Moves (April 01, 2006)

Ellen J. Moore, president and CEO of Chubb Insurance Company of Canada, is among the winners of the 2006 McGill Management Achievement Awards. At a February ceremony held in Montral, Moore joined Auditor General of Canada Sheila Fraser, Cirque du Soleil President Daniel Lamarre and Pratt & Whitney CEO Alain Bellemare as a recipient of the 2006 awards. Now in their 26th year, the Management Achievement Awards recognize Canadian business leaders who have made outstanding contributions to their industries and communities. “This year’s recipients demonstrate not only obvious business success, but also qualities of entrepreneurship, ethics and social responsibility,” Sakina Baldiwala, president of the 2006 awards program, said. “Moore embodies these qualities with her commitment to philanthropy evident throughout the organization, and her focus on innovation enabling Chubb to maintain its market leadership with the most sophisticated insurance products on the market.” A key reason the award organizers selected Moore for the award was that she is one of the few women in Canadian business who continues to lead her employees with a powerful vision. Baldiwalda credits Moore for her unique ability to successfully balance a hectic work schedule with her commitment to family and the community. Moore has served as president and CEO of Chubb Insurance Company of Canada since January 2004. Since starting at Chubb in 1978, she has managed a variety of personal insurance practices and regions throughout North America.

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Marshall & Swift/Boeckh has recently created a new London-based international solutions division led by Tony Boobier. Boobier will develop the use of MSB’s claims and underwriting systems within the U.K. and European insurance and reinsurance arenas. Initially Boobier will focus on companies in the U.K., with books of property insurance business in the U.S. Peter M. Wells, president of MSB, says the international solutions division and the appointment of Boobier is a strategic step in MSB’s move to communicate its message outside North America. “One of his top priorities will be to demonstrate how use of MSB’s analytical and data management expertise provides insight into how books of property business remain profitable, while reducing claims severity and claims leakage,” Wells says. Most recently, Boobier served as the director of building services at Capita Insurance Services in London and prior to that as the manager of building solutions and program director for subsidence at Royal & SunAlliance in London. Currently, Boobier sits on a number of property claims forums dealing with flood, subsidence, restoration and underground services. Boobier was awarded a Fellowship of the Institution of Civil Engineers for his work on partnering in the construction industry, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters, and a Chartered Supply Chain Manager. MSB provides building cost data and estimating technology to the P&C insurance industry.

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ETFS, a Canadian niche market provider of healthcare and travel insurance products and services, has restructured the management team of its insurance services division. Leading the division as senior vice-president is Gary Andrews, who offers 26 years of insurance and assistance industry experience. Andrews formerly worked at Europ Assistance Holdings in the U.K. Fred Albert, who spent 10 years with UNUM/Provident, is the new VP of national sales and will also cover the Eastern region. ETFS also appointed Steve Blanchard, who offers 12 years of industry experience, to the position of regional VP of the Central region. Offering 18 years of industry experience, Angela Jorowski was also appointed to the position of director of business management. Finally, Tracy Batley, who has worked with ETFS for 10 years, has been appointed to the position of director of risk management. ETFS also plans to hire a regional VP for the Western region.

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Doane Hallett is the newest member of the board of directors at the General Insurance OmbusService (GIO). Hallett, LLB, is an independent director representing the interests of the Atlantic provinces. Hallett was appointed to the Bench in February 1977 as Justice of the Supreme Court, Nova Scotia, Trial Division. Subsequently, he served as Justice of the Supreme Court, Appeal Division as well as Justice of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal. He was elected to supernumerary status in 1977. Following his retirement in 2002, Hallett returned to the practice of law as a mediator and arbitrator of commercial disputes.

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Focus Group Inc. is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and parent company Omega Insurance Holdings Inc. extends its sincerest congratulations to all management and staff at Focus for this significant milestone. The directors of Omega enthusiastically express their appreciation to the many clients who have supported the company through their business over the years. Focus is the service arm of Omega Holdings, providing “back room” support for its general insurance operations, along with chief agency services to several foreign insurers operating in Canada. It also handles a variety of insurance related consulting projects both within and outside Canada.

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ACE INA Insurance has welcomed Karen Barkley as the new chief operations officer and Paul Primiani as the new chief underwriting officer. In Barkley’s newly created role at ACE INA, she will oversee senior strategic initiatives, brokerage relations, and process management for ACE INA Insurance. Barkley’s insurance career spans almost 30 years, and includes 14 years with ACE and its predecessor companies in a senior management capacity. In addition to numerous insurance industry accreditations including CIP and CRM, Barkley holds an MBA. In his newly created role as chief underwriting officer, Primiani is responsible for all property and casualty product lines offered by ACE INA Insurance. Primiani brings over 30 years of progressive senior management experience to the role. Prior to joining ACE in 2000, Primiani held senior positions at leading property and casualty companies in both Canada and the United States. Primiani holds several insurance designations including AIIC certification. ACE INA Insurance is a member of the ACE Group of Companies. ACE INA Insurance provides commercial property and casualty products and services throughout Canada.

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AMAC Consultants Inc. is expanding its Ontario operations with the appointment of Peter R. Morris as vice-president. Morris will lead the firm’s operations in Toronto, ON. Prior to joining AMAC, Morris was the branch director, Ontario division, CGI Insurance Business Services. Morris has held executive positions with the Society of Fellows in both Calgary and Vancouver and has served as past president of the Property and Casualty Underwriters Club in Toronto. John C. McArthur, AMAC’s chairman, says Morris has a diverse background in insurance broking, underwriting, management and sales, which will help draw Ontario clients.

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The Co-operators has teamed up with the Infant & Toddler Safety Association (ITSA) and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to produce a “Booster Seat Guide” and DVD to educate the public on the use of child booster seats in vehicles. Only 11% of children who should be in a booster seat (those aged 4-9 and heavier than 40 lbs) actually are. Too often “forgotten children” who have outgrown their child safety seat are placed in adult seat belts which do not fit. This may soon change, now that booster seats are mandatory in Ontario for children up to age 8, or for children up to 80 lbs with a standing height of 4’9″. The video has sections for both children and adults, and is available free of charge by contacting community@cooperators.ca.

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Eric Friberg, Sir Roy Gardner and Sir Jeremy Hanley recently stood for election as directors of Willis Group Holdings Ltd. The elections were held at the company’s shareholder AGM on April 26
, 2006. Friberg ran his own electronics and engineering services company; from there, he moved to a major American forest products corporation and then moved on to spend 33 years with McKinsey. In 1993, he joined the board of trustees of the Business School at William and Mary and was named board chairman in 2002. Gardner currently holds positions as the chief executive of Centrica plc and the senior non-executive director of Compass Group plc, where he will soon take the role as chairman. In addition to his current roles, Gardner has served as: chairman of Manchester United plc; managing director of GEC Marconi Ltd.; and chief operating officer of Northern Telecom Europe. Hanley is a chartered accountant and was a Member of Parliament in the UK Government from 1983 to 1997. During his time in parliament, Hanley held several ministerial posts, including serving in the cabinet. Since his retirement from politics, he spent time in commercial enterprises including ITE Group plc, GTECH Holdings Co. Inc. and NYMEX Europee. In these organizations, he served as an independent director and chairman of the audit committee. “The combined global experience here is beyond comparison,” Joe Plumeri, Willis chairman and CEO, says. “They bring an understanding of business across industries and countries that is certain to be of great value as we take Willis to the next level.”

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Robert Hogan, D. Udo Nixdorf, and Bernard R. Wilson have joined Willis Group Holdings as the newest senior members and advisors to the Canadian Advisory Board of Willis Canada Inc. Hogan, LL.M. (Tax); LL.B., is currently a partner in the Montreal office of Stikeman Elliott LLP and a member of the Tax Group. Offering over 20 years of industry experience, Hogan specifically specializes in corporate reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, investment funds, cross-border financing and derivative products, partnerships, trusts, joint ventures and international taxation. Nixdorf offers over 40 years industry with Chubb Insurance Company of Canada, where he held positions including director, senior vice president and manager of the Chubb Specialty Insurance business unit. Nixdorf, continuing to serve as an outside director on Chubb Insurance Canada Board, serves as a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), is the founding director of the Centre for Director and Board Development, and is a member of a variety of insurance related organizations, including SFPE, PLUS, RIMS, CRIMS. Wilson, FCA, ICD.D., most recently served as vice chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers for 40 years. Wilson has expertise as a senior financial professional advisor in corporate finance and investment banking, international trade and commerce. He also has extensive experience in major financial restructurings. Wilson currently serves as chairman of the Institute of Corporate Directors; chairman of Langstaff Equities Inc., chairman of Ontario Business Advisory Council; governor of Portage; founder and chairman, Meritus Network; founder and chairman of ICD Fellowship Awards Program. Hogan, Nixdorf and Wilson will provide advice and business networking contributions to assist Willis Canada to fulfil its potential as a global risk advisory and insurance brokerage firm.