January 14 2025
● Charlie Burgess, current CEO for Underwriting & Distribution, to pursue entrepreneurial ambitions
PIB Group Ltd (‘PIB’, the ‘Group’), the specialist insurance intermediary Group, has announced that it is promoting Chris Jackson to the role of CEO for its Underwriting & Distribution (U&D) business. Jackson will succeed as Charlie Burgess, who has resigned to pursue other opportunities. The move for Jackson upholds PIB’s philosophy of internal mobility for succession planning and promoting talent.
Chris Jackson co-founded international specialist financial lines Managing General Agent (MGA) Acquinex in 2017, and joined PIB Group when Acquinex was acquired by the group in 2021. Chris remained in his position as Acquinex CEO until August 2025, when he shifted into a newly created role, becoming responsible for PIB Group’s Specialty MGA strategy.
Jackson’s transition to a Group role was enabled by the arrival of Josh Cowen, who joined Acquinex as CEO in mid-2025. Cowen’s focus at Acquinex is on building the business through updating processes, investing in technology and building a cohesive team, as it enters its next chapter.
Following two years of successful service building PIB’s pan-European distribution capabilities, Charlie Burgess is moving on. Burgess has a strong track record in establishing new businesses and start-ups, having previously co-founded Direct Asia, one of the first online insurers in Asia, and Oxbow Partners, a strategic consultant to the insurance industry.
During his time as CEO for Underwriting & Distribution, Burgess oversaw a doubling of the book and established a clear strategic direction for a connected community of insurance professionals across 15 trading businesses.
The changes will be effective from 1 April 2026.
PIB’s Underwriting and Distribution business includes 18 specialist brands spanning Schemes & Affinities, Property & Casualty and Specialty lines, writing in excess of £500m gross written premium annually, with teams located in 11 countries across North America, Europe and Australia.
Ryan Brown, Deputy CEO for PIB Group, commented: “Charlie has built a significant foundation for the future within PIB’s Underwriting & Distribution business, enabling us to unlock its full growth potential in the years ahead. A big thank you goes to Charlie for his huge contribution during his tenure at PIB Group.
“I also want to congratulate Chris as he embarks on his new position as CEO for U&D. Chris is an instrumental part of PIB Group’s leadership team, and has already played a huge role in the direction of our U&D business. I’m confident that the division will thrive under his leadership and growth ambitions.”
Chris Jackson commented: “Since joining PIB Group as Acquinex CEO in 2021, I’ve seen the fantastic progress that the U&D business has undertaken under Charlie’s leadership. It’s been great to be a part of this team, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow the division. We’re entering an exciting new chapter to create further value for the Group, while providing an excellent service to clients through the hard work and collaboration of our people.”