Groupama in Operational Re-structure

In order to improve service, sharpen its business focus and deliver greater access to decision makers, Groupama Insurances make a announcement that it will change its operational structure.

The company has created specialist business divisions for commercial lines, personal lines and healthcare, each being headed by a director with general responsibility for divisional performance including bottom business development, line profitability and customer service.

Kevin Kiernan joined Groupama in October 2008 as motor underwriting director. He has been appointed as personal lines director. Alistair Sclare continues to head the Groupama Healthcare business as healthcare director. While Malcolm Smith, moving up from the position of commercial underwriting manager following 17 years with the business, becomes commercial lines director.

Each of the new divisional directors will report to managing director at Groupama Insurances Laurent Matras.

Mr Matras commented on the changes that: “Our continuing strong focus on profitability coupled with a desire to have a greater cutting edge in the market-place means a need to make some changes to our operational structure to enhance our effectiveness. We need a more joined up approach to the development of our business with even greater coordination and cooperation between our underwriters and business development teams. This reorganisation will help us achieve this and maintain an even greater focus in the way that we service our supporting brokers.”

Director of claims Phil Bird will continue to report directly to Mr Matras, which means the organisation of the company’s claims teams will not change. And they are already organised to service the three main business divisions

Mr Matras concluded that: “I am delighted Mr Kiernan, Mr Smith and Mr Sclare have accepted these new positions. They each bring a unique set of skills and experience to their specialist divisions. I believe that these changes will be very positive and will help us to adopt a very clear focus on the changing needs of partner brokers and their clients.

“In particular, I am keen that we develop even closer links not only between development teams, underwriters and brokers but also internally so that we continue to work across the new divisions and also get the best from shared resources such as our actuarial, business proposition and e-business teams. Greater coordination will give us the right balance between our desire for business development but without compromising the drive for long term, consistent profitability. ”