Hiscox UK appoints chief distribution officer

Hiscox, the specialist global insurer, has appointed Gareth Hemming as its new Chief Distribution Officer for Hiscox UK.

Gareth spent the last 33 years at Aviva where he held a number of positions, most recently serving as its Chief Distribution Officer. In this role he was responsible for developing and executing its distribution strategy, implementing data and digital initiatives, and sponsoring the diversity, equality and inclusion agenda.

Based in Manchester, he will report to Jon Dye, Hiscox UK CEO, and will be a member of the Hiscox UK Leadership Team. With responsibility for the trading strategy to drive profitable growth with brokers, he will lead the broker trading teams across the UK, including the regional operations, Schemes and Art & Private Clients.

Jon said: “Gareth is an accomplished leader and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role. He has a track record of delivering commercial performance, leading businesses through change and creating highly effective teams. His in-depth industry knowledge and established broker relationships will help us further improve our broker distribution and deliver against our growth ambitions”.

Gareth commented: “I’m excited to be joining Hiscox at such an important time in their growth journey. The business has a clear ambition, a fantastic team, good momentum and strong values. I look forward to working with the team and building on their success to date.”

Gareth’s appointment is effective from 1st October, 2023.

As part of its growth ambitions, Hiscox UK has recently launched several initiatives including a new broker e-trading platform and the Underwriting Academy. In September, Hiscox will launch a new brand marketing campaign in the UK – the first since 2018 – before a global roll-out in 2024.