Marsh Names Barton to Succeed Alway as Head of Jelf Group

December 15, 2015

Following completion of its acquisition of Jelf Group, first announced in September, Marsh has made a change in management. It has appointed Phil Barton to be CEO of Jelf in succession to Alex Alway, who is to become a non-executive director on the Marsh Ltd board. Barton joins Marsh’s UK & Ireland Executive Committee, reporting to Mark Weil, CEO of Marsh UK & Ireland.

Barton, an insurance and financial services professional with more than 30 years’ experience, has been CEO of Jelf’s Insurance business since 2010, having previously been the group’s Head of Compliance, Group Commercial Director and Group Marketing Director.

Prior to joining Jelf in 2003, he worked for AXA, where he was the Managing Director (IFA Sales) and Prudential, where he was Sales Director (National Accounts). He will “lead a new structure at Jelf which will comprise three divisions: General Insurance, Employee Benefits (EB), and Direct & Partnerships,” said the announcement.

“Jelf’s General Insurance business will work closely with Marsh’s existing business to bring its combined capabilities to a wide range of customers. The business will be led by Rob Worrell, currently Managing Director (Trading) at Jelf Insurance.”

The bulletin explained that Jelf’s employee benefits businesses and Mercer Marsh Benefits “will be combined to create a single business. Within this, the small and medium-sized enterprise-focused unit will be led by Glenn Thomas, currently CEO of Jelf Employee Benefits, who also joins the Marsh UK & Ireland Executive Committee and the Mercer Marsh Benefits UK Leadership Team. To enable its further growth, Jelf’s Financial Planning business will transfer to Mercer.

“Marsh’s existing broker networks and affinity businesses, together with the recently-acquired SME Insurance Services will become part of the new Direct & Partnerships division in Jelf and will complement Jelf’s Purple Partnership and existing affinities business.’

Weil commented: “We want to build on the well-known and respected Jelf brand by making it the basis for Marsh’s offering to the UK’s consumer and small and medium-sized commercial clients.

“Phil Barton has been a great leader in Jelf and I am confident that he, together with Glenn and Rob, will provide the leadership to drive this business forward. Alex has played a pivotal role in the growth of Jelf and in bringing our businesses together and, on the Marsh Ltd. Board; he will continue to help make the integration a success for our clients and colleagues.”

Barton described the new situation as a “fantastic opportunity for us to build the UK’s leading insurance and financial services proposition. The alignment and cultural fit between Marsh and Jelf has enabled the businesses to come together for the benefit of clients. This is a great vote of confidence in colleagues and our capabilities as a team.”

Source: Marsh

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