Allianz Insurance has appointed James Barclay to head of sales & distribution for Allianz Legal Protection. James will replace Phil Ruse who is retiring at the end of the year.
He will be responsible for setting the strategic direction and performance of the Legal Protection business, and developing strong relationships with business partners.
James joined Allianz in 2002 as a corporate management trainee and has held a number of management positions, most recently as claims manager for Allianz Legal Protection.
Gary Davess, director of Speciality & Personal Lines, commented: “I’m delighted to appoint James. He’s the ideal candidate for the role, having gained extensive experience in the business as a senior member of the leadership team.
“This is an important time for the Legal Expenses market, with further reforms approaching. It’s great that we’ve been able to promote from within for this pivotal role. Following Phil’s retirement he’ll certainly have some big shoes to fill, but is more than capable of doing so.”
Commenting on Phil’s retirement, Gary added: “I’d like to thank Phil for his contribution to the significant success of the business over many years. Phil’s professionalism, desire to always do the right thing and great sense of humour have made it a pleasure to work with him and I wish him well for a long and happy retirement.”
