SIMON Gosnell, one of the founding directors of prominent specialist insurance broker, AlphaXO Risk Partners, recently retired, having announced his decision to take a step back from the day-to-day management of the company late last year.
Spanning more than 50-years, Simon began his career as a marine underwriter on a syndicate at Lloyd’s before switching to marine insurance broking in the London Market.
Relocating to Australia in the early 1980s, Simon spent some time as managing director of the marine division of a large international broker that is now part of AON.
In 1986 Simon set up the Australasian office of London broker, Gault Armstrong & Kemble, along with fellow directors Andrew Cox, Brian Turner and Trevor Karsten.
The Australian management eventually bought out their UK parent and continued as an independent broker before forming a joint venture with Kym Bermingham’s Zuellig Insurance Brokers in the late 1990s, ultimately becoming OAMPS Gault Armstrong.
In 2012, Simon, together with long-time business partner Andrew Glover, were approached to join the Australian office of FP Marine Risks.
Simon described this latter part of his career, including the rebranding of FP Marine and its relaunch as AlphaXO Risk Partners in 2018, as among the most exciting and enjoyable of his 50 years in the industry.
Sufficiently exciting in fact to extend his retirement date well beyond that originally planned.
AlphaXO managing director Andrew Glover spoke of the impact Simon had made on the industry.
“I have always admired Simon’s passion and consistent approach to our company and the business in general,” he said.
“I know this has been valued by clients and colleagues alike as well as respected by the wider marine insurance industry. Simon has always behaved like a true gentleman, even through some very testing times.
“It has been a pleasure to work alongside him and call him a friend for the past 27-years. All at AlphaXO wish Simon and his wife Wendy, a long and happy retirement and a very successful move to the warmth of North Queensland. We will all miss you.”
The AlphaXO business continues with specialist broking teams now in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, along with recent appointments of senior team members including Robert Hammersley in Sydney and Charles Harrington-Johnson in Melbourne.
