Jelf, Aberdeen’s pre-eminent adviser in insurance, risk management and employee benefits, have announced a new leadership team in Aberdeen as part of ambitious growth plans in the North-east of Scotland.
The team, based at Jelf’s Westhill premises, will be led by branch director Graeme Cant, who joined the business in 2018, and whose previous senior roles include client management director at a major international broker. He is joined by client services director Pam Mackintosh, formerly a team manager with Marsh and Darren James, who was recently promoted to business development director. Each has over 30 years of experience in the insurance sector.
Together, the three directors will play a major role in leading Jelf’s plans to grow its Aberdeen customer base and provide an enhanced range of services to current and future clients.
The management team has already completed several new appointments to help deliver its expansion. Brian Cawthorn, who has over 25 years of broking experience, joins Jelf’s Westhill team as senior account executive, while Leiane Macleod and Diane Walker-McAlley become account handlers.
Around 60 staff are based in the Westhill office which formerly operated as Central Insurance Services (CIS). CIS was acquired by global insurance group Marsh in 2014 before being combined with Jelf in November 2018 as part of a strategy to build the leading community-based risk advisory business for SMEs in Scotland. Last year Jelf also acquired Clark Thomson, formerly Scotland’s largest independent broker and now operates 14 offices across the country including branches in Perth, Forfar and Dundee.
Since increasing its footprint in Scotland, Jelf has secured several significant contracts in the motoring trade, manufacturing, renewables and care sectors. It has also embarked on a series of new partnerships including sponsorship of the Banks O’Dee Albion Boys Club and Signature, a fine dining festival staged at Aberdeen’s Chester Hotel in support of the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Neo-Natal unit and which raised around £250,000 in 2018.
Graeme Cant, branch director at Jelf Westhill, said: “We already have an extremely strong team and business across Aberdeen and the North-east which is a great foundation for our future growth ambitions across all industry sectors.
“Our Westhill branch is home to one of the most comprehensive broker teams in Scotland, offering an in-house claims department and specialist risk management advisors. As part of Jelf we also have access to our own employee benefits division.
“With our enhanced scale and resources, deep knowledge of local communities and industry experience we are absolutely committed to becoming the broker of choice across the North-east.”
For further information about Jelf, visit: www.jelf.com.
Left to right: Graeme Cant, Pam Mackintosh and Darren James