Industry veteran joins Westland following acquisition

Industry veteran Doug Morrow has joined Westland Insurance as its new vice president of commercial insurance for Alberta, the brokerage announced earlier this week.

Most recently president and CEO of Excel Insurance Group, Morrow joined Westland as vice president, commercial – Alberta following Westland’s acquisition of Edmonton-based RiskTech Insurance Services, effective Jan. 1. RiskTech delivers specialized capabilities and technical expertise with a focus on large and mid-market commercial clients.

When asked for the connection between RiskTech and Excel, Morrow said Excel is the parent company and RiskTech was one of the five founding member offices. “Excel continues and will continue to grow, currently with 14 member offices, and the RiskTech office left Excel and joined Westland,” explained Morrow, who founded Excel.

In his new role, Morrow will be responsible for managing and growing Westland’s commercial business in Alberta, he told Canadian Underwriter.

Morrow’s industry experience includes 18 years with Aon, 14 years with Phoenix Insurance Group and 11 years with Excel/RiskTech. He has also been a partner for Alberta with Assurex Global for 23 years. Assurex Global said on its website it is the world’s largest privately-held commercial insurance, risk management and employee benefits brokerage group with 630 partner offices and $35 billion in annual premium volume.

Douglas Morrow is now vice president, commercial – Alberta with Westland

Following its latest acquisition, Westland president and CEO Jamie Lyons welcomed RiskTech’s team to the brokerage. “The team brings a breadth of technical expertise to complex risks and cross-border insurance placements,” Lyons said in a press release Jan. 9.

“Douglas is a well-respected industry veteran known for his entrepreneurial track record of building great insurance businesses,” added Donna Barclay, Westland’s executive vice president of commercial and specialty. “Douglas is passionate about the insurance industry, and we are fortunate to add him to our senior leadership team.”

The acquisition of RiskTech is already Westland’s second acquisition of 2023. Also effective Jan. 1, the brokerage acquired Assurances R. Legault Inc. “The addition of this brokerage to the Westland family furthers its expansion across Canada and increases its growing footprint in Quebec,” Westland said in a Jan. 6 statement.

Based in Montreal, Assurances R. Legault is a family-owned, second-generation brokerage that has been offering services to personal and business clients in both French and English since 1980 (the same year Westland was founded). Westland said brokerage principals Philippe Legault and Isabelle Jean will remain with Westland in business development roles to assist with growth in Quebec.

In 2022, Westland closed 28 acquisitions, including two in December, with Nova Scotia-based Gateway Insurance Group and Ontario-based Hutcheson, Reynolds & Caswell Insurance.

Feature image by iStock.com/Cecilie_Arcurs