Aon Benfield has appointed Leonora Siccardi as its chief operating officer (COO) of its UK business.

Siccardi will perform her new role alongside her existing responsibilities as the broker’s EMEA & UK head of client services, a role she assumed in 2017.

In her new role, Siccardi will oversee the strategy, leadership, development and execution of policy and practice in all operational areas of the UK business, and will be specifically tasked to build a platform for the firm’s continuous growth and improvement. Furthermore, she will be a member of the UK executive leadership team and will work across Aon Benfield UK and its support functions.

She will report to Aon Benfield UK CEO Nick Frankland.

Since joining Aon in 2006, Siccardi has held numerous positions across the firm. She was appointed UK head of client services in 2016, having joined Aon Benfield from Aon Risk Solutions, where she served as head of claims advocacy since June 2014, with responsibility for the development and delivery of a claims strategy for the global broking centre in London.

Commenting on the appointment, Frankland said: “Leonora’s experience in successfully leading client services businesses in both Aon Risk Services and Aon Benfield will be of tremendous value in her new position as chief operating officer of Aon Benfield UK.

“Her understanding of the interaction and synergy between the front and back ends of our operating model will be invaluable in improving both our internal efficiency and the overall client experience.”