A wave of senior appointments and promotions is reshaping the UK and global insurance landscape, as firms continue to strengthen leadership teams and support strategic growth.
Commercial Express creates new schemes leadership role
Commercial Express has appointed Gary Holmes as head of schemes development, a newly created position designed to support the managing general agent’s transition to a managing general underwriter (MGU) by the end of 2026.
Holmes will play a key role in developing and delivering the company’s schemes proposition, including delegated broker authorities and new product offerings, as the business continues to evolve its operating model.
He joins from Jensten Underwriting, where he served as head of property and casualty, and previously spent 15 years at Direct Line Group. With more than three decades of industry experience, Holmes brings a strong track record in identifying commercial opportunities and driving strategic growth in changing market conditions.
The appointment comes amid sustained expansion at Commercial Express, as it enhances its capabilities and strengthens its distribution platform.
HLPartnership appoints recruitment manager from Legal & General
HLPartnership has named Toby Miles as recruitment manager, following his move from Legal & General, where he spent more than eight years.
Most recently, Miles served as a key relationship manager within Legal & General Mortgage Club, overseeing strategic partnerships with intermediary firms. Earlier in his career, he worked as a telephone relationship manager, supporting directly authorised brokers in scaling their businesses.
In his new role, Miles will engage with firms exploring their next phase of growth, helping them understand HLPartnership’s offering and the support available through its network.
DUAL promotes Sayce to group chief commercial officer
DUAL Group has promoted Scott Sayce to group chief commercial officer (CCO), effective April 1, 2026.
Sayce, who previously served as group chief innovation officer, joined DUAL in 2024. Since then, he has played a key role in several initiatives, including the launch of new global cyber capacity and the rollout of solutions across multiple regions.
AXIS completes CFO transition
AXIS Capital Holdings has confirmed that Matthew Kirk has formally taken on the role of chief financial officer, effective March 31, 2026, completing a leadership transition first announced in August 2025.
Kirk reports to president and CEO Vince Tizzio, sits on the executive committee, and is based in New York. He spent the previous four months as a strategic adviser to the group ahead of assuming the CFO position.
He joined AXIS from Enstar Group Limited, where he served as CFO overseeing global finance operations, having previously held the role of group treasurer. Earlier in his career, he held senior positions at Sirius International Insurance Group and began his professional journey at Arthur Andersen.
Arkel appoints claims manager amid expansion
Arkel has appointed Joshua Pool as claims manager as the business continues to scale its operations.
Pool brings over 20 years of experience, most recently serving as claims manager at Sedgwick International. His background includes extensive work in case and relationship management with brokers and claimants, alongside earlier roles at Acumen Claims, Innovation Group and HSBC.
The appointment aligns with Arkel’s ongoing expansion strategy. Since the start of 2026, the MGA has secured major partnerships with Markerstudy, Gallagher and Intelligent Insurance. Founded seven years ago, the company has achieved consistent year-on-year growth, reaching £52 million in gross written premium (GWP) at the end of 2025, and is targeting more than £100 million GWP by 2030.
