Gallagher Re nabs Aon broking chief to expand Canadian operations

Global reinsurance broker  Gallagher Re has tapped Aon’s chief of broking operations to further expand its presence in the Canadian market.

Gallagher Re has established a new branch in Montreal led by Isabelle LaPalme (pictured), who has joined as executive vice president (EVP). She will lead Gallagher Re’s expansion into Quebec and the French-speaking insurance community.

In her new role, LaPalme will be responsible for establishing and growing Gallagher Re’s local presence, collaborating closely with her colleagues in Toronto as part of the 30-strong broking, actuarial and catastrophe modelling team of professionals within Gallagher Re in Canada.

Gallagher established its Canadian reinsurance broking operation in 2014 as Willis Re, and has invested heavily in building a multi-disciplinary team to support and service its expanding roster of national clients through innovative reinsurance solutions.

LaPalme joins Gallagher Re from Aon where she most recently held the role of chief of broking operations and senior vice president in Canada. An actuary by profession, she has experience as a consulting, pricing and reserving actuary, well known in the Quebec insurance community having been a market presence there since 1996.

LaPalme brings more than 25 years’ insurance and reinsurance industry experience in Canada and internationally, moving into the reinsurance broking sector in 2010.

Geoff Lubert, CEO of Canada, Gallagher Re, said: “We’ve long aspired to build a presence at the heart of the French-speaking Canadian (re)insurance community and no one is better placed to lead that development than Isabelle. Having been embedded in the Montreal market for 25 years, her closeness to clients and the thriving local insurance sector is as invaluable as her integrated experience across broking and analytics. We’re thrilled to welcome her to our fast-growing multi-disciplinary team and look forward to growing our presence in Quebec.”

LaPalme commented: “I’m delighted to be joining Gallagher Re at such an exciting juncture, both nationally and internationally, and am relishing the challenge of building a successful business here in Quebec focused on the design of best-in-class reinsurance solutions to support and service local clients.”