Alesco Delegated Authority (Alesco DA), a specialist binding authority broker, has launched a dedicated Canadian delegated authorities unit with a triple hire of market specialists.
The broker hired Tom Bassett and Alan Daly as Executive Directors and Will Howard-Smith as Associate Director to drive the expansion of Alesco DA’s Canadian business, where there is significant opportunity for growth.
Together, the trio brings more than four decades of insurance insurance broking experience, with specialist expertise in placing and negotiating North American binding authorities in the London market, and Canadian delegated authorities in particular.
They will join Ashley Perkins’ International team, which forms part of the 60-strong London-based Alesco DA business, led by Managing Director Donald Alcorn and has a portfolio of over 300 delegated authority facilities for more than 150 agents.
Alesco DA is now part of Gallagher’s Re Global Programmes practice group, led by Andrew Moss, which manages gross written premiums of approximately US $6bn.
Bassett brings more than 15 years’ broking experience, having specialised in the negotiating and placing of North American binding authorities, after he had initially started a career on the underwriting side, in NA casualty reinsurance.
Prior to Alesco DA, he was a divisional director at Bishopsgate Insurance Brokers, having previously been a producing broker for Ed and Endeavour.
With also 15 years of insurance broking experience, Daly joins the firm from Bishopsgate where he was most recently a divisional director. He has specific expertise in American and Canadian delegated underwriting authority for property, terrorism, auto and casualty insurance.
He has also held roles at Aon and Endeavour Insurance Services, where he started his career in 2008.
Completing the new team, Howard-Smith is an experienced account manager who began his insurance career at Willis Towers Watson before moving to Ed where he specialised in North American property, and latterly worked at Bishopsgate.
Commenting on the new hires, Donald Alcorn, said: “North America continues to be a key focus for growth at Alesco DA and Canada has long been a target for specific expansion, with many quality coverholders and MGAs having their binding authorities negotiated and placed here in the London market.
“We wanted to create a top quality team to lead that expansion – and that is what we have done by hiring Tom, Alan and Will. They are highly respected in the world of Canadian delegated authorities and a brilliant fit for the business and our ever-expanding team.”
Andrew Moss added: “What we’re creating within the global practice is a one-stop shop for all forms of capacity and capital around the MGA. We’re bringing together people and resources from around the world that can cater for the full spectrum of MGA needs, so it made perfect sense to bring Donald and his fast-growing team of specialist binding authority brokers at Alesco DA within the practice. This investment into expanding our Canadian business with delegated authorities placed in the London market is the latest example of Alesco DA’s ambitious growth, within the wider practice.”
