Markerstudy Group has announced the appointment of Benny Higgins as Group Chairman, in a move that concludes a busy Q1 in which it welcomed investment from new partners Pollen Street Capital and Qatar Insurance Company, and announced it had acquired Brightside Group.
Kevin Spencer, Group CEO, said: “We are steering Markerstudy Group on an exhilarating growth trajectory and due to our size, diversity, and speed of acceleration, it’s the optimum time to invite a Chairman on board to complement the skills of my existing board of Directors. Benny has vast financial sector experience, coupled with a social and philanthropic conscience, and it’s these combined attributes which attracted us to him, and which align so well with our plans for the future.”
Benny Higgins, said: “I am thrilled to be joining Markerstudy Group at such a pivotal moment, and appreciate the opportunity to provide counsel. Post-pandemic, the ‘new’ normal which Markerstudy is wholeheartedly embracing includes a deeper understanding of an organisation’s impact on the environment, and its social and governance principles. ESG is a top priority for Markerstudy, and I am passionate about supporting change for improvement across my non-executive portfolio.”
Markerstudy received Regulatory approval for the Brightside Group acquisition on 22nd March, with the deal completing on 12th April.
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Enquiries:
Markerstudy:
Lizzie Smith-Foreman
Director of Group Marketing and Communications
Email: lsmith-foreman@markerstudy.com
Contact number: 07875 652075
Charlie North
Head of External Group Communications
Email: cnorth@markerstudy.com
Contact number: 07990 436690
Notes to editors:
About Markerstudy
Markerstudy Group of Companies is headquartered in Kent and with over 3,500 employees. Established in 2001, it has been recognised as a Best Company to Work For in the UK by The Sunday Times Best Companies Awards and holds the Investors in People Gold award.
As the UK’s largest MGA, Markerstudy Insurance Services Limited supports over 1,000 broker partners and more than three million policyholders with a wide variety of insurance products.
In 2020 the group became the UK’s 5th largest motor insurance provider after completing the purchase of the Co-op Insurance underwriting business and commencing a 13-year partnership to provide home and motor insurance products under the Co-op brand.
The group’s portfolio also includes Brightside Insurance (acquired April 2021), and Insurance Factory – one of the UK’s largest affinity based insurance intermediaries for pet insurance; along with Auto Windscreens, VisionTrack, Vision Vehicle Solutions; and brands Geoffrey Insurance and Zenith Insurance.
www.markerstudygroup.com
About Benny Higgins
Benny began his career in the financial services industry at Standard Life where he qualified as an actuary before rising to Group General Manager. After Standard Life, Benny progressed to The Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS where he was Chief Executive of their retail banking divisions. In 2008, he took the helm at Tesco Bank following Tesco’s buyout of RBS’ share, and over 10 years he grew the bank to over 6 million customers.
In 2017 Benny was asked by the Scottish Government to develop an implementation plan for the creation of a Scottish National Investment Bank, and he was subsequently appointed as Strategic
Advisor to the First Minister on the building of the Scottish National Investment Bank and Chairman of the Scottish Government’s Advisory group on Economic Recovery post Covid-19.
Benny is currently Executive Chairman of the Buccleuch Group and he holds a number of other Chairmanships including the National Galleries of Scotland, The Edinburgh Fringe Society, The Fine Art Society (London & Edinburgh) and Sistema Scotland.
