Global re/insurance broker Howden has announced the promotion of Paul Hasib to the newly created role of Chief Placement Officer for the Corporate & Commercial pillar within Howden UK & Ireland, effective April 1, 2024. In his new role, Hasib will have responsibility for delivering greater visibility and accountability to Howden on placement activities across all divisions within the UK Corporate & Commercial pillar. Hasib and his team will aim to enhance the Howdens first line of defence and achieve impressive client outcomes through strong placement support and issue resolution, as well as deliver commercial success for the broker through improved efficiency. "Im looking forward to creating, implementing and managing our strategies to support the placement needs of the business and our clients, utilising Howdens strengths in the market to deliver improved client outcomes and placement efficiencies for Howden UK & Ireland corporate and commercial business," Hasib stated. The executive is joining Howden from Aston Lark where he joined in 2028 as Head of Insurer Management. He then moved into the role of Head of UK Retail Carrier Management within the Howden Markets team in 2022, following Howdens acquisition of Aston Lark. Prior to that he was part of RSA for 19 years, where he held a number of roles, including Head of London Market Commenting on Hasibs appointment Warren Dickson, CEO Corporate & Commercial, Howden, said: "Im delighted that Paul is stepping into this newly created role to lead placement activity within the market, delivering maximum value to Howden, our commercial and corporate clients, and our insurer partners."

Enhancing Broker Efficiency: Paul Hasib as Chief Placement Officer

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Paul is currently the Divisional Director at AstonLark, a position he has held since April 2018. Prior to this, he briefly sought opportunities in early 2018. From September 1998 to December 2017, he worked at RSA, where he held various roles including Regional Manager - City, Sales Manager, Broker Development Manager, and Development Underwriter. Before joining RSA, he was an Account Handler at Lambert Fenchurch from February 1996 to April 1998.

He will provide important leadership as we grow scalable, consistent, world-class operations, says chief executive Howden has appointed David Shalders as its new group chief operating officer. Shalders will be based in London and sit on the brokers global leadership team and group board as part of the move. This is the first time a chief operating officer will sit on the board - Howden said the move was a "reflection of our scale and the ambition we have". It also said that Shalders will help the business continue to deliver its growth plans. "Howdens unique capital model, coupled with a global distribution platform built over decades and filled with talent and expertise, have positioned it as a business that does things differently for clients," Shalders added. "From our first meetings, I felt the energy to do more and to do it with a difference. I am excited to be a part of that future." Shalders brings over 30 years worth of experience in integration, technology and operations in the financial services sector to the role. He joins Howden from the London Stock Exchange Group, where he most recently held the role of chief operating officer and head of integration. He also previously worked as group operations and technology director at Willis Towers Watson. In his new role, he will report to Howden chief executive David Howden. "David is a growth chief operating officer," Howden said. "He has spent his career delivering strategies across multinational operations, data and analytics to support commercial growth. "He will provide important leadership as we grow scalable, consistent, world-class operations whilst preserving the empowerment which makes us dynamic and innovative. "This balance is critical and, in that regard, David will support me as we continue to harness our strengths as one Howden."

Howden Gains Strategic Operations Expert, David Shalders, as COO

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Global insurance group Howden, has announced that Alfred Sham has stepped up to the position of interim CEO, Hong Kong, as Mark Johnson will be stepping down from the role. Howden has confirmed that Johnson will remain with the firm to ensure an orderly transition until the spring, when he leaves to join a major insurance organisation in Hong Kong At the same time, the company has also announced the appointments of Charles Yim, Associate Director, Financial Lines and Hui Ling Wong, Regional Director, effective immediately. Both Yim and Wong will report directly to Sham. Sham joined Howden in 2013, and has served in a variety of roles in Hong Kong and Singapore, throughout his tenure so far the firm. Howden noted that Sham has been a crucial contributor to the regions growth over the past decade, assuming a prominent role in regional M&A opportunities. Since 2018, Sham has served on the Hong Kong Board of Directors. Meanwhile, Yim joins Howden from Teneo, where he previously held the role of Associate Director, Financial Advisory. Before joining Teneo, he held a variety of positions including Assistant Vice President, Private Equity M&A at Marsh & McLennan, as well as Consulting Manager at PwC. Additionally, Wong joins Howden from specialty managing general agent (MGA), Fusion Specialty, where she previously served as Senior Partner. She also previously spent four years at re/insurance broker Aon as Head of Transaction Liability, Asia and prior to this worked as an M&A lawyer in some of the most prestigious law firms across Singapore and Hong Kong. Overall, she brings over 16 years of experience in legal and insurance expertise towards her new role. Goh Chye Huat, CEO, Howden Asia, commented: "These appointments in Hong Kong position us to do more for our clients in the region and capitalise on emerging opportunities in the market. Alfred has played a pivotal role in the expansion of Howden Asia and will now bring this knowledge and leadership to his position as interim CEO, Howden Hong Kong, during this transitional phase. "The addition of Charles Yim and Hui Ling Wong will further strengthen our capabilities as we continue to develop our product lines in the region. They will both be valued additions to the Hong Kong office." Alfred Sham, Interim CEO, Howden Hong Kong, said: "Hong Kong continues to be a major financial centre in Asia. As we expand our footprint in the territory through a combination of acquisitions and organic growth, it is imperative that we have a market-leading team supporting us to effectively cater to our clients needs."

Strategic Leadership Changes Unveiled at Howdens Hong Kong Operations

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Enhancing Broker Efficiency: Paul Hasib as Chief Placement Officer