Gallagher brings Ryan Witchard on board to lead Marine practice
Ryan Witchard has joined Gallagher as Executive Director of its Marine practice in the Middle East & Africa.
Based out of Gallagher’s regional headquarters in the DIFC, Ryan Witchard will lead the firm’s offerings for the shipping, cargo, hull & machinery segments, focused on advisory, risk management, insurance and insurance broking services.
In his role, he becomes a member of the region’s leadership team and will liaise closely with the company’s London-based Marine team, which operates globally and is one of the largest marine broking teams in the world.
Witchard joins the firm from rival Marsh where he has worked since 2018 holding broking roles in both London and the Middle East. He started his career in London at a specialist marine broker in 2012, specialising in protection & indemnity insurance before broadening out to other areas of marine insurance.
“Gallagher has built an impressive business in the Middle East, and I am looking forward to helping to further expand its marine portfolio working with its existing team of specialists. With a deep understanding of the maritime sector both in the region and globally, we are well positioned in providing a unique offering to the maritime community and help them to navigate the evolving risk landscape,” said Witchard.
Commenting on the appointment, Middle East & Africa CEO Nadim Semaan said: “As the region focuses on further diversification the Middle East will cement its position as one of the key global maritime hubs. With Ryan at the helm of our Marine practice, Gallagher is well positioned for expansion and supporting clients further with their insurance needs.”
“Ryan has a strong track record both in the region and in maritime risks and it is fantastic to have him onboard.”
Since its launch in the Middle East in 2022, US-headquartered Gallagher has grown its regional business to around 80 people. The team provides insurance and risk management services to clients across industry sectors including aerospace, construction, energy, power & renewables, financial services, and maritime.
