During this time, businesses need as much help, support and advice as possible. The MGAA is organising an online webinar exclusively for its members with the help of GreenKite and PKF Littlejohn to highlight key topics that businesses need to be aware of.
The situation is very fluid at the moment and as such we want to ensure that the topics covered are as up to date as possible. However topics could include; funding options, deferring tax, cash flow management, furloughed employees, other employee considerations and operational risks.
Therefore the MGAA invite you to join our webinar where you will hear from Sara Ager from GreenKite with John Needham from PKF Littlejohn, as the main speakers, and have the opportunity to ask questions. If you would like to submit a question prior to the session please send here.
Learning Objectives
Delegates joining the session will:
1. Understand the current support available to businesses in light of the COVID-19 pandemic
2. Appreciate how government initiatives may be able to help their own business
3. Identify schemes available for their employees and colleagues.
John Needham, Partner – Transaction Services
John is a member of PKF Littlejohn’s financial services division and heads the firm’s broking team. He specialises in advising the London insurance market, particularly insurance intermediaries and Lloyd’s syndicate groups as well as investment managers.
John regularly works with the FCA and the ICAEW, and has contributed to the development of client money and TC4 policy. He has been involved in a number of regulatory investigations, defending brokers against FCA enforcement action.
John frequently comments on current issues in the insurance press.
Chris Riley, Partner – Tax
Chris has been Head of Tax at PKF Littlejohn since 2016, having been with the firm since 2006. Chris has over 20 years professional experience in the accountancy sector – having trained initially as an auditor, Chris later specialised in tax, Chris has provided tax solutions and compliance services to UK Businesses for over 15 years.
Chris provides holistic advice together with support of the whole client service team on a full range of tax issues that affect companies and other businesses operating in the UK, including in particular, tax issues surrounding corporate structuring, employee incentivisation including share schemes, tax advantaged investment reliefs such as EIS and VCT, and assisting with the development of tax efficient exit strategies.
Chris advises both growing and established businesses over a wide client base ranging from multi-nationals to family owned businesses and all others in between. Chris specialises in the financial service sector advising businesses in the insurance and investment sector, businesses operating internationally, and Chris works closely with the PKF Investment Assure team.
Steve Goderski, Partner – Restructuring
Stephen entered the profession in 1985 and joined PKF Geoffrey Martin & Co (PKF Littlejohn’s restructuring arm) as a partner in the London office in early 2002.
He has developed particular expertise in advising institutional lenders, venture capital and private equity providers across a number of sectors including hotel, leisure, automotive and construction. Stephen strives to provide clarity to stakeholders in complex situations.
Stephen is a Fellow of both the Insolvency Practitioners Association (“IPA”) and the Association of Business Recovery Professionals. He is a former IPA council member and was chairman of the IPA’s Membership and Authorisation Committee for seven years.
Sara Ager – CEO
Sara was admitted as a solicitor in 1998 and is an accomplished practitioner who has been working within the financial services industry since 2001. Her practice is diverse covering all aspects of the sector having worked in and for Lloyd’s managing agencies, Bermudian reinsurers, MGA’s and brokers. Operating at Partner, Executive and Board level, Sara has developed and run functions within several businesses. Her commercial and legal experience is such that it provides full knowledge of the entire business life cycle making her advice relevant and practical. Logical and creative in her approach Sara specialises in helping businesses close the gap between ‘front end’ commercial ambition and regulatory and legal requirements.
She is well known within the insurance industry and sits on and attends several market committees and is General Counsel for the Insuring Women’s Futures programme. Sara has advised on the setting up and incorporation of intermediary businesses, has secured regulatory/Lloyd’s approval and assisted with and undertaken the role of Client partner in respects of the sale and purchase of brokers and MGA’s advising clients on DD, team lifts, risk management, compliance, regulatory and commercial issues.
Sara is passionate about D&I and has been advisor to several trade associations, market bodies and initiatives including the MGAA, Chartered Institute of Insurers, Start-Up Boot Camp, Munich Digital Partners and BIBA. And is actively involved in helping existing and new firms adapt to changing societal and customer needs, advising and leading insurtech businesses to thrive in the established insurance eco system. Most latterly she has developed wordings for new classes of business and coverages for some of the major accommodation/food delivery and transport platforms.
She loves her dog wine and laughter.
Paul Leach – HR & OD Director
Paul is Human Resources & OD Director / Consultant with a strong record of creating culture change through a unique combination of Organisational Development, in-depth, Employment Law, Employee Relations. Focused on the bottom line, he is known for delivering pragmatic, commercially driven HR solutions. Hands on when necessary, but with a passion for building successful teams that achieve business and personal objectives. Pro-active, builds relationships quickly and capable of managing complex business issues across international geographies.
Paul was Head of Organisational Development at Spire Healthcare where he led on the transformational change programme for the £1.44 bn sale of BUPA hospitals, delivering £150 million EBITDA. Following that he was HR Director UK for AJG International where he was responsible for leading the people & integration workstream for 13 International acquisitions. Having successfully developed and embedding the HR operating model, Paul became HRD Organisational Development (International), leading on talent management & succession planning, leadership development, organisational design.
Publications
Interviewed by People Management and article published 2/9/10 “An engagement and OD strategy delivered superior results at Spire Healthcare.”
Strategic HR Review (Emerald Publishing) case study published UK & USA, Sept 2011
Paul has spoken at various conferences on subjects such as talent & succession planning in fast growth businesses, leading and managing high performance teams.
Paul is highly motivational Board Director, flexible and professional with a sense of humour.
Karen Graves, Founder and Chair
Karen Graves has been working in the Lloyd’s and London market for over 25 years, starting her career in the compliance arena, moving on to a COO and then a CEO role within the Lloyd’s market for an established Lloyd’s Managing Agency.
SCOR SE was her first Global Reinsurance role and within scope fell operational matters, oversight and coordination of EMEA satellite offices (Madrid, Milan, Stockholm, Dublin, Moscow, Amsterdam, South Africa and Brussels), Internal Controls, Operational Risk Management, Regulatory Relationships, Property Affairs, Hub Compliance and working with the business divisions on new projects from a strategic perspective, for example the establishment of the SUK Canadian branch and the formation of a new Lloyd’s Syndicate from the ground up from the hiring of teams to the approval by the regulators.
Karen is a Freeman of the City of London and a Court Member of the Worshipful Company of Insurers. Karen is the current Chair of the Independent Women in Insurance Committee (iWIN). A Founder Member of European Council for the Advancement of Women in Leadership and addition to this a supporter of the Lloyd’s Military Network for senior officers transitioning from the Armed Forces.
