Global insurance intermediary group Howden has announced the appointment of Elliot Richardson as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), effective immediately.
Richardson will report to CEO David Howden and join the Group Executive Committee (GEC), while remaining Executive Chair of Howden Re.
The appointment is central to Howden’s new commercial strategy, designed to make full use of the broking, reinsurance, underwriting, and employee benefits capabilities the Group has built across its global platform.
The strategy’s key priorities focus on deepening client collaboration, enhancing carrier partnerships to improve outcomes for clients. This will include the growth of facilities and new products to optimise placements for clients and deepen client relationships.
Underpinning this strategy will be client and placement data insights using enhanced CRM and data solutions powered by AI to elevate the sales culture.
Richardson will oversee Howden Markets and Group Placement. He will collaborate with CFO Susan Panuccio and Group COO David Shalders, supported by a new Commercial Leadership Team from across Howden’s regions and specialities businesses.
David Howden, CEO, Howden, said: “We have now built the full range of geographies and capabilities to become a truly global broker, and the opportunity in front of us is to deploy all of those tools for our clients. That means building a more consistent, scalable, world-class business – one that helps our people collaborate more easily, delivers better outcomes for clients and markets, and unlocks the full potential of the Group, while preserving the entrepreneurial, empowered and employee-owned culture that makes us different.
“Our new commercial strategy, and Elliot’s leadership of it, is central to that. Elliot has played a vital role in building Howden Re into one of the world’s leading reinsurance businesses, and I know he will bring the same energy, judgement and commercial instinct to this role.”
Richardson, who has 38 years of experience in the re/insurance market, has been part of Howden since 2015, when he joined the company as part of the RKH acquisition.
During his tenure he has held roles including Vice Chair and Chair of International, Howden Re, scaled Howden Re’s international footprint through new talent, and played a key role in Howden’s acquisition of Tiger Risk.
In collaboration with Howden Re Tim Ronda, he has played a key role in driving the reinsurance division’s organic growth into an $800m+ revenue business , and establishing it as one of the top four global reinsurance brokers.
Richardson commented: “Howden has assembled the most talented group of people in the industry, and we now belong in a small group of truly global brokers.
“It is therefore a logical next step for us to now harness our collective power and bring the full force of all our experts, regardless of specialism or geography, for the benefit of our clients and markets. The scale of opportunity through a combined commercial strategy is huge, I am honoured to be asked to take on this role and in having the support across the Group to do so.”
