Our people

Richard Clapham is CEO for DUAL Group and joined the company in 2016. Richard is also a member of the Howden Group Business Management Team and Global Leadership Team.
Richard brings 40 years’ experience in the industry, including a decade at XL Catlin, where he was a member of the group underwriting board. Prior to that, Richard led Markel’s professional indemnity division and has also held roles at Bain Hogg and Aon.
Outside of work, Richard has extensive equestrian interests, including acting as an official at the last five summer Olympic Games. Richard enjoys nothing more than a weekend racing down the mountains during the ski season.

20 years’ broking experience and 10 years underwriting experience. Previously founder and CEO of Pioneer Underwriters.

34 years’ industry experience founding and managing (re)insurance and general agency businesses, including founding Align Financial Holdings in 2003. Previously CEO of Arrowhead General Insurance Agency. Graduated from the University College Galway, Ireland.

Previously with Novae Group plc, where he served on its executive committee and was finance director of its managing agency subsidiary, Novae Syndicates Limited. A member of the Lloyd’s Market Association finance committee and qualified as a chartered accountant with Deloitte.

Simon McGinn is CEO for DUAL UK and joined the company in January 2024. He is responsible for helping to drive ambitious growth plans for DUAL’s UK business.
Simon brings 31 years’ experience in the industry having joined Commercial Union as a graduate in 1992. He has worked in a variety of roles predominantly in the UK General Insurance market at Aviva and Allianz.
He took on a number of different responsibilities at Executive level during his 19 years at Allianz including Trading Director for the North & Midlands, General Manager for the Commercial & Personal businesses and most recently CEO Allianz Commercial, as well as being part of the UK PLC Board.
Outside of work, he is a passionate rugby follower having played and coached but now supporting just as enthusiastically.

Olaf was appointed CEO, DUAL Europe in 2022 and is responsible for leading DUAL Europe’s management and underwriting teams’ growth and profitability, along with driving strategic vision across 12 countries. Olaf is also a member of the DUAL Group Executive Committee. He joined DUAL in 2011 as an underwriter and held several roles, including Head of Underwriting, before he was appointed MD of DUAL Deutschland in 2019. Olaf started his insurance career with DBV (now AXA) in 2002, and also worked at Creditreform responsible for rating companies. Olaf studied Business Administration at the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne.

John was appointed CEO of DUAL North America in October 2021. John is responsible for leading DUAL North America’s management and underwriting teams’ growth and profitability, along with driving strategic vision for the company.
Prior to his current role, John was with Align Financial Holdings, LLC where he was Group President and President of Catalytic Risk Managers and Align General. Prior to joining Catalytic, he spent five years managing catastrophe programs at ICAT Managers, most recently as the Chief Underwriting Officer/Regional Executive Officer for the Earthquake states and Hawaii.
John graduated from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business with a B.A. in finance.

Based in Mexico, has over 30 years’ industry experience and joined DUAL in 2024. Previously P&C Underwriting Director at AXA. Prior to this, she worked at XL Catlin as Head of Facultative Business, Latam.

Damien has 30 years of insurance industry experience, including working for AIG in London responsible for their Financial Lines Portfolio in the UK, Ireland and Africa. In 2004, he founded DUAL in Australia, which has since experienced remarkable growth, expanding to offices across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.