Changing of the guard

With over 100 years of experience in the furniture industry, protection, care and repair specialist Guardsman UK has bolstered its team with a raft of new hires, rich with insurance expertise – all while building on its promise to protect customers’ brands with integrity and passion …

Guardsman UK enjoys the backing of the Amynta Group, a global insurance services company which Guardsman says has seen the business’ potential “to achieve greatness, even during the most challenging times”, and has recognised that its focus should remain on delivering exceptional customer service, while continuing to work with the demands of the regulator for its Furniture Protection Plans, and providing high-quality products for retail partners and customers alike.

“There’s no getting away from the fact that the FCA plays an important role in ensuring consumer fairness, and that their focus on furniture protection plans is ongoing,” comments Guardsman’s operations director Pauline Chiverton.

“However, our team is strong – especially because the leadership team have such a wealth of insurance industry knowledge and expertise, including deep regulatory understanding, which gives us a much clearer insight into what is required to protect all parties involved.”

Guardsman’s commercial director, Lyndon Willshire, who joined the business in the latter part of 2022, comments: “I’m thrilled to be part of such a strong team, whose focus is growing the business, building strong and long-term partnerships with our existing retailers, as well as looking at new opportunities”.

Lyndon, who built the foundations of his career at specialist insurance provider DAS, has held previous senior insurance roles, as well as being part of Direct Line’s corporate partnership division. He continues: “This is an exciting new era for the Guardsman business, and I look forward to sharing some of the new initiatives we have planned for 2023 and beyond. We are absolutely committed to supporting the furniture industry, and helping retailers protect their brand and grow their business.”

In February, the business appointed Russell Philpott as its risk and compliance director. Russell previously worked at The AA, covering both regulated and non-regulated product lines, and has extensive experience within the insurance industry after working with Swinton and BGL Group (the owners of Compare the Market).

Then, in March, the team welcomed MD Mark Potter, who brings over 20 years’ experience in the insurance industry. His expertise is in driving businesses toward success through organic growth, business development, new product development and sales growth.

Lyndon concludes: “Our team has changed over the last few months, bringing in a huge amount of insurance industry expertise to complement the strong existing team. We are in a great position to continue to support our retail partners and drive Guardsman UK and Ireland to new heights, ensuring we continue to follow the correct pathway, building fully compliant and successful partnerships.”

Anyone interested in finding out more or partnering with Guardsman can contact Zeyn Kassam, head of sales and business development, on 07508 007786.