It will be a case of business as usual at Argus Group Holdings Ltd, according to the company's newly-appointed CEO Alison Hill.Ms Hill, who joined Argus in March 2009 and was appointed the insurer's first chief operating officer (COO) four months later, took over the hot seat from Gerald Simons, who will continue in his role as president, with effect from January 1, 2011.Going forward, Ms Hill said she plans to build on the company's main strength in the high quality of its staff and customer service and capitalise on the reputation of its brand in a tough economic climate, while continuing to develop its seven lines of business.“Argus has an exceptionally good team which wins us a lot of business,” she said. “When we ask new clients why they have joined us they say it is the quality of our service and people.“We have different challenges and objectives across all business lines. We have seven lines and all are at different stages of development, so we take a very holistic approach in that respect.“We will also look to capitalise on the strength of our brands and services to meet the needs of our customers in a difficult economic environment.“In addition, we will looking to grow our business outside of Bermuda to give us a diverse business model. And throughout we are looking to invest in attracting the best talent into our business.” Ms Hill said she was relishing the opportunity to take on the challenges that faced the company and the key to her appointment was maintaining its long-term sustainability.Responsible for the day-to-day operations and driving forward the company's strategic plan in her role as COO, she will also be responsible for the functions which previously reported to Mr Simons in her new position.Ms Hill said that she would be seeking to build on Argus' strong presence in Bermuda and using its proven track record to take advantage of the opportunities available during these hard times.“Our plan is to focus on consolidating and growing our position in Bermuda,” she said. “Aligned to that is about diversifying our business model and looking for sources of growth outside of Bermuda.“We have operations in Malta and Gibraltar and we want to strengthen those positions and expand overseas.”Ms Hill said that Argus would be looking to address the social, economic and regulatory issues which had arisen from the economic downturn and increased regulation and would continue to be at the forefront of the local insurance industry and in shaping its policy.Mr Simons, who had been in the post of CEO since April 1, 1998, said that the change had been in his mind since sitting down with his chief financial officer David Pugh two-and-a-half years ago to discuss how to improve the company, with the recognition of the need for a COO to help with the running of the business.He said that Ms Hill had had enough time to get to know the business and its customers and was well-respected by its employees, while the insurer would be able to leverage her international background, including 15 years of senior management experience in the financial services sector at companies such as HBOS European Financial Services in Luxembourg and Clerical Medical International and Europe, to boost operations overseas outside of an already small and saturated market.Mr Simons, who sold his first health insurance policy in 1972, said that by freeing up his involvement in the day-to-day activities of the business, he would be able to take a closer look at ways to improve the health care system working alongside the Bermuda Health Council and the Health Insurance Department, as well as the Bermuda Hospitals Board, doctors and dentists.“For the first time businesses have been looking more seriously at reducing benefits for their employees because of the cost,” he said. “Rising health care costs and the recession have caused the community to focus on these issues so that we can continue to provide a high quality of health care.”During his time in charge, Mr Simons has overseen some big changes at Argus, most notably an improvement in the calibre of staff, management, board of directors, systems and processes, in part due to the growing demand from its clients, particularly international companies with high expectations for their health insurance and pension plans in line with some of the world's top financial centres.Meanwhile the company also significantly opened up its lines of communication with the Bermuda Monetary Authority from a regulatory perspective, increasing the number of its meetings from once a year to seven times during Mr Simons' term.Sheila Nicoll, chairman of the Argus Group, said that with Mr Simons set to retire next year it was important to have a succession plan in place to ensure a smooth transition, continuity and stability.She said that due to her extensive experience and having been with the company for the past 18 plus months, Ms Hill was ready to step up into the post of CEO, enabling Mr Simons to focus more of his time on some of the key issues at hand.