Howden, the global insurance intermediary group, has announced a planned change to its senior leadership, with Dominic Collins set to step down as Executive Chairman.
Once a successor has been appointed, Collins will take on the role of President Emeritus, allowing him to maintain an active relationship with the Group and continue providing support and guidance.
Collins became Chairman of Howden in May 2015, following the combination of RKH and Howden. Howden said the transaction brought together RKH’s specialist insurance expertise with its own expanding international broking, distribution and underwriting businesses, helping to establish the foundations for the Group’s subsequent international expansion.
The company added that the combination marked an important stage in Howden’s development, as the business progressed from an entrepreneurial broker into a broader international insurance group. Since then, Howden has expanded its operations across multiple markets and built its presence in areas including retail broking, specialty insurance and reinsurance.
The latest leadership transition comes as the company’s US operations have become firmly established and the Group prepares for its next phase of growth. The company also said the business is well positioned as it looks towards becoming a public company.
David Howden, CEO of Howden, commented: “After more than a decade as my business partner and Executive Chairman of Howden, it is hard to overstate the contribution Dominic has made to this business. He has been intrinsic to our US retail build-out, and in how we have attracted and nurtured exceptional talent and realised our ambitions to become a truly global broker.
“The scale of change that Dominic has helped oversee is extraordinary. Since RKH and Howden came together, we have grown from a business of $400 million revenue to one of over $5 billion. Through this, we have achieved our goals of becoming number one in our home market, a market leader in Europe, building global specialty capabilities, and establishing a tier one Reinsurance business.
“Dominic’s judgement, wisdom and counsel have helped shape countless decisions at Howden, and I have personally benefited from his support and friendship. While Dominic is stepping down, he is certainly not leaving us and will remain a valued adviser, ambassador and friend to the Group. On behalf of everyone at Howden, I want to thank him for his leadership and his part in our success.”
Collins added: “I have been lucky enough throughout my career to work with outstanding talent and it has been the privilege of my career to help build Howden into the business it is today. When RKH and Howden came together, our shared vision was to create something different.
“We were determined to build a truly global broker with an entrepreneurial spirit that would attract and retain the best people in our industry. But we had to earn the right to this success and build a sustainable business for the long-term, one that would not be sold and caught up in the waves of consolidation driven by the large US listed brokers.
“To see that ambition realised has been enormously rewarding. The foundations for the Group’s continued success are now in place. I have great confidence in David and the leadership team as they take the Group forward into its next chapter. I am delighted to remain closely involved and able to support Howden and look forward to remaining part of this extraordinary growth story.”
The appointment of Collins’ successor will follow a formal search process, with details of the new Chairman to be announced once that process has concluded.
