NIG Announces Two Senior Executives Join London Office

Louise Field joins from AXA Insurance; Ruth Owen from Chartis Insurance UK

Commercial insurer NIG has made two top-level senior appointments to its London office as it identifies major opportunities in the Greater London and City broker-only sourced SME market. The firm is delighted to announce that Louise Field has joined as Area Underwriting Manager from AXA Insurance while Ruth Owen is to become Area Business Development Manager from Chartis UK.

Louise will report to Stuart Webb, NIG's Head of Regional Trading, and head up a 45-strong team of underwriting and service professionals focused on the London SME market. Louise spent 11 years at AXA Insurance, the last three as National Manager - Property Owners. Under her stewardship, the unit improved its COR and hit its new business GWP target. Between 2004 and 2008, Louise was AXA Insurance's Area Manager for London.

Louise Field, NIG's Area Underwriting Manager for London, said: "I am absolutely delighted to join NIG at a time when the firm is investing in its underwriting capabilities and growth opportunities. I will look to ensure year-on-year improvements in both broker and staff satisfaction surveys. I'm very excited by the challenge of helping NIG fulfill its strategy as a challenger brand in the SME commercial insurance market."

Stuart Webb, NIG's Head of Regional Trading, said: "Louise has significant experience in the Greater London market and is very well connected to NIG's core audience of London brokers. Her remit will be to grab new business opportunities and take market share while maintaining absolute discipline on profitable underwriting."

Working closely with Louise will be Ruth Owen, NIG's new Area Business Development Manager. Ruth has joined from Chartis with a key responsibility for overseeing and developing NIG's London broker-only distribution network. Ruth spent seven years at Chartis Insurance, latterly as Business Development Manager, following roles at Allianz Cornhill, AGF and Norwich Union. She will report to Dave Parry, Director of Sales and Distribution at NIG Commercial.

Ruth Owen, Area Business Development Manager for NIG's London office, said: "NIG's relationship with London's broker community is right at the very heart of NIG's future growth story. We recently hired Stewart McConachie from Aviva as Senior Business Development Manager and, as part of a growing team and NIG's revamped product suite, we will look to swiftly improve NIG's market share in London."

Dave Parry, Director of Sales and Distribution at NIG Commercial, said: "Ruth brings incredible market knowledge and insight to our business and her appointment not only shows how attractive NIG has become in this competitive market but also underscores the firm's commitment to challenge all commercial insurers, big and small."

Stuart Webb, NIG's Head of Regional Trading, added: "NIG is improving its operation, changing the type of people working for the business and focusing on growth and service excellence. We will be hiring more talented staff in the forthcoming months: we also have vacancies in London and want to talk to underwriters and relevant executives about coming to work for a reinvigorated NIG."

NIG is positioning itself as the 'first-choice' commercial insurance brand in the broker space and is focusing on the London region as a core market. NIG has launched a suite of new products and packages over the past year such as Premium Property Owners and Commercial Combined with the aim of winning UK market share on a long-term basis.

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Notes to Editors:

NIG provides insurance solutions to small to medium sized businesses throughout the UK. Established for over 100 years, NIG provides its insurance exclusively through a network of over 3,200 brokers.

By working closely with our selected brokers, NIG provides a wide range of insurance products for commercial needs protecting businesses.

NIG is part of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group's Insurance Division, the second largest general insurer in the UK.