Markel unveils plans to employ more than 200 people in Leeds
Markel, the insurance operations within the Markel Group Inc, has revealed plans to increase its staff numbers in Leeds by 25 per cent to more than 200 employees over the next two years.
The firm has more than doubled its office size in Leeds by taking 20,000 sq ft of space across the ninth and tenth floors of City Square House.
In addition to underwriting and claims roles, new positions in the Leeds office will also include shared services such as IT, HR and finance.
Neil Galjaard, Markel’s divisional managing director for the UK, said: “Leeds was the home of Markel’s first office outside of London more than 30 years ago and since then we’ve grown our business organically and through acquisitions, from three people to more than 160 today.
“As a business Markel is committed to always looking to the future, and it’s that ethos which means we’re planning to grow the Markel UK Leeds team to over 200 people over the next 24 months across a range of roles.
“The success of the Leeds office over the years has provided Markel with a template for creating offices and teams close to our customers across the globe.
"We’re now pleased that the move to City Square House will further enable us to grow our presence in the city, creating jobs and opportunities for local people, from apprentices to senior appointments, whilst providing our existing team with state-of-the-art facilities.
“I’m certain that these plans will ensure that Markel UK is able to continue our award-winning work championing customers and creating bespoke solutions that provide meaningful support to businesses across the country.”
Mr Galjaard told The Yorkshire Post: “We’ve been in Leeds since 1990.. The kernel of the UK business is here.
"The skill base has been growing in Leeds over the last 30 years.
"One of the advantages of being a specialist is that you know your market.
"As we grew we needed to grow our team that services those customers.”
Coun James Lewis, the leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Markel’s growth over the last three decades has been a real success story for Leeds and it’s great to hear that it is continuing.
“By creating jobs for people with differing levels of experience and skills, Markel is contributing to our wider efforts to ensure that the city’s thriving and inclusive economy provides opportunities for all.
“The firm’s recent move to City Square House also underlines how our status as a significant hub for development, investment and infrastructure makes Leeds an attractive location for major employers.
He added: “Markel’s ongoing commitment to the city is something to be celebrated and I look forward to seeing the positive impact of its expansion plans in the months and years to come.”
The announcement of the growth plans follows the official opening of the new office by Olympians Alistair and Jonny Brownlee in September.