A View From The Press Box

Be that as it may, the fact is Lockton scored quite a coup earlier this year when the Kansas City-based brokerage announced Mr. James would be joining the organization in a newly created position—executive chairman of international operations.

In our profile of Lockton in this week's edition of of NU (click here for Mark Ruquet's article, "Lockton Ready To Battle On Global Stage"), it’s clear this already well-respected brokerage quickly became a major multinational player with its acquisition last year of London-based Alexander Forbes International Risk Services. The deal substantially boosted not only revenues but its global reach with the rebranded Lockton International Holdings.

The challenge will be to integrate the two organizations—a task that should be greatly facilitated by the expertise and experience brought aboard by Julian James.

Mr. James is no stranger to the brokerage world, having been development director of Sedgwick Energy and Marine and a member of the division’s executive management committee, after spending five years working in senior posts with Sedgwick in North America, prior to joining Lloyd’s in 1997 as head of the market’s North America business unit.

Although Lockton announced his hiring in January, Mr. James remained at Lloyd’s to tie up some loose ends—such as the market’s successful entry into the China market this past spring—then took some time off before formally starting his new job at the Monte Carlo Rendezvous last month.

Ironically, although Mr. James lives in London—where Lockton International is based—he will be responsible for all non-U.S. operations outside the United Kingdom, including South and Central America, the Asia-Pacific and continental Euorpe.

When Mr. James decided to seek out new challenges—leaving Lloyd’s after a decade in which he turned around the market’s poor media relations and expanded its already impressive reach—Lockton caught his eye because while it did not draw the kind of press commanded by mega-brokers such as Marsh, Aon and Willis, “with their clients, they were certainly not operating under the radar,” he told me in a recent interview.

“When I did my due diligence, in talking with risk managers, what impressed me immensely was Lockton’s intense focus on customer service, while also supporting its producers and partners,” he said.

He added that he sympathized with buyers who expressed a desire “to have an alternative to some of the global brokers. There is a great appetite and need for another option.”

While Lockton has been placing international business for awhile, the Forbes acquisition puts the firm on the map as an emerging global power. Developing those capabilities is where Mr. James comes in.

“My first priority is to talk to our existing client base to understand what they want from Lockton globally,” he said, noting he would also be racking up frequent flyer miles as he meets with Lockton’s foreign offices to coordinate with his direct reports.

“My goal is to take Lockton’s philosophy of putting the customer first and replicating that around the world,” he added.

Expect him to do just that.