FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT: YOUNG GUNS 2017 DANIEL ALPAY Line underwriter HISCOX Age: 29
From the time he joined Hiscox’s graduate scheme in 2009, Daniel Alpay has quickly asserted himself as one of the company’s finest underwriters. Beginning his career as a catastrophe modelling analyst, Alpay has progressed his way through the organisation to achieve his current position as line underwriter for flood and household. He leads a team of five underwriters and has helped grow the flood book of business to a position in which Hiscox is now one of Lloyd’s ‘go-to’ markets for US flood cover. Alpay was instrumental in spotting the opportunity from the recent lowering of barriers to entry to the US flood insurance market. He spearheaded the development of Hiscox’s FloodPlus product, which has already won a Lloyd’s Innovation award. Since its launch, FloodPlus has generated US$7.5m in new written premium, offering broader, quicker and often cheaper coverage than those available from the US National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), while also being underpinned by a better claims process. Alpay is a natural problem-solver keen on overcoming objections and bringing solutions, and has a talent for pulling together functions from within Hiscox, including catastrophe modelling, underwriting, claims, IT, as well as third parties such as brokers and modelling vendors, in order to come through with the best possible products for clients. He is determined to continue expanding Hiscox’s offerings, working on plans to launch a commercial FloodPlus product and a dedicated product that’s broader than NFIP for coastal properties through FloodPlus Coastal.
JESS KINGSLAND Commercial branch manager ISCA BARUM INSURANCE BROKERS Age: 25
At just 25 years of age, Jess Kingsland has already accumulated eight years of insurance experience since joining Isca Barnum Insurance Brokers’ apprenticeship scheme in 2009. In just six years Kingsland became commercial branch manager with a team of four reporting to her, and today she is responsible for 80 clients as a broker and 220 clients as an account executive supporting the firm’s key client director. Also, in the past six months, premium income for Kingsland’s clients increased by over £12,000, while her office experienced more than 6% growth in
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the first quarter of this year. Kingsland has been instrumental in Isca Barnum’s Insurance Act compliance working party, utilising her knowledge to help guide team members to deliver the best processes for clients and staff. She has also committed herself to continuing education – she is currently working on earning her Dip CII. In recognition of her dedication to the industry, Kingsland received the David Grimley Award for Young Professional of the Year in 2015 from the Chartered Insurance Institute. FUN FACT Jess participated in a 55-mile sponsored walk to raise money for the chemotherapy unit at her local hospital.
RYAN GILL Chief finance officer UK GENERAL INSURANCE GROUP Age: 34
Ryan Gill is chief finance officer at the multi-award-winning UK General Insurance Group, the country’s largest specialist managing general agent. In the course of his career with the company, UK General has grown its gross written premiums from £130m to £380m, and Gill has been instrumental in this growth, culminating in the recent acquisition by UK private equity house JC Flowers, in which he was heavily involved. Within his first 12 months as CFO, Gill was able to raise £15m of external financing, which enabled the business to not only repay its long-term shareholder debt but also invest in growth initiatives, including technology and distribution capabilities needed to expand UK General’s product and multi-channel offering. He has built a reputation among colleagues, investors and stakeholders for his innovative and commercial approach to problem-solving and strategic vision. Seeing the immense need for the insurance industry to embrace change and innovate, Gill has played a lead role in guiding UK General’s evolution to becoming a virtual insurer, challenging the traditional insurer model by removing unnecessary costs from the value chain, and driving better value for customers through combining underwriting excellence with first-class capacity and capital.