Legendary insurance personality shuns retirement to join iTOO

Basil Palmer has come out of retirement to join ITOO in an advisory capacity. Basil retired from his position as CEO of SHA Specialist Underwriters in 2013 with 42 years’ experience in the industry.

Having led the team that built SHA into the biggest Underwriting Agency in Africa, many brokers felt that Basil’s retirement was a loss to the industry and encouraged him to consider putting in a few more years.

“We are delighted to have someone with Basil’s pedigree on the ITOO team,” says ITOO chairman Paolo Cavalieri. “Although we have all been working together in various guises for a number of years now, our business is brand new. We needed someone with fresh eyes to look in from the outside and assist us as we continue to add value to our brokers.

“Basil has some amazing stories to tell and experiences to share that will help to show the team what can be achieved.”

“After three years in retirement I was starting to miss the work and the interaction with the many broker friends I made in my career says Basil. “And so when the opportunity came along to get involved again I grabbed it with both hands!” Having known Paolo and Rob for many years and having seen first hand the dynamics of their entire team and the solid product offering they have put together, I am very privileged to be invited to join this winning team and look forward to assisting them grow from strength to strength."

ITOO was recently launched in South Africa as a commercial insurer focusing on specialist lines and emerging risks. With well-known insurance leaders Paolo Cavalieri and Rob Hallier as majority shareholders, the experienced team – backed by Hollard’ s expertise – is providing brokers and clients with an exciting alternative in the specialist market.