Hiscox has named Bob Thaker as its new UK chief executive officer, effective March 2019, subject to regulatory approval.

The Bermudian-based insurer and reinsurer said Mr Thaker had worked at Hiscox since 2010 and held a number of senior roles during that time, having joined as head of strategy before going on to serve as group chief risk officer.

He has spent two years as head of claims for Hiscox UK and Europe, where he served on the UK leadership team.

In 2014, he relocated to Asia to become chief operating officer of DirectAsia, a newly-acquired direct-to-consumer personal lines insurance business, and became CEO of the DirectAsia Group in January 2015.

Mr Thaker succeeds Steve Langan, who moved to the USA in 2018 as Hiscox USA CEO and remains the Hiscox Group’s chief marketing officer. Mr Thaker will report to Ben Walter, CEO of Hiscox Global Retail.

In his new role, Mr Thaker will lead the 800-strong UK team and will be based out of Birmingham.