Gallagher replaces UK small business and personal lines leader

Insurance brokerage and risk management firm Arthur J Gallagher has appointed Gareth Birch as managing director of its UK small business and personal lines division, taking over the role from Martin Oliver who is set to leave the business at the end of October.

Birch will assume the responsibility for all of Gallagher’s UK private clients, consumer, smaller commercial and high net worth clients.

Birch joined Gallagher in April 2015 to lead and grow the business’ UK leisure practice.

"Under Martin’s leadership, our team has built up an exceptional reputation for meeting the needs of our private clients and small commercial clients," said Michael Rea, CEO UK retail. "We have a fantastic set of growing businesses in tune with the specific needs of these individual customer groups. Gareth shares that same ‘customer-first’ attitude and is the natural choice to take over the helm of this important, diverse and growing part of our UK retail business."

Birch commented: "Our Small Business & Personal Lines Division looks after the private and commercial needs of more than 500,000 clients here in the UK and is something of a jewel in the crown within our UK operations. I am delighted to be taking on this new role and look forward to working with the leaders of each of these businesses to continue to enhance the customer experience and develop our client offering to meet the needs of a diverse portfolio of clients and industry sectors."

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