November 2006/1

Marsh Inc’s chief executive Brian Storms has parted company with another senior executive following the announcement last week that the broking giant was to make its President William (Bill) Malloy redundant.

Reinsurance broker Walsham Brothers and Co is expanding its business with a new international and special projects division.

There were few surprises as Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc (MMC) released a steady set of third quarter last Wednesday (1 November), with consolidated revenues up four percent to $2.9bn on the prior-year period.

Alchemy’s acquisition of the Lloyd’s insurer Cathedral Capital is not the largest private equity deal in Lime Street – that honour goes to the £430mn buy-out of the motor insurer Cox Insurance (now Equity) last year.

World Trade Center insurers won a ruling last Tuesday (31 October) that means they won’t have to pay out an additional $700mn to make the replacement buildings “bigger and better”.

UK regulator the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has begun to accept applications for sidecar-style insurance special purpose vehicles (ISPVs) from today (6 November), following approval of its proposals to make ISPVs more attractive.

Broking giant Aon Corp came in below analyst estimates last Thursday (2 November) with its third quarter results but five percent growth in its core broking business will be better received by shareholders. The Chicago-headquartered firm reported...

Speculation that UK broker Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc was considering a strategy of focussed regional growth was quashed last week (31 October) when the company announced a major restructuring that includes greater integration of its two separately.

Alchemy Partners, the private equity firm founded by Jon Moulton, had thus far avoided the temptations of Lime Street but this all changed with its £113mn acquisition of short-tail specialist Cathedral Capital, last week.