Several prominent organisations in the insurance industry have announced significant leadership appointments and practice expansions aimed at strengthening operations and meeting growing market demands.
Gallagher Launches European Transactional Risks Practice
Global insurance broker Gallagher has launched a new transactional risks practice in Europe, appointing Henk Bijl as senior broker to lead the initiative. Based in Amsterdam, Bijl joins Gallagher after a 25-year tenure at Aon, where he most recently served as managing director for the Benelux region for over a decade.
Bijl brings deep expertise in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), having advised clients across Europe—including the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Central and Eastern Europe—on managing complex transaction risks. He will report to Nepomuk Loesti, chief commercial officer for Europe.
The new practice will integrate Bijl’s M&A experience with Gallagher’s existing tax and cyber capabilities, led by Joyce Koch and Aldo Borsani respectively. The offering will include warranty and indemnity insurance, tax liability insurance, and contingent liability insurance—solutions increasingly sought by European corporates amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
This move follows Gallagher’s May appointment of Steve Parker as managing director of Vasek Insurance, its UK-based property-focused managing general agent.
Ecclesiastical Appoints UKGI Finance Director
Ecclesiastical Insurance, part of the Benefact Group, has announced the appointment of Anna Stratton as finance director for its UK general insurance (UKGI) operations, effective July 2025.
Stratton brings a strong finance leadership background, having held senior roles at Allianz Partners, including UK and Ireland finance director and global head of accounting and reporting. She began her career with PwC and has since developed extensive expertise in financial strategy and governance.
Reporting to group CFO Mark Bennett, Stratton will also join the UK leadership team headed by managing director Richard Coleman. The appointment aligns with Ecclesiastical’s ambition to double in size to enhance its charitable contributions.
The company has recently strengthened its leadership bench with appointments including Marc Lewis and Adam Wright from Aviva, Dave Carey from Allianz, Lara Bealing from Canada Life, and James Medlicott from HDI Global. In April, the insurer also expanded its footprint in Scotland in response to increased new business growth.
AEGIS London Strengthens International Casualty Team with Key Appointment
AEGIS London has bolstered its international casualty underwriting capabilities with the appointment of Sarah Yuile as underwriter.
Yuile brings a wealth of experience from QBE, where she most recently served as portfolio manager for the London Market’s European business. Her earlier roles included underwriting responsibilities in Canada and the Middle East, with tenures in both Toronto and London.
In her new role, Yuile will focus on advancing AEGIS London’s International Casualty portfolio across key regions including Canada, Australia, and Europe. Her expertise in crafting multi-jurisdictional liability solutions is expected to play a pivotal role in supporting the syndicate’s strategic growth across these markets.
Clyde & Co Adds Expertise in Disease and Workplace Stress
Global law firm Clyde & Co has appointed Barbara Goddard as a partner in its London office, further enhancing its capabilities in disease and workplace stress litigation. Goddard joins from DAC Beachcroft, where she led the firm’s London disease team.
With over 25 years of experience, Goddard specialises in complex employers’ liability, public liability, and product liability claims. Her portfolio includes high-value cases involving stress, asbestos, poisoning, occupational cancers, and COVID-19-related exposures.
At Clyde & Co, she joins the occupational disease and legacy claims team, which serves 13 of the top 15 UK insurers and a diverse client base across public and private sectors.
