ABI has appointed Baroness Nicky Morgan as its first independent chairperson in a newly defined role, along with Hannah Gurga as director general and Baroness Dianne Hayter as non-executive director.
Morgan takes over from Jon Dye, who is stepping down, having served as ABI Chair since July 2019. She was formerly secretary of state for education from 2014 to 2016 and secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport from 2019 to 2020 and was also chair of the House of Commons Treasury Committee.
Morgan is a qualified solicitor who spent 16 years in City law firms focusing on mergers and acquisitions and advisory work before being elected to Parliament. She also has experience in various industries, including finance, education, media, and technology. Morgan will preside over the ABI board as well as the newly formed reputation and customers committee.
Morgan says: “The insurance and long-term savings industry is one of the UK’s biggest global success stories. There are many challenges and opportunities facing the sector ranging from customer trust to supporting the transition to Net-Zero. The ABI has an excellent reputation, and I’m excited to take on this new role as the ABI’s first Independent Chair at this crucial time. I would like to offer my thanks to Jon Dye for his leadership of the sector during a challenging time and for a smooth handover of responsibilities.”
Hannah Gurga will be the new director general, starting in early 2022. Gurga joins from UK Finance, where she is managing director, digital, technology and cyber and chief of staff. She has previously worked for the London stock exchange group, ICAP, and HM Treasury, as well as other government roles. She succeeds Huw Evans, who announced earlier this year that he would leave the position in December to join KPMG as a partner in the new year.
Gurga says: “The ABI is globally recognised as a leading advocate for the insurance and long-term savings industry, and I am committed to building on its reputation to ensure we help members deliver the best outcomes for their customers. The external environment in which we’re operating is changing rapidly, and it is vital that the ABI delivers across issues as varied as climate change, diversity and inclusion, resilience and the digital and data revolution. I look forward to working with members, colleagues, government and regulators to enhance our industry’s reputation and impact.”
Baroness Dianne Hayter will join the ABI board as an independent non-executive director (iNED) and become the senior independent director (SID).
Hayter was previously the shadow deputy leader of the House of Lords. She left the Labour front bench in the Lords in October 2021 to become chair of the Lord’s international agreements select committee. Her previous political positions included those of general secretary of the Fabian Society and chief executive of the European parliamentary Labour party.
Hayter says: “The ABI’s members play a vital role in supporting our economy and providing a financial safety net for families across the UK. I’m delighted to take up the role of independent Non-Executive Director and look forward to seeing what more can be done to boost consumer trust.”
ABI President and Group CEO Barry O’Dwyer says: “We’re honoured to welcome Baroness Nicky Morgan as Independent Chair of the Association of British Insurers and Baroness Dianne Hayter as independent Non-Executive Director. Both bring with them exceptional experience and, as consumer champions, will be an independent voice for customers across the insurance and long-term savings sector.
“Hannah Gurga is a respected and experienced financial services professional with a strong track record of leadership built in the UK civil service, the City and a leading trade association. The ABI Board is delighted to appoint someone of her calibre as our next director general after an open and competitive process. I look forward to working closely with Hannah as we strive to deepen our work on climate change, do more to improve customer outcomes and seek to harness the digital revolution for the benefit of those we serve.”