Nine insurance partners will make the move to DWF
DWF has swiped the London market team from Hall & Wilcox.
Nine insurance partners will make the move to DWF in the process, including team leaders Matt Curll and Rachael Arnold. The team brings a client base comprising global insurers and London market based insurance syndicates.
“Our team here in Australia has driven dramatic growth in recent years, and the addition of this stellar team will add further momentum to our success. It builds on, and is highly complementary to, our recent acquisition of Proclaim, the leading Lloyd's of London claims management business in Australia”, DWF Australia managing director Matt Dudakov said.
Proclaim managing director Jon Broome added that the team joining DWF creates an opportunity to “deliver a more integrated service in the future across the whole claims lifecycle, whilst at the same time respecting clients' preferences as to outside counsel and their existing panel arrangements”.
The team is set to commence with DWF by May 2025. Most of them will work from Sydney.
"It has long been a strategic priority to grow our business organically in key markets such as Australia, including through senior lateral hire recruitment. We believe this move will significantly strengthen our ability to support clients across Australia and globally", said Matthew Doughty, CEO of DWF's insurance services division.
Hall & Wilcox CEP Graydon Dowd issued a statement that the departure of the London market team would not affect the firm’s insurance division.
“While the departure of these partners is unfortunate, they primarily handle claims for London insurance syndicates. This is, to a significant extent, a discrete practice”, Dowd said. “Our ability to service our insurance clients (across all general, statutory, professional and specialised lines) will not be impacted and we are focused on ensuring minimal disruption to our people and clients”.
