Friday, 18th September 2009
Alan Wilson and Paul Jennings have become joint managing directors of the ‘A' rated, 100 million GT North of England P&I club today (18 September 2009) following the retirement of Rodney Eccleston after 21 years at the helm.
Club chairman Albert Engelsman congratulated former deputies Wilson and Jennings on their appointments, which mirror the successful joint leadership role played by Eccleston and Peter Crichton for 18 years until Crichton's retirement in 2006.
‘Alan and Paul each bring with them a wealth of experience, and they will head up one of the strongest and most experienced management teams in the International Group of P&I clubs,' said Engelsman. ‘The board is confident they will continue to lead the club's development successfully in the future, building on our three pillars of service excellence, financial strength and membership quality.'
Wilson (53) joined North in 1981 after qualifying as a chartered accountant with Binder Hamlyn. He was appointed finance manager and company secretary in 1988 and subsequently became finance director of the club's new wholly-owned management company, North Insurance Management Limited (NIML) in 2000.
Jennings (46) joined the former Newcastle P&I Association in 1984 after completing a law degree. He subsequently became North's marketing and underwriting manager when the two clubs merged in 1998 and, two years later was appointed underwriting director of NIML. He was promoted along with Wilson to joint deputy managing director in 2006.
In a tribute to Eccleston, Engelsman said, ‘On behalf of my fellow directors, and of the club's members, managers and staff, I would like to thank Rodney for all his dedication and hard work in bringing North to the strong position it holds today. I am pleased that we will continue to benefit from his vast experience and expertise as he will remain with the club as a consultant.'
Eccleston joined the club in 1973 after serving with the merchant navy for four years as a cadet and later as a junior navigating officer. He subsequently gained an associateship (marine) of The Chartered Insurance Institute.
In 1988 he and Crichton became the P&I industry's first joint managing directors, since when they took North from one of the smallest to one of the strongest members of the International Group of P&I clubs. Under the 18 years of their joint management, the club grew from 5 million GT to 62 million GT and a full ‘A' rating from Standard and Poor's - the highest rating currently held by a P&I insurer. In the past three years Eccleston has steered North to over 100 million GT, including 80 million GT owned tonnage.
‘Two years ago the club's directors set a target of increasing owned tonnage in the medium term to 10% of the world's owned fleet and, in the longer-term, to a minimum of 12.5%,' said Jennings. ‘Under Rodney's stewardship we have already met our medium-term objective and, during the next few years, Alan and I will do everything in our power to achieve those longer-term goals.'
Wilson said, ‘It has been a great privilege for Paul and me to work with Rodney. In addition to being a great leader and a focused and determined professional, he is also a very warm, compassionate and enjoyable person to work with. We wish him a long and happy retirement.'
North currently insures a global fleet of 3750 ships entered by a total of 350 member groups. The club is based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK with regional liaison offices in Hong Kong, Piraeus and Singapore.
