BGL Group appoints new chief information officer

Former Kuoni technology chief to lead IT agenda at growing insurance group

Stuart-Walters_CIOFINANCIAL services company, Peterborough-based BGL Group, has today announced the appointment of a new chief information officer. Stuart Walters joins BGL from global travel organisation, Kuoni Group, where, as CIO, he was responsible for a large international team.

In his new role, Stuart joins the executive board of BGL and oversees technology systems and infrastructure across all of the Group’s businesses, including comparethemarket.com, Junction and Minster Law. He will also oversee a team of more than 400 IT employees. Stuart has held senior leadership IT roles for the past 20 years, predominantly for travel companies including Kuoni, Opodo and STA Travel, where he delivered strategic change and technology development initiatives in high volume online environments

Matthew Donaldson, chief executive officer at the BGL Group, said, “Stuart’s strong technology credentials, coupled with his commercial and customer focus, will be big assets to the Group. Technology is a core part of BGL and is a key driver in helping us to deliver first class partner and customer propositions. Our systems deliver up to eight million prices for consumers every day, across a wide range of products including motor, home and life insurance, energy tariffs and credit cards. It’s therefore vital that we operate successfully today and make on-going preparations for our future growth.

“Stuart’s impressive and extensive background in technology for large, international consumer facing organisations means that he is well placed to lead our technology drive.”

Stuart Walters, chief information officer, added, “With changing consumer behaviours and the growing importance of dynamic pricing, technology excellence is fundamental to the ongoing success and growth of BGL. Insurance is a new sector for me but I am looking forward to the challenge, in what is a fast-paced and ever changing market.”

The growth of BGL’s executive board follows the news that the company leaped up 27 places in the Sunday Times Top Track 250 listings of Britain’s top mid-market organisations. BGL is now placed at number 42, after originally entering the table in 1997 in 227th position.