Masters and Wardens

FOUNDER MASTER

The Founder Master was William Cecil (Bill) Harris. Born in 1913, Bill worked all his life with the Phoenix Group of Companies, retiring in 1984, having completed 55 years with the Group. He worked in both the United States and the UK and was appointed Chief General Manager in 1969. He retired as Chief Executive in 1978 but remained on the Phoenix Board as Deputy Chairman until 1984. Bill served two terms as Master of the Worshipful Company of Insurers. He died on 7 May 1999.

Masters of the Company to date have been:

  • 1979 W C Harris
  • 1980 W C Harris
  • 1981 D V Palmer, DL
  • 1982 R I Sloan, CBE
  • 1983 A W Higgins, MBE, MC, TD, JP, DL
  • 1984 J A S Neave, CBE, JP, DL
  • 1985 F R D Holland
  • 1986 D A Blaikie, OBE
  • 1987 J R Redfern
  • 1988 R H Peet, CBE
  • 1989 P R Dugdale, CBE
  • 1990 R K Bishop
  • 1991 R C W Bardell, OBE
  • 1992 J S Greig
  • 1993 T Roberts, CBE
  • 1994 W J Briggs
  • 1995 B V Day, OBE
  • 1996 C P Harris
  • 1997 J E Phillips
  • 1998 P H Purchon
  • 1999 M J Pickard
  • 2000 D R Losse
  • 2001 P G Ward
  • 2002 C A Hart
  • 2003 M K Bewes
  • 2004 A P D Lancaster
  • 2005 R J Taylor
  • 2006 D E Bland, OBE
  • 2007 G V Doswell
  • 2008 M W Cooper-Mitchell
  • 2009 G C King 
  • 2010 C G Haslock

 

The Officers for 2011/2012 are:

 THE MASTER - TIM ABLETT

Tim Ablett is a Chartered Accountant but has spent most of his working life in the Insurance industry, firstly as a Lloyds’ auditor specialising in Lloyds’ brokers then as a Group Financial Controller of Wigham Poland before joining in 1986 The Legal Protection Group Limited/International Assistance Services where he was Managing Director. When LPG/IAS was acquired by Sun Alliance he moved to the North West to take responsibility for Sun Alliance UK Broker Personal Lines Division in 1990 merging this with Bradford Pennine where he became Chief Executive and with Royal Insurance Broker Personal Lines in 1996.

Tim then went to Bournemouth to head up a newly created business within RSA – the Healthcare & Assistance Division where he brought together a variety of healthcare products and businesses into a single entity. He was enticed away to joining Groupama UK where he held the role of Managing Director for 4 years before taking the opportunity to lead a private equity backed buy out of the RSA Healthcare & Assistance business he had previously built. He headed the renamed business - FirstAssist - as CEO, restructuring the business, selling the PMI business, reducing costs and creating two new businesses for its private equity owners.

Having stepped down as CEO Tim started his plural career as a Non Executive Director of the two FirstAssist companies and is now Chairman of Age Concern Enterprises/In Tune Limited, Chairman of Premier Occupational Healthcare Limited, Non Executive Director of Garwyn Group Limited (loss adjusters), Hastings Insurance Services and FirstAssist Services Limited.

Tim is married to Ann and they have three adult children – Justin, Davinia and Tarrant. When not fulfilling his business and Livery commitments Tim likes relaxing in their house in the Vendee region of France enjoying a glass of fine wine.

 

THE SENIOR WARDEN - RICHARD HUDSON

Rick Hudson BSc (Econ), MBA, FCII, unlike the previous three Junior Wardens, is not an accountant.  Rick joined the Royal in 1974 when no one, including Rick, expected him to stay long with the employer.  31 years later he left as Group Risk Director.  During his time at Royal he worked mainly in London but spent several years abroad in South Africa, Spain and the USA. . He was very fortunate and proud to be the President of the CII in 2003/4 and remains a great advocate of our Professional Body.

Since retiring from the RSA, Rick has filled his time with a portfolio of Chairmanships, Directorships and Trustee positions.  He enjoys the diversity of being involved in Life Assurance, Company P&C, Lloyds, Captives, Pension Funds and Charities and is looking forward to focusing more on our Company over the next years.

 Rick married Anne, the girl he met at University, and they have three grown up children. He supports Arsenal and shares season tickets with Company member Bob Beckett. He has a keen interest in “wine”, enjoys social bridge and many different sports although now, unfortunately, purely as a spectator. 

 He lives in Hertfordshire and also has homes in Sunderland and Cape Town; he enjoys all three locations immensely but for different reasons and at different times of year!

 

 


020 7600 4006
Master - Tim Ablett