Marsh has appointed Lisa Quest as its new UK chief executive officer, effective April 6. She will continue in her current role as head of UK and Ireland at Oliver Wyman.
Based in London, Quest will report to Flavio Piccolomini, CEO of International at Marsh. She succeeds Chris Lay, who is retiring from the firm.
Marsh UK, the principal subsidiary of the recently rebranded Marsh, generated £10.06bn in revenue in 2024 and employs around 2,000 people across 30 offices nationwide.
In her expanded remit, Quest will work closely with the UK business CEOs to shape commercial strategy across Marsh’s four business units. Her responsibilities include strengthening client relationships and advancing data-driven solutions for organisations operating in the UK market.
Quest first joined Oliver Wyman in 2006 before moving into private equity. She returned to the consultancy in 2013 and was later appointed co-head of its Government and Public Institutions Practice in Europe. In 2023, she assumed the additional role of head of UK and Ireland. Her experience spans data and analytics, workforce planning, and organisational design.
Leadership changes following Lay’s departure
Lay currently serves as both CEO of Marsh UK and CEO of Marsh Risk UK. Following his departure, these roles will be separated under a revised organisational structure.
In November, Marsh announced the appointment of James Addington-Smith as CEO of Marsh Risk UK, a role that will sit alongside Quest’s broader UK chief executive position.
Lay leaves after more than 40 years with the firm, having been appointed CEO of Marsh UK in 2018. His remit expanded in March 2023 to include CEO of Marsh McLennan UK, overseeing collaboration across Marsh, Mercer, Guy Carpenter and Oliver Wyman.
A prominent advocate for a UK captive insurance regime, Lay has played a key role in influencing the Treasury’s decision to develop a framework by 2027. He became chair of the London Market Group in January 2026, a position he will retain following his retirement from Marsh.
