Santam Syndicate 1918, the Lloyd’s platform of Santam Group, Africa’s largest non-life insurance company, has announced the appointment of Sam Geddes as Chief Executive Officer. He will be based in London and report to Gareth Beaver, CEO of Santam Expert Solutions.
Santam Syndicate 1918 said Geddes joins the company with more than 25 years’ experience in the Lloyd’s and international insurance markets. He previously worked at MS Amlin, most recently as deputy chief underwriting officer and head of reinsurance, partnerships and portfolio and risk management.
Throughout Geddes’ career, he has held a range of senior underwriting and leadership roles. According to Santam Syndicate 1918, these roles include serving as head of property and allied lines for MS Amlin, deputy active underwriter and head of property for Everest Syndicate 2786 and Asia underwriting director for Kiln Syndicate 510. He also held several leadership positions in the U.S. insurance market.
Santam Syndicate 1918 said the appointment was part of Lloyd’s’ continued expansion and reflected the next phase of Syndicate’s growth. In his new role, Geddes will be responsible for leading the business through its next phase of growth, with a focus on strengthening its position in the Lloyd’s market while supporting Santam Group’s FutureFit 2030 strategy to achieve international growth and diversification.
The company also confirmed that Rob Vetch, who served as interim CEO and CFO following Geddes’ appointment, will continue as CFO.
Santam Syndicate 1918 noted that the company has continued to build out its underwriting team since its inception. Recent additions include Nigel Tatlock, who was appointed head of real estate in April 2026, with further recruitment announcements expected later this year.
Beaver commented: “The launch of Syndicate has been enthusiastically received across the market, which is a testament to the strength of our proposition and the capabilities of the team we have built. We are delighted to welcome Sam as CEO. His deep experience and leadership record will be invaluable as we enter the next stage of growth. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Rob Vetch for his outstanding contribution to building Syndicate during his term as interim CEO.”
Geddes added: “Syndicate has built real momentum in a short period of time and I’m delighted to be joining at a key time in its development. I look forward to working closely with our brokers, clients and the wider team to strengthen our position at Lloyd’s and drive the next stage of growth – growth that is closely aligned with the Santam Group’s wider strategic objectives.”
