UMAL - Key Persons
Alison joined UMAL in August 2014. She brings 15 years of claims experience gained within the Lloyd's insurance market. In her previous positions she worked in the financial sector having studied languages at University.
Andrew began his current term of office as a Director of UMAL in August 2016. He has 19 years of experience as a University finance director at SOAS, Queen Mary and, currently, at the University of Essex.
Andrew qualified as a Chartered Public Finance Accountant through the Essex County Council graduate trainee scheme before progressing to work in the Regulatory Services Group at Lloyd's of London where he secured the Lloyd's Market Certificate; a Chartered Insurance Institute qualification. Inspired by his time as a student, Andrew then joined the University of Essex, as Assistant Director of Finance, and was instrumental in Essex becoming one of the founding members of UMAL in 1993.
Andrew has been involved in insurance, investments and financial accounting for over 25 years and is a member of the UMAL Investment and Audit Committees. In addition to his accountancy and insurance qualifications, Andrew has a BSc in Economics from the University of Salford.
Charlie joined UMAL in 2022 and has 10 years' of experience in a specialist motor insurance broker. Over the years Charlie has gained experience in a variety of different roles, including customer service, policy administration, and renewals. She now supports the Underwriting Department in all aspects of day-to-day underwriting activity.
Claire joined UMAL in April 2019, following a 20 year career with Zurich. Claire has a broad range of experience across most areas of insurance at a Senior Management level and in a wide range of supervisory and operational roles. These included Claims, Underwriting Support and Project Management both in the UK and India. Most recently she was a Broker Development Manager for large Corporate Customers and Brokers.
Job Titles:
- Casualty Claims Executive
Dylan joined UMAL in January 2023. He has 15 years of experience handling motor and casualty claims gained from working in Private Practice and thereafter, for a Third Party Administrator where he managed a team of claim handlers responsible for a wide range of claim types, values and complexity. Dylan has handled claims for a wide range of sectors including but not limited to UK commercial insurance, public sector bodies, retail organisations, foreign logistic companies, travel networks, food processing/manufacturing and leisure/hospitality establishments.
Feras joined UMAL in April 2019. He brings over 20 years' experience of managing and supporting business-critical software and hardware systems in leading business environments. He has extensive knowledge of IT technologies and processes, undertaking planning, deployment, integration and migration of dynamic management solutions within the business.
Feras is an expert in delivering a first-class support service, optimising access to information and communicating effectively with both business and technical stakeholders.
Feras has a BSc degree in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Westminster.
Job Titles:
- Company Secretary
- Compliance Officer
Harry joined UMAL in February 2017. Working closely with the CEO and respective departments within UMAL, he is responsible for four main areas within the Group, comprising: Company Secretariat, Regulatory Compliance, Risk Management and Quality Management.
Harry is a graduate of the London School of Economics, a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Insurer with substantial experience in the Lloyd's & London insurance market, covering: corporate governance, risk management, compliance & regulation, audit, financial management, corporate strategy, due diligence, mergers & acquisitions, and management consultancy.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Chief Executive
- Director
- Chief Commercial Officer and Director at ZavFit Ltd
- Head of Navigators
James joined UMAL as CEO (Designate) in September 2023, becoming CEO in December 2023.
James started his career at Eagle Star in 1990 (Zurich since 1997) carrying out a number of Underwriting, Distribution and Management roles across the Midlands, North West and South East.
In 2007 James became Head of Navigators and General, the specialist Pleasurecraft insurance division of Zurich, before taking on the role of Head of Region for the Southeast and most latterly at Zurich the role of UK Head of Sales and Distribution, and a member of the Retail Exec.
Having left Zurich in March 2020, James became Chief Commercial Officer and Director at ZavFit Ltd (a health tech start-up) along with establishing his own consultancy business supporting the scaling up of a number of commercial insurance brokers and Insuretechs across the UK.
James has over 30 year experience in the insurance sector.
Job Titles:
- Casualty Claims Executive
Jonathan joined UMAL in August 2021. He brings over 20 years experience in casualty claims gained within the UK commercial insurance and Lloyd's insurance market. His previous roles primarily involved large loss casualty claims including EL, PL, Product Liability and Property Owners Liability.
Jonathan studied law in the UK and at the University of Amsterdam, has a Batchelor of Laws degree and is an Associate Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute holding Chartered Insurer designation.
Kirstie joined UMAL in September 2023. She has 6 years of insurance experience and has worked within the private motor sector as a first party claims handler, as well as dealing with insurance claims for a local authority as a technical claims handler. She holds a certificate in insurance and is a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chief Executive, North Kent College Group
- Member of the Chartered Institute of Global Management Accountants
Lawrence is a member of the Chartered Institute of Global Management Accountants, qualifying in 2000.
Lawrence has worked in the Further Education sector for the past 20 years. He started at North Kent College in 2012 firstly as its Director of Finance, and more recently as its Deputy Principal of Finance and Resources. He has significant experience in financial and change management, as well as building and resource development.
In addition, Lawrence has also worked in a number of differing sectors through his career, with the National Trust, Media and Advertising, and the National Health Service.
Leon joined UMAL in January 2001. He previously spent 10 years working for a London-based travel insurer, where he was the Senior Claims Superintendent with specific responsibility for the day to day running of their busy claims department. He is specialised in travel cover and is the underwriter for the UMAL travel and group personal accident cover.
He also arranges engineering inspection services with various providers and deals with FCA-regulated business for HMSL including motor, legal expenses, event insurance and special contingency (kidnap and ransom), placing suitable cover in the market on behalf of UMAL Members.
Matthew joined UMAL in September 2017, bringing over 35 years of both UK and International liability insurance expertise to the team. Matthew's career began with Commercial Union in Exeter, Devon, before progressing to Head Office in London. Further advancement took him to the International Risks team, before a transfer to Reading Branch as Senior Liability Underwriter. His final role was in the newly reformed Global Risks team back in London.
Most recently, Mike was the Director of Finance at Bangor University from 2009 to 2020. He qualified as an accountant in 1982 and moved into the HE sector after extensive senior level experience in the Construction, Engineering, Transport and Services sectors.
Mike has completed Property as well as Health and Safety risk management reviews of UMAL Members since 1999, whilst initially working at UMAL's principal re-insurer and then transferring to UMAL in 2006.
Mike was previously the European Technical Manager for a Global insurer, having worked in risk management since 1974 as an Insurance Property senior surveyor and Head of Liability risk management at a UK Insurer. On leaving University at post-graduate level, he gained a further post-graduate degree in 2002 in Environmental Law and Safety Law.
He has completed risk management inspections in over 30 countries, covering an extensive range of industries and processes, in a risk management career of over 45 years.
Mike currently sits on the Risk Management Group of the Fire Protection Association, producing published property and fire risk management technical standards and guidelines, these being extensively used in UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and South Africa. He also sits on the Business Continuity Working Group, the Insurers Forum, Escape of Water Working Group and Massive Timber Construction Working Group at this organisation, which is the technical arm of the UK Property Insurance market.
Mike is a Chartered Insurance Risk Manager, a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute, a Chartered Safety and Health Professional, a Certified Member of the Institute of Risk Management and a Member of the Institute of Fire Engineers.
He also has qualifications in Quality Assurance Auditing, Sprinkler System Design and holds the Institute of Acoustics Certificate of Competence in Noise Risk Assessments.
Job Titles:
- Solicitor
- Director of Legal Services, University of Birmingham
Nicola is a solicitor with over 16 years of post-qualification experience. Her background is in civil litigation and regulatory law, where she worked in private practice in national and international firms and advised a range of commercial organisations and further and higher education institutions. In 2014, Nicola made the move to practice in-house for a UK university.
She is Director of Legal Services at the University of Birmingham. Nicola has a research interest in overseas risk management in UK universities having completed a doctorate on the topic, and is also a member of the Association of University Legal Practitioners.
Paul joined UMAL in February 2024.
Prior to joining UMAL, Paul worked for Zurich in a career spanning 35 years.
Paul has been Head of Claims at UMAL since April 2020.
Paul has worked in the insurance industry since 1987 when he started his career at Eagle Star. Paul joined Travelers (then the St Paul) in 1998 where he performed several roles including Technical Claims Manager for a private and public sector book of business including private hospitals, utilities, NHS Trusts and local authorities generating EL, PL, products liability, medical malpractice, motor and property claims before becoming Senior Claims Manager for the EL and PL claims function across the UK and Ireland.
In 2016 Paul joined Haven Claims as their Technical Claims Manager, managing a large team of technical claim handlers responsible for high value and complex motor claims including personal injury claims of the utmost severity.
Paul is an ACII qualified Chartered Insurer.
Richard joined the accounts team at UMAL in May 2013. He brings with him over 20 years of experience working in finance and accounting having worked much of his time for Toshiba Corporation within their European finance division. Following their relocation, Richard took on a temporary role as interim finance manager at Bromley College which led him to his current role at UMAL.
Richard has a broad range of experience in audit, accounting, finance, taxation and IT functions. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Vassos Costas joined UMAL in June 2021 as the Property Underwriter. Vassos has worked in the insurance industry since 1988 when he started his career with Chubb Insurance. He has worked for a number of different insurance organisations in senior roles that have included London Market reinsurance underwriting, Head Office underwriting and consultancy with various Insurers, including Royal & Sun Alliance, American Re and AIG. Prior to joining UMAL he was the Regional Vice President of the Property Insurance Middle East & African operations for AIG based Dubai. Vassos is a graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations
- Associate of the Australian Insurance Institute
William joined UMAL in August 2018. He brings over 30 years of general insurance experience to the team. William's career began in Adelaide, South Australia, also spending time working in Sydney, the United States and the last 18 years in the UK. He is an insurance operations specialist, having worked for large commercial insurers throughout his career.
William has gained experience in most areas of insurance at a management level and in a wide range of supervisory and advisory roles, including; claims, underwriting, IT, business systems analyst, project management and most recently operations management and the development and execution of strategic business initiatives.
William is an Associate of the Australian Insurance Institute and has an MBA from Henley Management College.