UK General appoints new chief executive

Mr Hubbard, who was previously executive chairman of the business, takes up his new role immediately and has announced a number of changes to the senior management team.

Lord Carter of Coles will become non-executive chairman, while Michael Keating will become managing director commercial, reporting to Mr Hubbard and replacing Cathie Bruce, who has resigned from the business.

Dean Robertson, currently head of sales at Rural Insurance, has been promoted to become sales director with responsibility for commercial sales and those of compliance specialist unit UKGI.

Gill Anderson will replace Mr Robertson as head of sales at Rural.

Mr Hubbard said yesterday: “I’d like to thank Cathie for her contribution to UK General Insurance and wish her well in her future career.”

UK General Insurance employs 165 staff in Leeds, out of a total UK workforce of around 245.

Mr Hubbard said Rural Insurance, the specialist agricultural arm of UK General, was already on track to double in size by 2015 and become a top three player in its sector.

He confirmed that he would also be looking to appoint another non-executive director to the board.