Bishop Street Taps Inwood to Spearhead UK Underwriting Strategy

NEW YORK, NY – May 20, 2026 – In a significant move to consolidate its growing presence in the United Kingdom, Bishop Street Underwriters has promoted veteran executive John Inwood to the newly created role of U.K. Chief Underwriting Officer. The appointment, which is subject to regulatory approval, places Inwood at the helm of the underwriting strategy for Bishop Street’s entire U.K. portfolio, most notably integrating the operations of recent acquisitions Avid Insurance and Landmark Underwriting.

The promotion signals a clear strategic intent from the RedBird Capital Partners portfolio company: to forge a unified and formidable force in the UK’s highly competitive Managing General Agent (MGA) market. Inwood, a respected figure with over 35 years of industry experience, will be tasked with harnessing the combined scale of Avid and Landmark, driving disciplined growth, and cementing Bishop Street’s foundation for its broader international ambitions.

A Calculated Power Play

Inwood's appointment is the capstone on a deliberate and aggressive expansion into the UK by Bishop Street. The firm, which operates on a "buy-and-build" MGA platform model, made its first major international move by acquiring London-based specialty MGA Landmark Underwriting, a deal that closed in February 2025. This was quickly followed by the acquisition of Avid Insurance in October 2025, a well-regarded MGA known for its expertise in complex and underserved UK markets.

With these two key assets secured, the creation of a unified UK underwriting chief role was the logical next step. The move is designed to transition Bishop Street from an acquirer to an operator, integrating disparate parts into a cohesive whole. By placing Inwood in charge, the company aims to standardize underwriting excellence, streamline risk management protocols, and create synergies between the two distinct MGA platforms.

“Together, Avid and Landmark form the core foundation for our international platform, which we will continue to grow and build upon,” said Chad Levine, CEO of Bishop Street, in a statement. Levine’s comments underscore that this is not merely a UK-centric initiative but a crucial part of a larger global strategy, with the UK serving as the launchpad.

The backing of RedBird Capital Partners provides the financial muscle and strategic patience for such a build-out. RedBird’s investment thesis often involves identifying sectors with strong growth trends, or "secular tailwinds," and partnering with expert management teams to build differentiated platforms. Bishop Street’s rapid expansion in the burgeoning UK MGA space is a textbook execution of this strategy.

The Veteran Underwriter's Blueprint

For this critical integration role, Bishop Street has turned to a leader from within its own ranks. John Inwood is no stranger to the intricacies of the UK market or the inner workings of one of the key companies he will now oversee. During his five-year tenure as Chief Underwriting Officer at Avid Insurance, he was widely credited as a primary architect of the company’s success.

Chad Levine lauded Inwood's contribution, stating, “Through underwriting expertise, keen market instincts and strong leadership, John has played a pivotal role establishing Avid as a regional power player. He is the perfect leader to take on this expanded role and help drive our push forward in the U.K. market, grounded in underwriting excellence.”

Inwood’s track record at Avid involved implementing rigorous underwriting standards, fostering deep-seated relationships with insurance carriers, and championing a data-driven approach to risk analysis. Before joining Avid in 2014, he honed his skills in senior leadership roles at global giants like Zurich Global and RBS/Direct Line. This blend of experience—from large corporate structures to nimble, niche-focused MGAs—positions him uniquely to bridge the cultures of Avid and Landmark.

“I’m pleased to be stepping into this role at such an exciting moment for Bishop Street,” Mr. Inwood commented. “Avid and Landmark each bring unique, solutions-driven offerings that meet growing needs in the market, and we have a clear opportunity to lean into our competitive advantages and combined scale for future success.”

Integrating Niche Strengths for Scale

The core of Inwood's challenge and opportunity lies in harmonizing the distinct strengths of Avid and Landmark. The two MGAs, while both successful, operate in different corners of the insurance world.

• Avid Insurance, with offices in London, Leeds, and Hornchurch, has carved out a powerful niche within the UK domestic market. It is a leader in providing bespoke insurance for the social housing and leasehold sectors, as well as other complex areas like specialty construction, motorsport, and leisure. Its reputation is built on deep domain expertise and a granular, data-intensive underwriting process.

• Landmark Underwriting, based in London but with a global outlook, focuses on specialty and reinsurance lines. Its product suite includes Professional Indemnity, Directors and Officers (D&O), Marine Cargo, and Political Violence and Terrorism insurance. Landmark’s value proposition is its multi-disciplined, client-centric approach to complex international risks.

Inwood's task will be to create an overarching framework that allows both entities to thrive while identifying opportunities for cross-pollination and operational efficiency. This will involve developing critical partnerships, building out broad capacity relationships, and equipping the underwriting teams with the technology and tools needed to operate at a larger scale.

Chad Weber, President of Bishop Street, highlighted this operational focus. “We are focused on swift, strategic execution of our key priorities, supported by an industry-leading underwriting team. John will advance our efforts to drive sustainable and profitable growth, disciplined risk management and build broad and deep capacity relationships.”

This promotion also serves as an internal signal of the company's culture. "John’s promotion reflects our commitment to building a company where talented people can grow their careers in line with our rapid pace of business development," Weber added.

As Bishop Street continues its build-out, the successful integration of Avid and Landmark under Inwood’s leadership will serve as a crucial test case and a powerful statement of its ambitions in the global MGA market. The industry will be watching closely to see how this new, unified UK platform reshapes the competitive landscape.