Robert Kennedy is being promoted to CEO for Howden UK and Ireland, replacing Carl Shuker who will become deputy chairman.
Kennedy is currently CEO of Howden Ireland and will take up his new position on 1 October.
He joined Aston Lark in 2020 with Howden purchasing the firm in October 2021 for around £730m.
His experience from previous leadership positions includes Aviva, RSA and Aon.
Shuker will transition into the role of deputy chairman, having spent 13 years as CEO of A-Plan and a subsequent four years in his current role, following A-Plan’s acquisition by Howden in 2021.
In his new position, Shuker will remain closely involved with Howden UK & Ireland and will continue to support Kennedy in the next stages of it’s growth journey.
And in Ireland, subject to regulatory approval, Mark Nolan will assume the role of CEO of Howden Ireland.
David Howden, CEO of Howden, said: “Rob has built a leading, full-spectrum broker in the Irish market over the last five years.
“I couldn’t be more pleased that we have extraordinary talent like Rob, an entrepreneur of our own, to lead it through the next phase of integration, growth and acceleration.
“He will take over a standout broking business from Carl, which is delivering solutions to millions of clients providing personal and commercial lines insurance, employee benefits and pensions advisory, and mortgage and wealth advice, operating from the high street and from offices the length and breadth of the country.
“When I first met Carl, his deep commitment to empowering great people to delight their clients and be major contributors to their communities was clear from the outset.
“The business will continue to benefit from his strategic counsel in his new role as deputy chairman.”
Kennedy said: “This region holds a critical position in delivering Howden’s global strategic objectives, and I am excited to lead our exceptional teams through the next phase of growth.
“I would also like to acknowledge Carl’s outstanding leadership and am grateful to have the opportunity to benefit from his extensive experience during this transition.”
Shuker added that after an “amazingly enjoyable 45 years in the industry”, she was delighted to pass the reins to Kennedy.
