West P&I Club boosts loss prevention expertise with new hires

Marine insurer West of England P&I Club has appointed Simon Hodgkinson as global head of loss prevention, while promoting Dean Crossley to loss prevention manager and James Oliver as a loss prevention officer.

Hodgkinson joins from Polarcus, where he was head of marine operations and responsible for the performance of a fleet of ultra-modern seismic vessels. He served on the DNV GL Technical Committee Middle East for six years and is a member of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners and the Nautical Institute.

In the new role, Hodgkinson will have global responsibility for leading the West’s loss prevention team of former Master Mariners, deck officers and engineers working on enhancing risk management, providing best practice guidance on operational and technical matters, and ensuring the safety of members’ ships and seafarers.

Oliver previously worked with BMT Surveys, where he was a marine surveyor.

Tom Bowsher, group CEO at West of England P&I Club, said: "The growing complexity of managing current and future risks requires the highest standards of loss prevention expertise. Throughout his time at sea, including 10 years as Master, and more than a decade at Polarcus, Simon has consistently demonstrated an outstanding ability to achieve the best outcomes for his ships and his seafarers. We are delighted to have Simon join West.”

Hodgkinson commented: “I’m thrilled to be joining one of the most widely respected Clubs in its 150th year. A safe voyage requires detailed preparation to maximise its performance and the West’s commitment to its Members at every stage of their voyage activity is our highest priority in Loss Prevention. I look forward to working with the West’s high-quality membership to help enhance their operations, crew welfare and risk management.”