DUAL appoint Harries group underwriting director

Managing general agent (MGA) DUAL has appointed David Harries as its director of underwriting, the MGA arm of Howden Group has announced.

Harries joins DUAL from Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance where he was executive underwriter.

Before Berkshire, Harries held several roles at QBE for over 30 years including head of financial lines and Active Underwriter at Lloyd’s Syndicate 386.

Harries will join in January 2024, and will work closely with Alan Telford, DUAL’s group chief underwriting officer.

“We are very sad to see Alan leave DUAL in summer 2024 as he has made a significant contribution to our business, and will be much missed,” said Richard Clapham, CEO, DUAL Group.

Clapham continued: “Alan’s plans to travel the world were interrupted by the global pandemic and we have been very fortunate to have him in our leadership team since 2020. David will join us in January 2024, ensuring a seamless handover in this key role.

“We’re delighted to welcome David, whose experience makes him a fantastic addition to our Group. DUAL’s regional business model enables our local underwriting teams to respond in an agile way to an ever-evolving market.

“David will work collaboratively with each of our four regions, ensuring we have a global overview of underwriting trends and will help maximise cross-region partnerships with our carrier partners,” he said.

Harries added: “I am very much looking forward to joining the DUAL leadership team.

“One of the great advantages of MGAs is their ability to lead the way in product innovation and DUAL has the global reach to do this at scale.

”Together with DUAL’s regional centres of underwriting excellence, I believe this is an unbeatable combination and I am excited about the opportunities ahead.”