Hiscox, the specialist global insurer, has appointed Ben Horton, former EMEA Claims Director at Zurich, as its new Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) for UK & Ireland, in addition to naming James Browne as Managing Director of UK Direct.
Horton joined Zurich in 2014, having previously spent eight years at RSA in a variety of commercial roles, including as Head of Strategic Sourcing, Commercial Operations Director, and Personal Claims Director.
Meanwhile, Browne joins Hiscox from Phillips in the Netherlands, where he most recently served as a Senior Marketing Director.
Browne joined Phillips in 2008 and started his career as a Management Graduate Trainee at Unilever, where he spent seven years in a variety of Marketing and Commercial roles.
In their new roles, Horton will be based in London, while Browne will be based in York, the home of Hiscox’s UK Direct operations.
Ben Walter, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hiscox Global Retail, commented on the appointments: “Our retail business is an increasingly important component of Hiscox Group and like any insurance business good underwriting is critical to success.
“Ben Horton’s deep industry expertise and sharp eye for new opportunities are exactly what we need to drive our most established retail business forward.
“Our Direct channel has been integral to the success of our retail arm. It’s an exciting part of the business that never stands still, and we’re delighted to have a customer-focused executive like James on-board to take it forward. He is an exceptional leader who will build on the great momentum we have in the franchise.”
