilities.
Aviva bolsters South East presence with Gallagher appointment
Aviva has appointed Kerry Myles as branch manager to lead its reconfigured South East region, underlining the insurer’s strategy to deepen its footprint across Britain.
Myles will join from Gallagher on March 16, assuming responsibility for a newly expanded territory aligned with the region’s growth profile. She transitions from her role as regional head of client service and operations, bringing extensive leadership experience built through branch manager and regional roles at both Gallagher and Allianz across the South East.
Reporting to Jake Algar, head of trading for London and the South East, Myles succeeds Alison Coleman, who had overseen the region on an interim basis following a restructuring.
The revamped South East region now comprises three areas—Kent, Sussex and Surrey; Southampton; and Thames Valley—designed to support more localised decision-making and sharper market responsiveness.
Specialty MGA targets accident and health expansion
Separately, Specialty MGA has appointed Neil Tayler as senior underwriter, tasking him with building an accident and health (A&H) portfolio from the ground up.
Tayler brings three decades of market experience across consumer and corporate schemes, including personal accident, mortgage indemnity and creditor protection. His background includes nearly a decade at Canopius, where he focused on packaging A&H products for non-traditional distribution channels, alongside broader MGA-sector experience.
Operating under the MNK Group umbrella, Specialty MGA has given Tayler scope to develop the A&H book with a focus on broker partnerships and underserved niches.
The appointment aligns with MNK Group’s wider strategy to expand capacity and specialist offerings. Earlier this month, the London-based group launched a new operation in Brazil to deliver re/insurance solutions to domestic and multinational clients.
