CEO - Insurance Start-Up

FK International - Financial Search and Selection; Dublin; On-site; EUR 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

FK International - Financial Search and Selection is assisting in the recruitment of a Chief Executive Officer for an Irish MGA. The CEO will lead business, underwriting and regulatory functions, ensuring disciplined risk and performance across the enterprise.

The role requires strong underwriting credibility, an ability to manage regulatory obligations and a strategic mindset to drive growth and profitability within the delegated underwriting authority.

Qualifications

• The successful candidate will have strong underwriting credibility.
• Experience running a regulated insurance business is essential.
• Demonstrated ability to balance growth, pricing, risk, and profitability.

Responsibilities

• Lead the establishment and day-to-day operation of the firm.
• Own execution of underwriting, financial and operational objectives.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and approvals.
• Oversee financial management and control within the Irish entity.
• Steer the relationship with the Central Bank of Ireland and ensure governance.
• Foster a high-performance, compliant, entrepreneurial culture.

Skills

Underwriting leadership

Regulatory accountability

Commercial insurance background

Strategic leadership

Risk management

Job description

The Chief Executive Officer will have overall responsibility for the day-to-day leadership, management and performance of the firm.

This is a broad executive role combining business leadership, underwriting leadership, a general element of financial control & regulatory accountability.

The CEO will lead the underwriting function, ensuring that commercial risks are selected, priced and bound appropriately within the parameters of the delegated underwriting authority. You will establish an effective underwriting culture and maintain appropriate oversight of portfolio quality and performance as the book develops.

In conjunction with the Finance function, you will also oversee the financial management and control of the Irish entity, ensuring that the business operates sustainably and in accordance with its plans, governance arrangements and regulatory obligations.

Alongside the Head of Compliance, you will steer the firm's relationship with the Central Bank of Ireland, initially through the registration process and subsequently as the business moves into ongoing supervision.

The CEO will sit on the Board and will be the individual identified to the Central Bank as the person within management responsible for the firm's insurance distribution business.

Key Responsibilities

Business Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the establishment and day-to-day operation of the firm.
• Take executive ownership of business performance, ensuring that underwriting, financial and operational objectives are delivered.
• Establish the structures, processes and disciplines required to move successfully from pre-authorisation into active trading.
• Work closely with group stakeholders to ensure alignment between the Irish MGA, its carrier and the wider organisation.
• Ensure business is underwritten and bound within the parameters of the delegated underwriting authority and agreed risk appetite.
• Provide senior judgement and oversight on complex or material underwriting matters.
• Ensure underwriting strategy appropriately balances growth, pricing, risk selection and profitability.
• Work with the carrier and relevant group stakeholders on underwriting appetite, capacity and product development.

Regulatory Leadership

• Lead the business through its insurance intermediary registration process alongside the Head of Compliance and other relevant advisers and stakeholders.
• Maintain sufficient knowledge of the regulatory framework to engage credibly in the firm's relationship with the Central Bank.
• Ensure the business operates within the conditions of its registration and applicable insurance-distribution requirements.

Insurance Distribution

• Act as the individual within management responsible for the firm's insurance distribution business.
• Ensure insurance distribution activities are appropriately organised, governed and controlled.
• Ensure the business continues to operate consistently with its registered activities and agreed operating model.
• Hold executive responsibility for the financial management and control of the Irish entity, overseeing budgeting, forecasting, expenditure and financial performance.
• Work with group finance and other relevant stakeholders while maintaining appropriate local entity oversight and accountability.

People & Organisational Leadership

• Create a high-performance culture combining entrepreneurialism and commercial ambition with underwriting discipline and regulatory responsibility.
• Ensure business has capability & resources to support its growth & reg obligations.

Your Background

We are seeking a senior commercial insurance leader who combines strong underwriting credibility with the breadth and judgement required to run a regulated business.

The operation is being built from the ground up, meaning the CEO will operate with a high degree of personal ownership and work across diverse areas of the business.

You should therefore combine strategic leadership with a willingness to remain close to the underlying business.

Experience

The successful candidate will:

• Ideally have some commercial non-life insurance background, either in underwriting or closely related leadership experience.
• Demonstrate the experience to satisfy the Central Bank of Ireland's Fitness & Probity requirements for appointment as PCF-8 Chief Executive Officer.
• Possess good technical & commercial understanding of underwriting & distribution.
• Demonstrate sound commercial judgement and the ability to balance growth objectives with underwriting profitability and risk.