About Our Speakers

Tony Emms, Motor Claims Director, Zurich Insurance

Tony has held the role of Motor Claims Director in Zurich since 2005. In this role Tony has Operational and Technical responsibility for the management of UK General Insurance Motor claims in sites across the UK and India. Tony is a member of the Post Magazine Claims Club Advisory Board, is ACII (Chartered Insurer) qualified and has gained business development at Templeton College Oxford and Henley Business School. Tony has recently joined the board of the CII Faculty of Claims and is a regular contributor at insurance seminars and conferences.

Richard Harris, Head of Operations, Fortis Insurance

Richard Harris joined Fortis in April 2006 as Head of Motor Claims. With more than 20 years experience within the insurance market Richard, is responsible for the end to end process for all areas of motor claims handled out of Fortis’ Eastleigh and Gloucester sites. Prior to working at Fortis, Richard worked for a large intermediary, as Motor Claims Manager, which has given him a thorough understanding of intermediary and affinity placed business.

Chris Andrew, Specialist Claims Service Manager, Chartis Insurance

Chris has spent 7 years within the field of claims fraud and his current role with Chartis UK as Manager Specialist Claims Services, a dedicated counter-claims fraud team across multiple sites, involves Chris providing the insurer with services focused on investigating and managing suspected fraudulent claims of varied description. Previously, Chris spent 9 years as a police officer and 2 years in a role with the National Crime Squad undertaking surveillance activity.

Andy Mackay, Detective Chief Inspector, Association of Chief Police Officers' Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service

Andy Mackay has been a serving Police Officer for over 23 years and has joined AVCIS from Warwickshire Police. Andy was promoted to Sergeant over 16 years ago working in a number of roles including Event and Major Operation Planning, He was responsible for the planning of ‘The Royal Show’, ‘The Bulldog Bash’ and the Global Gathering. In 2002 he became a Detective Sergeant working on a Pro-Active Crime Unit investigating cross boarder serious organised crime. He is currently part of the UK DVI Cadre, a team of 500 people drawn from all the emergency services along with Pathologists and Forensic Anthropologists providing an international response to fatal disasters with the intent to identify and repatriate the bodies of British subjects to the UK. In 2008 Andy Qualified as a Detective Inspector and carried out the role of Acting DI responsible for both Reactive and Pro-Active investigation of serious Crime. He has worked on a number of major investigations and has acted as SIO on several incidents. His experience spans both covert and overt policing in both uniform and plain clothes and has a number of Pro-Active operations to his credit. In November 2009 Andy was successful in being seconded to AVCIS as a T/Detective Inspector.

Phil Rawlings, Technical Manager - Motor Claims, AXA Insurance

Phil Rawlings is relatively unique in that he has only worked for one employer since leaving full time education nearly 30 years ago. The vast majority of his working life has been spent in claims with a short period in executive complaint resolution. He is now focussed on strategic cost containment activities in motor claims from bent metal to personal injury and all things in between.
He has recently implemented AXA’s strategic withdrawal from the ABI credit hire GTA.
He is active in local Chartered Insurance Institute activities and currently serves as Deputy President for his local institute.

Susan Vidler, Financial Services Reseach Director, Harris Interactive

Susan is currently the Head of Financial Services Research at Harris Interactive in the UK. Susan has over 12 years experience in both qualitative and quantitative business-to-business and consumer market research. Prior to joining Harris Interactive Susan held roles at BPRI, Industrial Research Bureau and BCG Group.

Peter Hinchliffe, Lead Ombudsman for Insurance, Financial Ombudsman Service

Peter Hinchliffe is the Lead Ombudsman for the insurance sector at the Financial Ombudsman Service. He is responsible for the work of the adjudicators and ombudsman that deal with over 50,000 insurance disputes that are referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service each year. Peter is a lawyer by training with considerable experience of dispute resolution in the UK and many other countries and previously spent over 20 years in the high-tech industry and 3 years in the charity sector heading legal, commercial, risk management and project finance functions. He is a part-time Tribunal Judge as well as an experience non-executive director and charity trustee.

Roger Mackle, Partner, Langleys

Roger began his career with Rogers & Norton of Norwich in 1994 specialising in insurance claims. In 1999 he joined Langleys Insurance Law Division of York and became a Partner in 2005. Roger has specialised in motor claims for many years. He manages Langleys motor unit and has experience of the full spectrum of motor claims, including catastrophic claims.
Out of the office, Roger has a young family to keep him busy in addition to his hobbies of running, cycling and finally learning to play piano.

Neil Drane, Head of MID Services, Motor Insurance Bureau

Neil has over 20 years insurance knowledge gathered in a number of technical (claims and underwriting) roles together with periods in training and project areas, all with a blue chip insurer. He has a sound knowledge of the insurance and reinsurance market and their products.
Neil then moved to the world of consultancy in late 2000 successfully establishing the Motor Insurers’ Information Centre (now absorbed into the parent, MIB) as an operational unit during 2001. Multi stakeholder project experience has been gained through supporting delivery of the requirements of the Motor Insurance Database’s (MID) business programme in the lead up to its launch.
A consultancy role at the MIB saw Neil assume the Head of MIIC operations role in early 2003, transferring to the permanent staff in 2005. January 2008 saw Neil assume the role of Head of MID Services giving him overall responsibility for all matters relating to the MID, be they related to industry regulation or provision of MID services to the UK’s enforcement authorities.

Shaun Wood, Director of Property and Special Investigations, The Cotswold Group

A former Police Officer having served 7 years within CID. After leaving the Police Service Shaun began a career in the Security Industry as an Operations Director before joining The Cotswold Group in 1999. As Investigation Services Director, Shaun has overall responsibility for internal and field staff concerned with fraud investigations and Intelligence.

Paul Ewen, Head of Technical Services, The Cotswold Group

With over 25 years in the Insurance Industry. Paul joined TCG in 2007 from Norwich Union Insurance, where he was Manager of the UK General Insurance arms Special Investigation Unit, and owner of technical fraud issues within the UK. During his time with NU, Paul was responsible for implementing procedures to deal with Organised Motor Fraud, and was the NU representative on the working party tasked with creating the Insurance Fraud Bureaus processes.
Currently a member of the committee of the Insurance Fraud Investigators Group, a UK Board Director of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators, and a number of other fraud and Investigation associations and working groups. Paul is responsible for technical best practice, and Claims Validation training within The Cotswold Group.

Mark Turner, Vice President Sales and Marketing, WNS Assistance

Mark has 15 years experience in the Accident Management Business, encompassing a range of roles and building a depth of knowledge covering all aspects of a motor claim - making him an expert in the complexities of outsourced insurance services. His current role has responsibility for the entire WNS sales and implementation process including client negotiations and large scale project implementation.

Graham Dickinson, Partner, DWF

DWF's Catastrophic Injury Team is nationally recognised for its expertise and for dealing with high profile cases using a range of innovative and progressive solutions. Graham Dickinson heads the DWF Team in London and in recent years he has led many of the most complex and highest profile litigation cases on issues ranging from quantum, liability, mediation and jurisdiction.
Graham is an industry commentator offering expert opinion to a range of journals and papers and also lectures on subjects of litigation management, mediation, rehabilitation and the management of catastrophic injury claims. He is a contributor to the College of Law Multi-Media TV.
Graham is ranked by Chambers and Legal 500 as one of the UK’s leading defendant personal injury lawyers.

Bob Rabbitts, Technical Claims Manager, Allianz Insurance

Bob joined Allianz in 1971 straight from education, and has been in various different roles within the Claims Division ever since, culminating in a move to Guildford head office in 2000
Focusing upon developing company strategy is Bob’s speciality. This currently involves all aspects of whiplash claims and the long awaited MOJ fast track reforms
Bob also handles high value injury claims, attends ABI market meetings and is a member of the Bodily Injury Claims Management Association (BICMA) and the IUA/ABI Rehabilitation Working Party.
“Continuous development of our strategies is vital to building a sustainable future. Looking for new and innovative ways to improve our processes can only benefit the Company and its customers”

Andrew Parker, Head of Strategic Lititgation, Beachcroft LLP

Andrew is head of Strategic Litigation at Beachcroft LLP and an assessor for Lord Justice Jackson’s Review of Civil Litigation Costs.
At the forefront of strategic litigation, he advises insurers on a range of emerging issues affecting injury claims, including running numerous test cases on costs.
A former Civil Procedure Rule Committee member, he has helped draft the rules to implement the Ministry of Justice’s Low Value RTA Claims Process. He also worked closely with the Government on the Compensation Act and advised on the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008.

Justin Jacobs

Head of Property, Motor and Liability Insurance at the Association of British Insurers (ABI)

Justin leads the ABI’s work on flood insurance. In this capacity, he led the industry team that negotiated the new flooding industry agreement with the UK Government in July 2008 and is continuing work to reach similar agreements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, tailored to local needs. Justin also leads the ABI’s work on reforming the personal injury system for compensating accident victims and industrial diseases, tackling uninsured driving and improving the safety record of younger and older drivers.

Before joining the ABI in August 2004, Justin worked for HM Treasury, the UK Permanent Representation in Brussels (UKREP) and Accenture.

Joe Pendle, Director of Client Services, ISO

Joe Pendle joined Insurance Services Office (ISO) in February 2004. He is responsible for ISO’s Claims Services operation in Europe. Joe has been instrumental in growing the Claims Services operation in the UK. Joe was formerly Group Operations Manager at the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). At MIB he was responsible for bringing personal injury claims in-house and managing MIB’s claims operations. Joe was involved in setting-up the Motor Insurers’ Information Centre (MIIC) and has a good knowledge of the Motor Insurance Database (MID). He has over 28 years of experience in general insurance claims since starting with the Federated Insurance Company in 1980. Joe has been responsible for handling personal injury claims for many of the companies that he has subsequently worked for. Joe was also instrumental in setting up MIB’s anti-fraud strategy and Special Investigation Unit.

Ben Collins, Motor and NASCAR racing driver

Ben Collins is one of Britain’s most renowned and unusual sportsmen. Ben’s rise through the ranks of international Motor Racing has been a unique journey and he recently made history by becoming the first Englishman to drive in NASCAR for some thirty years.

A Junior Olympic standard swimmer by the age of nine, Ben entered Motorsport in 1994 and began a winning career in Single Seaters (International Formula Three, Le Mans 24 Hours, Formula One Testing). In 2003 a switch to American NASCAR racing brought the European Days of Thunder Crown. Ben destroyed the opposition to score a record number of points, beating experienced drivers from the ARCA, BUSCH and CHAMP CAR series. Ben served in the British Army for four years and maintains his personal fitness by competing in Triathlons and the London Marathon.

Ben recently presented a TV show for the BBC called ‘Extreme Teens’ and has also been known to carry out some daring stunts on numerous car shows such as ‘Driven’, ‘Top Gear’ and ‘Pulling Power’. He currently co-hosts the NASCAR show for Sky Sports which is airing live on most weekends. Few racing drivers can boast to have won as many races in such a variety of racing series as Ben, from Le Mans racing to Formula Three and now Nascar Stock Cars. As a journalist Ben provides punchy reports on the hottest racing cars and Supercars for Autosport magazine as well as The Sunday Times. Last year he set multiple world records, drove a car on two wheels and dragged a professional surfer behind a car at over 50 KPH.

Ben has worked with a number of celebrities over the years including teaching Daniel Craig the fine art of advanced driving for the 22nd Bond Movie – ‘Quantum of Solace’. As a consultant on set Ben was a key member of the stunt team which produced some of the most daring car stunts ever seen. From Uri Geller to Sir Jackie Stewart and Nicholas Cage, Ben’s career has been touched by the unusual, the extreme and the unknown.