DUAL strengthens its leadership team with three key hires

International underwriting agency  DUAL has made three executive appointments in North America to strengthen its leadership team and support its ambitious growth plans in the region.

Brad Dame joins DUAL as chief commercial officer; Kimberly Jenkins joins DUAL as chief M&A officer; and Kris Finsel has been appointed chief financial officer.

Earlier this year, Dame assumed one of two new executive roles at DUAL North America as Chief Commercial Officer. In this role, Dame is responsible for driving product strategy, development, distribution, and operational execution. Dame previously held joint roles as head of middle market broking solutions and COO middle market & specialty broking, North America, and global broking program manager for Willis Towers Watson.

Kimberly Jenkins takes on the newly created role of chief M&A Officer, responsible for defining and delivering on DUAL’s M&A growth strategy in the North American market, working closely with Dame. Jenkins brings over 15 years’ experience in strategic consulting and operations leadership, with an emphasis on strategic program development and execution for global operations. Most recently, she was the large accounts sales operations leader at Willis Towers Watson.

Kris Finsel will transition into the role of chief financial officer (CFO), succeeding Tracy Keill. Finsel joined DUAL in April 2020 as finance director, working closely with Keill to oversee the Corporate Finance function.

Richard Clapham, CEO, DUAL Group, said: “The US is the largest MGA market in the world, and our ambitions match the size of the opportunity. DUAL is uniquely placed in the US market, bringing over two decades of underwriting excellence while remaining firmly committed to independence. Growth in North America plays a pivotal role in our overall strategy as we look to capitalize on a market now worth $60bn in GWP. These appointments bring invaluable expertise and experience to an already strong leadership team, and we are delighted to have them on board.”

Jim O’Connor, CEO, DUAL North America commented: “I believe we have a distinct value proposition in the US market as a leading, independent, and sustainable underwriting organization, and I am confident that Brad, Kimberly and Kris will play an important role in our next chapter of growth. We have ambitious plans for expansion in the US that we are focused on achieving sustainably through thoughtful acquisition and a continued focus on underwriting excellence. Now is an opportune time for the MGA market, and we are excited to be expanding our team at such a crucial moment for the business and industry.”

O’Connor continued, “Having worked with Brad for 11 years, I am confident he brings a mindset that translates insight from market intelligence into an actionable strategy. His focus will be on driving growth through managing emerging risks impacting new and existing products. I have also seen Kimberly develop and execute strategic processes across the industry and have no doubt that she will be essential in developing a sustainable M&A strategy that complements our vision and business. We have a unique entrepreneurial spirit embedded throughout our organization, and we are eager to identify and bring onboard talented underwriters that are looking for, and will thrive in, this working environment.”

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