British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) executive director Graeme Trudgill has succeeded Steve White as the organisation’s next chief executive.
Trudgill takes up the role with immediate effect following a process conducted by an independent third party to consider external and internal candidates.
As executive director, he has been a member of BIBA’s main board for than 10 years and has led the policy team incorporating corporate affairs, technical services, and communications.
He has been personally responsible for BIBA’s public affairs lobby with government and authored BIBA’s annual manifesto and has been involved with its advisory boards. He is also a fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute, is a Chartered Insurance practitioner and was a practicing insurance broker before joining BIBA.
White announced his plans to retire at the BIBA Conference in Manchester in May, and leaves as the longest serving CEO having completed 10 years of service.
Jonathan Evans, chairman of BIBA, said: “Graeme is a force to be reckoned with in the insurance industry, and is the right choice for our next CEO. He has been a key player at BIBA, involved in strategic decisions at the very top for a long time. Graeme has outstanding engagement skills being able to unify multiple stakeholders for the benefit of brokers. During my time as an MP, I had direct experience of his professional approach to lobbying for and representation of BIBA’s members, so I am without doubt that he will successfully take BIBA through its next phase.
“On behalf of BIBA’s Board and members, I would like to thank Steve for his incredible contribution to BIBA and brokers, through his decade of serving as CEO and before, as well as a lifetime of commitment to the industry. He has achieved great things for the association and leaves it in the strongest possible position. We wish him well in his retirement.”
Trudgill (pictured) said: “I’ll be leading from the front using my experience as a broker, and from my 22 years at BIBA to take the organisation to the next level. I’m in a unique position to understand what members need and to be able to build on the success of Steve’s leadership.
“We are in the change business, with ever developing changes to legislation, regulation, technology, risks and customer needs. I am prepared to make necessary adaptations, here at BIBA, to our approach and activities that will provide the best possible support for members as we move forward.”
Jane Kielty, deputy chairwoman at BIBA, added: “Graeme is already influential in all the areas relevant to insurance brokers. He has a strong reputation for successfully working with government, industry bodies and leading key policy decisions that are vital to the future of brokers. He is committed to broking, has experience as a broker and has proved his dedication by championing brokers through multiple media and TV interviews and by representing and defending them to Parliamentary Committees.”