Howden confirms US retail market entry with appointment of Mike Parrish as US CEO

Howden, the global insurance and reinsurance broking group, has confirmed its entry into the U.S. retail market and has announced that Mike Parrish will lead the operations as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Howden U.S.

At the same time, the broker has named Jim Hays as Vice Chairman, Howden Group Holdings, bringing over four decades of U.S. insurance industry experience to the Howden Group Board.

With this expansion, the broker brings its unique entrepreneurial model, ambitious growth plans, and fresh choice for talent and clients to the U.S. retail broking market.

Howden already has significant operations in the country, where over a quarter of its revenue is generated, having operated in the region for over a decade with MGA DUAL, via reinsurance broking arm Howden Re, and through years of supporting US-domiciled clients as their wholesale broker in international markets.

In the new role, Parrish will build the U.S. retail broking business for clients and talent. He is an industry veteran with a proven track record of scaling highly successful U.S. operations.

Parrish spent two decades at re/insurance broker Aon, where he built a market-leading business, before joining Marsh in 2021.

He will join Howden in September, subject to the fulfilment of relevant contractual obligations.

Hays also has deep expertise as U.S. insurance executive and entrepreneur who previously served as CEO of Hays Company, an insurance broker which he founded in 1994 and sold to Brown & Brown in 2018.

He served as Vice Chair and as a member of the Board of broking group Brown & Brown, Inc. He started Hays as a seven-person operation and oversaw over 25 years of growth to build a large independent U.S. broker.

Hays commented, “I could not be more energized to join this incredibly exciting, deeply ambitious Group with its army of entrepreneurs dedicated to serving clients. And of course, to work with David, who is in my view one of the most visionary leaders in business today. I was privileged to count Neil Armstrong as a personal friend, so the fact that the news of Howden’s further investment in the USA was first rumoured in the press on the 21st July – the day an American first walked on the Moon – was particularly apposite for me.”

David Howden, CEO, Howden, added, “From the beginning we built Howden on the principle that if we look after our people they will look after our clients. This means we hire great people and get out of their way, truly empowering them to do what’s best for their clients. This is why our organic growth consistently outperforms the market.

“Mike’s appointment is an incredibly important moment in our 30-year history of building a global group with an energetic and entrepreneurial culture, owned by the people who work in it. The foundation of our success has always been in finding the right leaders who are driven to build a business they can be proud of. In Mike we’ve found one of insurance’s most outstanding leaders, with an owner’s mindset and an unrivalled track-record, who wants the freedom to build a business that is an alternative home for talent and clients in the U.S. And in Jim we have one of the most accomplished entrepreneurs in the U.S., who brings a wealth of experience to the Group Board as we accelerate towards our ambitious 2030 vision.

He continued, “I am passionate about the role insurance can play in the world, facilitating growth and helping to solve some of the biggest challenges we are facing. In a consolidating market we’re answering a clear desire from clients, insurers, and talent for choice by being the destination for top talent.

“And I am especially proud that when others in the broking market are cutting costs, we are investing to create jobs in the U.S. to provide better service to clients. We will combine the full weight of our global capabilities to deliver expertise and service with a difference in the U.S. and internationally. Our doors are now open. We can’t wait to get started.”