RL360’s David Kneeshaw is the Isle of Man’s Business Person of the Year
RL360 Chief Executive David Kneeshaw won Business Person of the Year at this years Isle of Man Newspapers Awards for Excellence.
Accepting the award, Mr Kneeshaw said: “This is a great honour! Of course I am proud, but also slightly humbled, as it represents many years of hard work to change and then grow the company. Receiving this award is not just recognition of my role in RL360 but of the whole management team’s work leading up to the management-led buyout of a year ago.
“The deal was the first of its kind in the international life industry and it really sets us apart from our competitors. Post-buyout, we could not rest on our laurels. We had to continually prove ourselves and we have set about doing that time and time again over the last 12 months, with great success. It has been a pleasure and an exciting challenge to lead the company during this time.”
Mr Kneeshaw took over as chairman of the Manx Insurance Association (“MIA”) in 2011 and over the last 3 years has worked with MIA members, the Isle of Man Government and the Association of International Life Offices (“AILO”) on a range of initiatives to support the development of the wider offshore industry.
In November 2013 he spearheaded a management-led buy-out which saw Royal London 360 become RL360, with the backing of private equity firm Vitruvian Partners.
The 12 months since the buyout have seen RL360 retain its coveted B+ Financial Strength rating from AKG and record an impressive 14% increase in new business in the first half of 2014, compared to the same period in 2013.
The Isle of Man Newspapers Awards for Excellence, now in its 9th year, rewards achievement across all sectors of the Isle of Man community. The event, held at the Villa Marina, in Douglas, is a prestigious date in the island’s calendar and one at which Isle of Man Chief Minister Allan Bell takes the opportunity to deliver a state of the union-style address each year.
This year’s ceremony, hosted by impressionist Jon Culshaw, saw 48 finalists from the public and private sectors and charities acknowledged across 16 categories.