Gallagher Re, an international reinsurance broking and advisory business, has appointed James Whittingham as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of its UK & Ireland business, effective April 2027, subject ot regulatory approval.
In the role, he succeeds Charles Crawford, who is retiring at the end of 2027.
Whittingham will join Gallagher’s UK & Ireland executive team and report to Michael Rea, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gallagher in the region.
Currently, Whittingham serves as the Chief Financial Officer for Gallagher’s UK & Ireland Retail division, a role he has held since he joined the broker in 2019.
He has over 25 years of industry experience, and has worked at Equiniti, RSA, and RBS in the past.
Rea commented on the appointment, “I know James well having worked with him in my current role and also as CEO of Gallagher’s retail operations and I am delighted he has agreed to take on this hugely important role in my executive team.
“As Chief Financial Officer of our UK & Ireland Retail division, James has a real understanding of the commercial and operational priorities that underpin our business and he brings strong financial, commercial and operational perspectives. Charles and James will work together from April next year until the end of 2027 to ensure a smooth transition.”
He continued, “I would like to recognise the enormous contribution that Charles has made to Gallagher as COO having joined us in 2016. Over the past decade, he has played a pivotal role in driving many major change programmes as well as overseeing our operations on a day-to-day basis. During his tenure we have gone through considerable growth and change and his leadership, judgement and commitment have been hugely valuable to our organisation.”
Whittingham added, “This is a fantastic opportunity to build on the strength of the business and work with our talented teams to support our continued growth.
“Gallagher has a strong culture, ambitious plans for the future and, most importantly, great people. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues across the business to help turn that ambition into action, strengthen how we operate and ensure we continue delivering the very best for our clients.”
