Strengthening Leadership: Marsh UK Appoints New CEO

Lisa Quest has been named the new UK CEO for Marsh. She will also maintain her current position as Head of UK and Ireland at Oliver Wyman, a Marsh business. 

The appointment is scheduled to become effective on  April 6,  2026. She takes over the role from Chris Lay, who is retiring from the business.

Based in London, Lisa will report directly to Flavio Piccolomini, CEO of Marsh's International Division.

Strategic growth and innovation

In her new capacity, Lisa will collaborate with UK business leaders to refine the commercial strategy of Marsh UK. Her focus will involve the strengthening of client relationships across the four primary business units of the firm.

Additionally, she will also focus on leading the innovative development of data-driven solutions to support organisations within the diverse British economy.

Lisa joined Oliver Wyman in 2006 and returned in 2013 following a period as a private equity investor. She previously served as Co-Head of the Government and Public Institutions Practice in Europe before becoming Head of UK and Ireland in 2023.

Her professional background includes extensive expertise in organisational design, workforce planning and data analytics.

Flavio Piccolomini, CEO of Marsh International, said: “With her global leadership experience and management consultancy expertise, which has been honed with many of the world’s leading businesses, Lisa is well-placed to steer our growth as we create and deliver exceptional services that support our UK clients and enable them to continue to thrive. 

“Her appointment is testament to the deep bench of talent we have across the firm.”

External roles and national priorities

Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Lisa holds a seat on the Canada-UK Chamber of Commerce Board. She also serves as a guest lecturer at the London School of Economics’ Centre for Risk and Regulation. Lisa is also a Member of the Leadership Council at National Numeracy.

Within these various roles, she works with HM Government on matters including flood risk, resilience and defence financing. She has also supported the establishment of the National Wealth Fund. Her experience with government bodies is expected to inform the strategic direction of the UK business.

Lisa will be responsible for ensuring Marsh's specialised solutions meet the evolving needs of the UK market. Her leadership is anticipated to drive the firm's continued expansion in a volatile landscape.

Commenting on her pending role, Lisa said: “The UK is renowned for its creativity, innovation and entrepreneurialism, yet many organisations of all sizes are navigating an increasingly volatile risk landscape. 

“I look forward to working with our colleagues and clients as we turn these risks into opportunities and support their future growth.”

Marsh’s expansion strategy: Rising data centre demand

In addition to the appointment of Lisa as the new UK CEO, Marsh has also shifted its focus to the coverage of data centres.

The moves come due to an increasing demand in specialist data centre insurance, concurrent with the rise of data centre construction. 

Marsh also recently scaled its offerings as part of the specialist insurance facility, Nimbus, to US$2.7bn in a move that reflects an acceleration in global digital infrastructure demand.