The 2025 Insurance Broker Awards is returning to London in September

Chris became CEO of LIIBA in January 2016. Before that, he was head of the London Market Group’s Secretariat where he led the work that produced the milestone London Matters report.

He began his career as a government economist and spent 10 years in financial services regulations before joining LMG.

As part of his LIIBA role he is also a director of BIPAR (European Federation of Insurance Intermediaries) and sits on the executive committee of the World Federation of Insurance Intermediaries (WFII).

He is also a past vice-president of the Insurance Institute of London.

Flo is the lead business partner at WTW Networks, where she works closely with independent insurance brokers, helping them unlock new opportunities for growth and success. WTW Networks is a boutique network who offer support to their Network Members in many areas such as training, placement, business optimisation, marketing and much more. Through tailored solutions the network empowers members to thrive in an evolving industry.

Having been part of the profession for 12 years, Flo’s journey started as an apprentice at the age of 17, with no prior knowledge of broking. Since then, her passion for the industry has grown exponentially, driving her commitment to excellence and innovation in the insurance sector.

Flo’s dedication extends beyond her day job – she actively volunteers with iCAN, BIBA, and the CII. She is currently the partnerships lead on the iCAN committee, a member of BIBA’s East Midlands Committee, where she previously served as chair, and vice president of CII Leicester.

In addition Flo won Young Insurance Woman of the Year (small to medium firms) 2024 and was named 2022 BIBA Young Broker of the Year. She strongly believes insurance is an incredible career that deserves more visibility. As a passionate advocate for attracting new talent to the profession, she frequently participates in school careers fairs and workshops, helping students discover the vast opportunities available in insurance.

Hayley joined Aspray in 2012 as a claim handler, quickly demonstrating her expertise and dedication in managing property damage insurance claims. Combining technical expertise with an innate ability to lead, she quickly established herself as a key figure within the business. Over the years, she has honed her skills and deepened her industry knowledge by completing her CII (Chartered Insurance Institute) and CILA (Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters) qualifications, solidifying her reputation as an accomplished professional in the field.

Rising through the ranks, Hayley was promoted to claims manager, where she played a pivotal role in growing and developing a highly efficient and customer-focused claims team. Her commitment to excellence and leadership ability earned her further recognition, and in 2021, she was appointed as a director of Aspray.

Since taking on directorship, Hayley has been instrumental in driving improvements to the company’s claims process. Under her guidance, Aspray has developed a seamless and efficient claims handling system, ensuring that customers receive exceptional service at every stage of their journey.

Hayley’s passion for delivering outstanding customer care is at the heart of her professional ethos. Her focus on enhancing the customer experience and fostering a culture of excellence continues to shape Aspray’s approach to supporting policyholders during challenging times.

Jo started her career at AXA Insurance as a data processor in Personal Lines. She moved into broking in 1998, joining The Beckett Group which became part of Towergate in 2009. During this time, Jo pursued her passion for helping and advising clients and moved through the account handling role to become an account executive.

In 2014, she joined Hugh J Boswell and opened their office in Bury St Edmunds. Hugh J Boswell became part of Ethos Broking and merged with Saffron Insurance. Jo held the head of technical broking role where she was responsible for her own clients but also Technical Development of staff within the business.

Jo completed her ACII qualification in January 2020 and became a Chartered Insurance Broker.

Having joined the BIBA Anglia Region Committee in 2021, Jo became deputy chair and secretary in her first term. She became chair in January 2022.

In July 2023 Jo joined Yutree Insurance as a client executive.

Outside of work she has two teenage children and, when she gets time to herself, she enjoys walking with her 2 cocker spaniels, running, and going to the gym.

Melissa Collett is chief executive officer of Insurtech UK, the only trade association in the UK dedicated to insurtechs. Insurtech UK’s mission is for the UK to be the global leader for insurance innovation. Under her leadership, the organisation has grown to over 180+ members and partners and is the representative voice of insurtech in the UK. Insurtech UK recently published its Roadmap of 11 policy recommendations for insurtech growth. 

Melissa has over 25 years’ experience in the UK insurance sector, having previously been executive director of professional standards at the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), where she chaired the Digital Ethics Forum and developed the CII Digital Ethics Companion, and was consulted by the UK Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation and the World Economic Forum. She has also been an advisory board member of Innovate UK, which provides R&D funding for start ups. She is a frequent contributor to the insurance press, a keynote speaker at conferences, and judge of industry awards.

Melissa has an extensive background in consumer insurance and legal issues. She was senior ombudsman at the Financial Ombudsman Service, and a director at Fairer Finance. She is also a qualified lawyer, spending her early career at Hogan Lovells, specialising in insurance law. In 2022, she co-authored Female Determination, a collection of portraits and interviews with inspiring women. She was a finalist for Insurance Times Tech Champion of the Year in 2024.

With more than 40 years of experience in the industry, Michael Keating’s career has included time at insurers, brokers and MGAs in both the commercial and personal Lines markets.

He held executive positions at AXA, Midas, UK General and most recently Insurtech startup Qlaims, before becoming chief executive officer at the Managing General Agents’ Association (MGAA) in September 2020.

His personal interests include supporting Manchester United (despite being from London!), music and trying to keep pace with his grandchildren.

Michelle Mellor has over 25 years of extensive experience in the insurance sector and is qualified as Dip CII (Claims). She began her career at 17 as an office junior and quickly progressed through various roles in the claims industry, demonstrating both skill and dedication. Currently, Michelle manages a network of 55 loss assessors at Concept Claim Solutions, where she is deeply committed to ethical practices. She focuses on improving operational processes to better serve vulnerable clients.

As the president of the Preston and Blackpool Insurance Institute, a voluntary position, Michelle advocates for community engagement and is dedicated to increasing female representation in the insurance industry. Her achievements were recognised when she was named a finalist in the Women of Insurance Awards 2024.

Nicola joined BIBA in 2014 having worked within the industry for over 25 years.

Nicola’s career has been a diverse one from claims and risk management to underwriting and strategic change management, now at BIBA, she has gone full circle within the industry.

A qualified Chartered Management Institute Fellow (FCMI), Nicola is responsible for BIBA’s overall commercial activities including member engagement, a remit to grow income, and is responsible for all BIBA’s insurance services, including the industry’s consumer Find Insurance Service.

Nicola also heads up IT/Innovation & Young Talent, making sure BIBA is at the forefront of succession planning for the sector. Highlights of Nicola’s career include achieving multi-million-pound deals that benefit customer journeys, beneficial change for women returning to work, and creating a pathway of inclusion for young people into BIBA’s UK regions, making a significant impact on outcomes to BIBA centrally and its members UK wide. Nicola is a senior industry figure, a NED as well as a beacon for change in areas such as diversion and inclusion, social mobility, innovation, and improved customer journeys, specifically for the young, old, and vulnerable.

Nicola has recently delivered a new talent pipeline programme, rolled out across the UK, focussing on social mobility, something that is close to her heart.

Proud to have been listed as a winner for the Elite Women award 2022, Nicola works alongside many past winners, signifying the strength and ability of senior women in insurance.

Niki is a regional client service advocate at Marsh Commercial, collaborating with colleagues throughout the South to provide innovative solutions for clients facing complex insurance and risk challenges. Her responsibilities include implementing innovative working methods and utilising on broader capabilities in the domains of risk, strategy, and people.

Niki has prior experience as a judge, having been appointed to the judging panel of the Bristol Life Awards in 2022, which honours exceptional businesses, including both local and international entities across more than 20 categories. She was part of a distinguished panel of judges, which featured prominent business leaders, academics, and authors.

In addition, Niki is the chairperson for BIBA in the West of England Region, where she has revitalised the regional committee and organised the first BIBA events in the area in over a decade. Niki was 2023 BIBA Young Broker of the Year top 3 finalist.

Niki also acts as a mentor and is deeply committed to attracting new talent to the industry. After relocating internationally and discovering the exciting career opportunities available in the insurance sector, she is dedicated to advocating for a more inclusive and future-ready industry.

Rosie, head of innovation and academy at Lloyd’s, is a dynamic force in the insurance market with over a decade of experience as a broker specialising in risk management. Since joining Lloyd’s in August 2020, Rosie has been at the forefront of driving strategic initiatives to advance innovation and accelerate transformation within the industry.

As a visionary leader, Rosie has propelled the Lloyd’s Lab to international acclaim, positioning it as the pioneering insurtech accelerator. Under her guidance, the programme has successfully launched numerous cohorts, fostering groundbreaking insurance products and catalysing change within the Lloyd’s market.

In her role, Rosie continues to push boundaries and foster collaboration. Her comprehensive approach spans from engaging with prospective insurtechs and insurers to meticulously planning and executing innovation programmes. Rosie’s leadership extends to overseeing the Lloyd’s Academy, further emphasizing her commitment to developing talent and expertise within the industry.

An esteemed international conference speaker, Rosie’s insights are sought after on a global scale. Her expertise in innovation, coupled with her responsibilities in education and development, solidifies her reputation as a trailblazer in the insurance market. With her passion for accelerating innovation and nurturing talent, Rosie is reshaping the landscape of insurance, propelling Lloyd’s into a new era of dynamic growth and opportunity.

Sarah Chadburn is executive director for One Call Insurance Services Limited and the One Call Group. With over 25 (closer to 30!) years insurance experience, she brings a wealth of expertise to her roles in broking, insurer and claims.

Sarah is a well-respected, vital member of the One Call Group with a proven history of increasing productivity and embracing demanding situations. She has a keen eye and passion for customer experience, policyholder protection and industry best practice. Her roles include BIBA Yorkshire & Northern Regional committee chair.