Matthew Duckett (BSc Hons; Dip CII; fCMgr)

Development manager across Markel UK's specialty products in the North of England, working in pursuit of the significant growth aspirations of the business. Markel has seen a doubling of GWP written over the last 5 years with 20% year on year new-business growth targeted and achieved (or exceeded) in the North throughout my time in this role.

This role has required extremely flexible, adaptable and agile working as the business continually evolves to cater for its ever increasing size and distribution across the UK regional market. It has also expanded my understanding of the UK SME and Mid-Market segment, with exposure to an extremely versatile broker panel, as well as specialty products within Technology, Life-Science, Social Welfare and Professional Risk.

During my time with Markel UK, I have been twice nominated for the Markel UK 'Style' awards and in 2023 won the 'Ingenuity' award for my work undertaken in the design and delivery of the UK Sales CRM system. In 2022, I completed a Diploma in Management through Corndel business school, receiving a Merit.

This role has required intense internal and external stakeholder management, including the negotiation, management and local delivery of our Fee for Service Arrangements and detailed understanding of our products in order to meet plan, with the North region being one of few regions to meet every quarterly sales target set.

Key

Responsible for the development of all commercial insurance products in the North of England, with a principle focus within Financial Lines (PI and D&O), General Casualty and Property. This role required active management across an established panel of Global and National brokers to ensure both new-business and retention objectives are met, as well as ensuring service level agreements and operating standards were maintained.

Due to the nature of the book held by AIG, a large part of this role was maintaining our key broker relationships through challenging market conditions during Covid, whilst still achieving new-business growth and retaining AIG's core books of business.

• Implementation and monitoring performance of the UK AIG Sales Strategy at local-level to ensure adherence to any Fee for Service or Strategic Partner Arrangements, tailored to local broking teams..
• Championing the use of the CRM (Salesforce) and ensure all lines of business are utilising Salesforce correctly, updating cases as appropriate and maintaining a sufficiently qualified pipeline of in-appetite risks.
• Leading bi-weekly underwriting ‘production meetings’ with each department to review opportunities, targets and major renewable accounts to ensure all key opportunities are appropriately supported at all levels across the business.
• Engaging with the UK leadership team and Northern Regional Manager to ensure any changes in appetite or product-approach have been effectively communicated internally & externally.
• Co-ordinating any large multi-line submission responses to ensure AIG's proposition is put forward in the best way.

International casualty broker supporting internal and external network producers placing liability and environmental products. From August 2019 to March 2020, I acted as team leader for the International Environmental team developing relationships across the combined Marsh-JLT network, and leading a team of two additional brokers to continue growth of the Environmental product. Key responsibilities:

• Management of key producer relationships from the JLT/Marsh network in Australia, Canada and the UK.
• Generation of new business opportunities through cross-sale client initiatives and prospect presentations.
• Collaborating with departments in target growth industry segments (Energy; Construction; M&A)
• Preparation and creation of content for 'insight' articles and other marketing initiatives; supporting any JLT/MMC hosted client events via delivery of presentations or otherwise.
• Development of a revised Environmental strategy following the JLT-MMC merger .
• Direct line management responsibilities for two placement staff.

Additional activities:

• BIBA Young Broker subcommittee member (London & South)
• Completed CII Diploma in Insurance November 2019

During my previous time in this role, I was part of a North West dedicated underwriting team. This team included representation on each product with an absolute focus on new business. Engagement with underwriting was predominantly through driving the key sales initiatives developed alongside the Northwest field manager.

Additional activities:

• Representative for the UK Regions on the AIG Diversity & Inclusion Panel (UK)
• Chaired Staff Engagement Committee for the Northwest

Originally joining the team as an Assistant Underwriter, I was quickly promoted to Environmental Underwriter and was responsible for underwriting mid to major new business and renewal accounts. Risks underwritten included operational and transactional business varying from SME to global clients, with predominantly UK and EEA exposure. Additional activities:

• UK Regions new business development lead.
• MGA/DUA Schemes Management - bound first EIL MGA scheme for the team.
• Oversight of Service Centre and training of support staff.