An insurance broker used to having his head well below ground, is aiming far higher in his new appointment as manager of one of the North West’s largest independent commercial brokers.
Stuart Byatt – a self-confessed potholing enthusiast and new manager of BNIB Adam and Gaskell in Lancaster – has assured his staff of 13 that he will be keeping his head well above ground over the coming months in a bid to increase the company’s regional market share.
BNIB Adam & Gaskell has recently merged its Garstang branch with Lancaster in a drive to focus on its city-centre commercial clients. The company offers a full range of bespoke commercial insurance solutions to large corporate companies through to public sector organisations, charities and SMEs.
Local clients such as SJ Bargh, Kidds Transport and P&L Barton benefit from local service backed up by the collective buying power and unrivalled product choice of Adam & Gaskell’s parent company, Towergate – the UK’s largest and fastest-growing insurance intermediary.
Mr Byatt, who joins BNIB Adam & Gaskell in the company’s offices on King Street, has a long-standing career in the insurance sector covering both commercial and personal lines. He has held senior sales roles with the likes of Cornhill Insurance, Orion and Allied Insurance Services.
‘BNIB Adam & Gaskell has enjoyed an enviable reputation as a trusted broker in Lancaster for more than 25 years,’ he said. ‘We are now building on this solid track record and moving forward with an even greater product portfolio available to us via our parent company, Towergate. I know of no other independent brokers in the North West able to offer such a powerful combination of product choice and local service.’
Changes to be introduced by Mr Byatt include the appointment of an account executive responsible for attracting new business; a more proactive approach to marketing, and a determination to promote the company’s expertise and maturity. Of the branch’s 13 members of staff, all are aged 30 or above and some have been with the company for more than 20 years.
‘Their local knowledge and understanding of the regional economy is impressive,’ said Mr Byatt. ‘Even during the current recession our account executives have come into their own by offering clients ongoing support and free advice. It is this level of dialogue between ourselves and our clients that helps us to stand out.’
Originally from Bradford, West Yorkshire, and now living in Sedbergh, Mr Byatt looks forward to finally achieving the perfect work-life balance: ‘I am working extremely hard with my team who are all highly experienced and dedicated, but I am also grateful to be living in an area where I hope to enjoy potholing and other outdoor activities with family and friends. Work is massively important to me but I also believe in having some fun along the way.’
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