Lloyd’s appoints first female chief executive

Lloyd’s has appointed Inga Beale as chief executive, effective January 2014.

Beale comes to Lloyd’s with three decades of international insurance and reinsurance experience. Most recently, she has been group chief executive of Canopius. Prior to that, she spent four years with Zurich Insurance, including a period as global chief underwriting officer, and was Group CEO of Swiss reinsurer Converium. While at Converium, she led a major turnaround of the business before it was acquired by SCOR in 2007. Beale started her career as an underwriter with Prudential before spending 14 years in a variety of international roles for GE Insurance Solutions.

“I am absolutely delighted that we have appointed Inga as chief executive,” said John Nelson, chairman of Lloyd's. “She has 30 years’ experience in the insurance industry. Her CEO experience, underwriting background, international experience and operational skills, together with her knowledge of the Lloyd's market, make Inga the ideal chief executive for Lloyd's. I very much look forward to working with her.”

Beale said: “Lloyd’s is already an international leader, but this unique market has an extraordinary opportunity to increase its footprint and to cement its position as the global hub for specialist insurance and reinsurance. I’m looking forward to working with the Lloyd’s team and the wider market to deliver a strategy for profitable and sustainable growth alongside Lloyd's robust market oversight.”