Aon boosts cyber expertise with London appointment

Aon plc (NYSE:AON), the leading global provider of risk management and human resource consulting and outsourcing, has appointed Luke Foord-Kelcey to Co-Head Aon Benfield’s Global Cyber Practice Group, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to cyber risk management and transfer.

Based in London, Luke will be responsible for spearheading cyber – an emerging line of business that offers significant growth opportunities for insurers due to its global exposures. He will drive the firm’s business strategy to enhance Aon Benfield’s cyber offering to insurers and reinsurers worldwide, alongside Co-Head Bill Henriques who originally established the practice group. Bill has worked in the cyber re/insurance field for the last 16 years since it was introduced to the treaty reinsurance market in the late 1990s.

Luke previously worked for insurance manager Tindall Riley where roles included launching and managing Athena, which provides cyber and data privacy insurance and incident response management for professional services providers. Prior to that, Luke worked as JLT Specialty’s Head of the Communications, Technology & Media Practice, and qualified as a solicitor at Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (now Clyde & Co).

John Bruno, EVP of Enterprise Innovation & CIO, explained: “Cyber risk has become a leading issue for many organisations as awareness of cloud computing, social media, corporate Bring Your Own Device policies, big data, and state-sponsored espionage has grown and recently been amplified by President Obama's Cybersecurity Executive Order. As a firm, we are working with both our retail and insurer clients to help protect their businesses and create relevant solutions for this emerging risk.”

Eric Andersen, CEO of Aon Benfield, commented: “Luke’s appointment brings further impetus to the market’s drive to tackle cyber risk. This emerging class with unique characteristics requires Luke’s proven track record in this field to help our insurer clients to effectively protect their cyber business through specialist reinsurance programmes. We are excited to welcome Luke to the team as he will be a key asset to clients and Aon Benfield alike.”

Mark Lynch, an expert in human risk modelling, is also joining the cyber practice group – moving internally from Aon Benfield’s Impact Forecasting team to utilise his knowledge of non-catastrophe risk analysis including terrorism, rioting and drug cartel violence.  Mark has a Masters degree in International Security Studies from the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence and previously worked at the Royal United Services Institute’s National Security and Resilience Department working with the Home Office on counter-terrorism strategy.