SME-focused specialist underwriting agency Fusion says Katherine Simmonds has joined the business as Managing Partner based in Sydney.

Ms Simmonds was most recently Gallagher Australia Head of Corporate, a role she took up in March last year. Before that she was GM head of corporate, risk & broking at Willis Towers Watson and had previously led Ironshore Australia.

A spokesman for Gallagher says the broker has not found a replacement for Ms Simmonds.

Fusion says Ms Simmonds will have global responsibilities for the firm in the newly created position, driving the continued growth of its business in the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) insurance market across Australia, Asia Pacific, the US and Europe.

She started last week with the business, a spokesman told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

Fusion co-founder and Executive Partner Killian McDermott says her extensive M&A background and experience growing underwriting and broking businesses will be a boost to the agency.

“She brings highly valued expertise to the company as we prepare to launch new insurtech products and services internationally,” Mr McDermott said.

Fusion launched its M&A business in partnership with Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty, a division of Allianz in 2018 for warranty & indemnity, tax and contingent across the Asia Pacific region.

In 2019, it expanded further with a partnership agreement with Rakuten in Japan and entered into a partnership with Zurich for business in the Asia Pacific.

Mr McDermott says the business is the market leader in the region’s small to mid-sized deal segment.

“We believe our success is largely due to the fact we are very focused on highly responsive service levels to meet the demands of M&A transactions,” he told insuranceNEWS.com.au.