AMUS

Calvin Cole (RGA-Re) - Chairperson

Calvin has almost 30 years reinsurance experience with wide ranging skills in life and health business. He joined RGA in 2003 as chief underwriter with overall responsibility for underwriting and claims.

Calvin started his career in underwriting and claims with M&G Re and moved on to become business development  manager for the middle-east region at Swiss Re. He also has experience working as a reassurance broker for Guy Carpenter, responsible for developing life and health business around the world.

Away from work Calvin is a keen cricketer, a retired footballer and a failed golfer.  He enjoys travelling, eating out and socialising.

David Nicholas (Gen-Re) - Vice Chairperson

Dave has worked in the Life and Health industry for over 20 years having started his career at Cornhill Insurance (now Allianz) in Guildford. He joined Gen Re in 1997 and is now Underwriting Manager. Dave's current role spans a wide range of responsibilities including product development, account management, training and auditing.

Outside of work Dave is kept busy by his 3 children but still manages to find time for the occasional game of football or golf.

Karen Proctor (Swiss-Re) - Honorary Secretary

Karen began her career at Norwich Union in Norwich and a change of location to London brought her first to Transinternational Life (now Aegon) and then joined GE Insurance Solutions (Victory as was) in 1985. Karen has had many roles within the underwriting team and became Underwriting Manager responsible for UK and Middle East in 2000.

In 2006 Karen joined Swiss Re, following the acquisition of GE, and is now Underwriting Operations Manager for UK and Ireland.

Karen lives in London, has two teenage children and finds little time for anything else. Having said that a good book and a glass of chilled wine will always go down a treat!

Mike Benton (Medicals Direct) - Committee Officer

Mike Benton has worked in the life and health insurance industry for over 25 years. He has been chief executive officer at Medicals Direct Group since 1997, prior to which he was sales & marketing director of IGI Insurance Company and previously managing director of the Permanent Health Company Limited. From 1989 to 1992 he was sales & marketing director of Prosperity Life Insurance Company. 

In addition to his extensive knowledge of the life and health insurance markets, Mike also has a wealth of experience in the non-life general insurance sector. He has, probably uniquely, held senior posts in all aspects of the business, covering sales, marketing, administration and underwriting functions. Mike is a regular speaker at industry seminars and is an authority on medical outsourcing for both the insurance and legal industries.

Stuart Halliwell (Legal & General) - Committee Officer

Stuart has been involved in underwriting since 1988 starting at Prolific in the lake district, moving to Scottish Provident in Edinburgh, followed by Swiss Re in London and since 2001 at Legal & General as the underwriting propositions and marketing manager. 

Throughout that time Stuart has covered a diverse range of areas from setting underwriting philosophy, developing and running training courses for underwriters and advisors, assessing claims, systems projects, audits, underwriting niche products (long term care, elderly lives etc), department management, promotion of underwriting philosophy and services, and developing large case underwriting at Legal & General.

Jules Charrington

Currently Medical and Technical Underwriter for MGM Advantage. Jules has worked in the Life Industry for more than 10 years now. She started Underwriting non medical risk and is now responsible for MGM’s Protection book and managing longevity risk for the new Retirement Products.
Prior to MGM Advantage Jules was part of the set up team for Just Retirement and this is where she studied for and obtained the Underwriting qualification.
Outside of work Jules mainly sleeps! Otherwise books of all types, fish and all things philosophical occupy her time.

Mark Preston - Underwriting Manager AEGON

Mark has been in the industry since 1985 when he started as an administrator for Guardian Financial Services (GFS). Mark moved into underwriting in 1988. The protection business of GFS was acquired by AEGON in the late 1990’s and he became the Underwriting Manager for AEGON Individual Protection in 2001.

His responsibilities span over two sites in Lytham and Edinburgh looking after a team of over 50 underwriters

Outside of work, Mark enjoys anything with a sporting element to it, having previously played professional Rugby League for Wigan and Halifax. Saying that though, having three daughters makes that a real challenge at times.