Marsh appoints Met Office CEO to board

Marsh has appointed John Hirst, chief executive of the Met Office, as a non-executive independent member of its board of directors.

Hirst was appointed chief executive of the Met Office in 2007. He was previously chief executive officer (CEO) of electronics distributor Premier Farnell and has also held senior positions at ICI plc during his career there of over 19 years, including serving as CEO of two of ICI’s global businesses, ICI Performance Chemicals and ICI Autocolor, and also serving as group treasurer.

Jane Barker, chairman of Marsh, said: “I am delighted that John has agreed to join the board. John is highly adept at running large and complex organisations, and his experiences at the Met Office in particular will help us gain a useful insight into many of the issues faced by our clients.”

Mark Weil, CEO, Marsh UK & Ireland, added: “John’s exceptional industry experience and his understanding of the role risk management plays in strategic decision-making, combined with his knowledge of regulatory and governance issues, will be of great benefit to Marsh and our clients across the UK and Ireland.”

Hirst said: “I am particularly impressed by Marsh’s dynamic approach to managing risk and delivering innovative solutions that contribute to their clients’ success. I look forward to working closely with Marsh’s management team as they continue to strengthen the firm’s position as a leader in insurance broking and risk management in the UK and Ireland.”