Peter Cullum CBE, MSc, MBA, FCII, ACIM - Founder &
Non-executive Deputy Chairman
Peter began his insurance career in 1969 with the Royal
Insurance Group and progressed to sales and marketing positions
within Commercial Union and ITT London and Edinburgh where he
became marketing director in 1988. In 1991, Peter joined Economic
Insurance and led their return to profitability in 1993. In
December 1993, Peter led the management buyout of the Economic that
was sold in 1996 to Hiscox plc. He joined Hiscox as group marketing
director, a role he held until he left in 1997 to create Towergate
Underwriting Group. In 2005, Peter won the Ernst & Young UK
Entrepreneur of the Year award. In December 2010, Peter was awarded
the CBE for his contribution to business, entrepreneurship and
charitable causes.
Mark Hodges, FCCA, MBA - Group Chief Executive Officer
Mark Hodges was appointed chief executive of Towergate Insurance
in September 2011. Prior to this Mark was chief executive at Aviva
UK which comprises the Life and Pensions and General Insurance
businesses in January 2010. He was appointed to the board of Aviva
plc as an executive director in June 2008 and was also a member of
the Aviva group executive committee.
Previously Mark was chief executive of Aviva UK Life, formerly
known as Norwich Union Life, and held this role since April 2006.
Prior to that he held the position of Managing Director of Aviva UK
Insurance from 2005 to 2006 and Finance Director of Aviva UK
Insurance from 1997 to 2005. Mark is a professionally qualified
accountant (FCCA) and has an MBA from Cranfield Business
School.
Tim Johnson, MBA, BSc (Hons), ACII, Chartered Insurance Broker
- Chief Executive Officer, Paymentshield
Tim began his insurance career with Royal Insurance, before
moving into the broking arena with Aon in 1994. Following periods
in the Corporate and Sports and Events divisions he took up the
post of CEO of Aon’s Affinity and SME business.He joined Towergate
as CEO in 2003, and was involved in a number of acquisitions which
saw the business grow rapidly. On the merger of Towergate and
Folgate in 2005, Johnson formulated a plan for a new business,
Cullum Capital Ventures, with Peter Cullum. CCV made 36
acquisitions in less than 3 years, which saw the business grow from
start up to the UK’s third largest independently owned
intermediary, a growth curve matched only by Towergate.
In June 2009 he took up the role of CEO of Paymentshield, one of
Towergate’s most significant acquisitions to date and the dominant
player in the mortgage broker general insurance market place.
Andy Homer FCII - Non-executive Director
Andy was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Towergate
Partnership in 2005.
He joined Towergate in 2002 as Chief Executive Officer of the
Folgate Partnership. Andy has worked in the insurance business
since 1971. His career includes appointments as General Manager of
Commercial Union UK (now part of Aviva) and CEO of Axa
Insurance UK.
Andy was Chairman of the Motor Insurance
Bureau from 1998 and 2001 and President of the Chartered Insurance
Institute in 2002/3.
Paul Dyer BA, ACII - Non-executive Director of Towergate
Underwriting Group Ltd
Paul was part of the team that created Towergate in 1997.
He started his career with Royal Insurance before moving to TSB
with responsibilities for non-life insurance development. In 1983,
he joined Peter Cullum as Marketing Manager for ITT London &
Edinburgh. In 1992 he joined Economic Insurance with Peter Cullum
and was part of the management buyout team, leaving Hiscox to
create Towergate.
Paul was Group Communications Director held a number of Director
positions before becoming a Non-Executive Director of the Group in
2005. In this role he has the responsibility for oversight of the
Group's many and varied charitable involvements. Paul’s experience
has also been available to a major UK charity of which he is a
Trustee.
Mel Sims LLB (Hons) Law - Non-executive Director of Towergate
Underwriting Group Ltd
Mel was appointed as a non-executive Director of Towergate in
1999.
He is a private equity corporate lawyer at DLA Piper
specialising in mergers and acquisitions and has particular
experience in the insurance sector.
He has been involved in the establishment and development of
insurance brokers and third party administrators to the insurance
industry including the Towergate Underwriting Group Limited,
Folgate Partnership Limited, BDML Connect Limited and The Rubicon
Corporation Limited.
