Bridge Specialty Group announces appointment of Tim Coles as chief executive officer for European brokerage operations
Bridge Specialty Group, the Wholesale Brokerage segment of Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE: BRO), announced that Tim Coles has been named chief executive officer (CEO) for the European brokerage operations of Bridge Specialty Group, effective January 1, 2024.
Most recently, he served as CEO of Xenia Broking Group, part of Kentro Capital Limited, which was acquired in October 2023. Tim began his insurance career at Howden, where he served for 13 years, first as CEO of the London broking business and then as CEO of Howden Broking Group.
Stephen M. Boyd, president of Bridge Specialty Group, shared, “Over the last few years, we have been diligently enhancing our London brokerage capabilities. The acquisitions of Lonmar and BdB, in addition to our longstanding London brokerage firm Decus, have provided Bridge Specialty Group with an increasingly diverse set of capabilities in terms of segment specialization and geographic reach to better serve the evolving needs of our customers. We are excited to announce Tim’s promotion to CEO of Bridge Specialty’s European brokerage operations. He will work closely with existing leaders across our London brokerage business to further grow our platform while providing additional market access and products for customers across the globe.”
Commenting on this appointment, Mike Bruce, chief executive officer of Brown & Brown Europe, said, “We are delighted that Tim is taking on this newly created role, as he combines the experience of operating within the London Market with a proven track record of leadership and delivering business growth. Our London brokerages provide complementary resources across a number of risk categories by combining the abilities of a superbly talented group of colleagues and teammates.
David Pexton, currently CEO of Lonmar, will take this opportunity to step away from his executive responsibilities, transitioning to a new role in supporting Tim and the combined operation during this transition and focusing on key customer and market relationships.”
About Bridge Specialty Group
Bridge Specialty Group, LLC was launched in February 2021 by Brown & Brown, Inc. to encompass its broad portfolio of wholesale insurance businesses and is focused on bringing the power of collective size and specialty to the wholesale brokerage marketplace. Composed of more than 25 boutique brands, Bridge Specialty Group is creating a more seamless way to connect the varying needs of our retail partners with the market clout and talents of our wholesale entities. To learn more about Bridge Specialty Group and our team of niche-focused brands, visit our website at bridgespecialtygroup.com.