Acrisure Appoints Andy Tedstone as CEO of UK Retail to Drive Strategic Growth

Acrisure has appointed Andy Tedstone as Chief Executive Officer of its UK Retail business, a move signaling a long-term commitment to scaling its regional distribution footprint. For brokers and MGAs, this leadership transition highlights the intensifying competition for market share in the UK retail space as global consolidators integrate local expertise with high-scale technology.

What was announced

Andy Tedstone will take the helm of Acrisure’s UK Retail operations in April 2027. In this role, he is tasked with steering the next stage of the firm's development, focusing on sustainable growth and deepening client relationships across the United Kingdom. The appointment aims to bridge Acrisure’s global scale and technological capabilities with specialized local market knowledge.

Tedstone brings three decades of experience in the UK broking sector. He currently serves as the CEO of Cobra Network, a position he has held since 2019. His career history includes senior leadership roles at PIB Group, Arthur J. Gallagher, and Jelf Group. Beyond his corporate roles, Tedstone sits on the main board of the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) and chairs its Networks & MGA Advisory Board. He is also a board member of Insurance United Against Dementia.

Following Tedstone’s arrival, Andrew Boyce, who has been serving as Interim CEO of the UK Retail business, will transition back to his permanent role as Executive Vice President, Acrisure International. This move allows Boyce to refocus on the company’s broader international growth strategy while Tedstone manages the specific requirements of the UK retail market. The UK Retail business remains a central component of Acrisure’s international growth strategy, providing insurance and financial services solutions to individuals and businesses via local specialists and advisers.

The companies involved

Acrisure is a global fintech and insurance distribution firm that has rapidly expanded its presence through an aggressive acquisition and partnership strategy. Headquartered in the United States, the company has established itself as a major player in the UK insurance market, providing a range of insurance and financial services solutions. The firm positions itself as a "globally enabled" business, often emphasizing the integration of advanced technology into traditional brokerage models to improve efficiency and client outcomes.

The UK Retail division is a core pillar of Acrisure’s international strategy, serving both individual and commercial clients through a network of local specialists and advisers. By maintaining a decentralized approach to local expertise while leveraging a centralized global infrastructure, the company competes directly with established global brokers and domestic consolidators. The appointment of a veteran like Tedstone, who has deep ties to the UK's network and MGA landscape, suggests a continued focus on the intermediary sector as a primary engine for the firm's regional growth.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely followed Acrisure’s efforts to modernize the insurance value chain through strategic technology deployments and niche partnerships. In September 2026, the publication detailed how Acrisure Unveils Auris AI: A New Era of Connected Insurance Workflows Powered by Palantir, highlighting the firm's push to integrate artificial intelligence into daily operations. Additionally, the company has sought to address specific risk categories, as seen when Acrisure UK and ESET Launch Cyber Insurance Partnership to Combat Evolving Digital Threats. These reports underscore a strategy that combines traditional distribution with modern insurtech capabilities to capture market share in high-growth segments like cyber risk.

What this means from an insurtech perspective

This appointment underscores the ongoing tension between traditional relationship-based broking and the data-driven model Acrisure champions. By hiring a BIBA board member with deep roots in the UK network space, Acrisure is signaling to incumbent carriers and rival brokers that its technology-first approach will not come at the expense of local market nuance. For the wider industry, this move puts pressure on mid-market brokers to accelerate their own digital transformations. As global players successfully marry high-level AI workflows with veteran leadership, the window for legacy firms to rely solely on personal relationships is rapidly closing, potentially leading to further consolidation among smaller UK brokers.