FOIL Appoints Mark Huxley as CEO to Lead Insurance Legal Sector Through AI and Regulatory Shifts

The Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) has appointed renowned insurance professional Mark Huxley as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 October 2026. His tenure follows 17 years of effective leadership and planned diversification at FOIL under Laurence Besemer. Besemer is moving on to pursue other ventures and consultancy projects within the insurance industry. He will stay at FOIL until the end of the calendar year to ensure a smooth handover to his successor.

Huxley brings almost five decades of experience across the insurance and wider financial services sectors, having worked across frontline claims, the Lloyd's market, regulatory and operational roles, outsourced claims management and strategic consultancy. He has also worked closely with FOIL since 2018 as a London Market FOIL Special Adviser. Alongside his business activities, Mark is active in the civic life of the City of London, representing entrepreneurship and innovation, and supports charitable initiatives focused on social inclusion, particularly education, access to employment and neuro-inclusion.

His appointment comes as the insurance sector continues to undergo rapid change, with AI and automation, fraud, regulation, litigation funding, costs and wider economic pressures reshaping the landscape for insurers and their legal advisers.

Huxley said:

“I am delighted to take on the role of CEO and to build on the very strong foundations Laurence has created over the last 17 years. FOIL is a hugely respected organisation, and I am proud to be taking it into its next chapter. Having spent my career within the insurance market, I understand the wider horizon of the UK insurance sector, while my years working with FOIL have given me a deep understanding of its members and the issues that matter to them." said Mark Huxley, CEO of FOIL.

Having worked across the insurance market, Huxley believes his breadth of perspective will be of particular benefit to FOIL as technology, commercial pressures and changing client expectations continue to shape the sector. A key priority will be ensuring FOIL remains a strong and relevant voice for its members, with greater engagement and communication across the wider legal and insurance communities.

“Effective representation comes down to communication. FOIL has a voice, and I want to make sure that when it speaks, people listen. Just as importantly, I want everyone within FOIL to feel that they have a voice, that they are relevant and that the organisation reflects the issues that matter to them,” Huxley said.

Huxley has also highlighted the importance of FOIL's Trade & Industry Partners, whose support underpins much of the organisation's work, and said he wants to ensure their contribution continues to be recognised and valued as FOIL evolves.

Since becoming CEO in 2009, Besemer has helped establish FOIL as an independent and respected voice for the insurance legal community, strengthening its position with government, regulators, insurers and wider industry stakeholders. During his tenure, FOIL has continued to expand its reach across the different sectors within the insurance market, with its work now spanning a much broader range of insurance classes and specialist legal areas. He has also driven expansion in new territories, such as Ireland, and expanded the membership to include the in-house legal community. He has been pivotal in helping members support their insurer clients with the wider commercial, technological and business challenges they face.

Reflecting on his time at FOIL, Besemer said:

“I am very proud that FOIL has established such a solid place at the table with government, insurers and the wider industry. That has been the result of many years of work and of building a reputation as an independent voice and trusted partner.

“Mark knows FOIL extremely well and has worked with us for many years. He understands the market, he understands the organisation and he brings his own ideas and perspective. I am confident that FOIL is in very good hands.” said Laurence Besemer, outgoing CEO of FOIL.

As the organisation enters its next chapter, Huxley will also build on FOIL's work around the future of the profession through “Tomorrow's FOIL”, which supports insurance lawyers in the first five years of their careers. This includes encouraging the next generation of talent to practice insurance law and extending FOIL's outreach to students.