Beazley Appoints New Global Head of Professionals' E&O

LONDON, June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Beazley Group has appointed Jerry Sullivan to head its global professionals' E&O unit, focusing principally on the needs of law firms and of architects and engineers.  Ian Rose, an experienced underwriter of lawyers' professional liability (LPL) business, will head the global LPL team, reporting to Mr Sullivan.

Lloyd Fielder, who joined Beazley in 2004 as a large risks underwriter and who has played an important role in the development of Beazley's lawyers' business as well as writing large scale architects and engineers (A&E) accounts, will be leaving the company.    

Mr Sullivan joined Beazley in 2005 to develop the group's A&E professional liability business in the United States.  Beazley's Lloyd's syndicates have been insuring large scale A&E firms since 1986: Mr Sullivan's remit was to win business from smaller scale firms that had not historically insured at Lloyd's.  Writing for the account of Beazley's local US insurance company, Beazley Insurance Company, Inc., Mr Sullivan and his team successfully broadened the group's client base, attracting more than 5,000 new clients with revenues of up to $3 million apiece.

In his new capacity, Mr Sullivan will relocate to London.  He will continue to have day to day responsibility for the global A&E account, as well as working with Ian Rose and the US LPL team to develop business from regional US law firms in addition to that of the largest firms.  Forty three of the top 100 law firms in the United States, as ranked by the American Lawyer magazine, insure with Beazley.

Ian Rose joined Beazley in 2007, bringing 23 year experience in meeting the insurance needs of a diverse range of professional services clients, including Australian and Hong Kong solicitors, U.S. and Canadian lawyers, and global accounting firms.  

Adrian Cox, head of Beazley's specialty lines division, said:

"For more than two decades, architects and engineers and lawyers have looked to Beazley to provide the professional liability protection that is vital to their business.  We have invested heavily, and will continue to invest, in the expertise required to handle the often complex underwriting and claims issues that these lines of business present.  

"Competition among insurers for the business of smaller A&E design firms and law firms is currently intense.  However, we believe that the medium term growth opportunities in both markets are substantial.  Jerry and Ian are well equipped to develop these opportunities.

"Lloyd Fielder has made an enormously important contribution to the development of our specialty lines business, particularly in our lawyers' professional liability and architects & engineers lines.  We thank him and wish him all success with his future endeavours."

Note to editors:

Beazley plc (BEZ.L), is the parent company of specialist insurance businesses with operations in Europe, the US, Asia and Australia.  Beazley manages five Lloyd's syndicates and, in 2009, underwrote gross premiums worldwide of 1,115.5 million pounds Sterling.  All Lloyd's syndicates are rated A by A.M. Best. 

Beazley's underwriters in the United States focus on writing a range of specialist insurance products.  In the admitted market, coverage is provided by Beazley Insurance Company, Inc., an A.M. Best A rated carrier licensed in all 50 states.  In the surplus lines market, coverage is provided by the Beazley syndicates at Lloyd's.

Beazley is a market leader in many of its chosen lines, which include professional indemnity, property, marine, reinsurance, accident and life, and political risks and contingency business.

For more information please go to: www.beazley.com.

SOURCE Beazley plc