Affinity
Strengthen your value proposition to your members and customers with tailored insurance designed to meet their needs
Our Affinity team focuses on the risk advisory and insurance needs of buying groups, industry bodies, professional associations and franchises. We build bespoke package solutions and offer a seamless customer experience for your members.
Professional reputations take a career to build and potentially one incident to ruin. Our longstanding expertise will be a welcome extra layer of protection when your members find themselves on the pointy end of an insurance claim.
Whether you choose to offer insurance or other forms of risk-sharing and transfer, we act as an extension of your team, supporting your business and protecting everyone involved.
Your members' insurance programme needs to:
- Have policy coverage tailored to your group’s specific needs
- Meet or exceed your specific industry-regulated insurance coverage requirements
- Provide tangible benefits that your members truly value
- Reduce admin pressure on your central team, through intelligent use of technology
- Offer excellent value for money
- Have a strong, specialist claims team ready to defend your interests
We partner with you to achieve all this, and more
We work with buying groups and professional bodies across a wide variety of industries:
- Real Estate
- Professional Associations
- Motor Trades
- Not-For-Profit
- Allied Health
- Retail
- Trades
- Construction.
Keeping you up-to-date with industry-specific risks and exposures on the horizon
The insurance market for groups and associations is becoming increasingly complex as a result of the legal and economic environments, claim events and changing Insurer risk appetites.
We constantly monitor industry-specific claims trends, and keep you up to speed on regulatory, economic or insurance market environment change.
Meet the Affinity Team
Stuart McKellar
Stuart McKellar
Head of Commercial & Affinity
It is incredibly exciting to work with a diverse group of like-minded people to build a tech-driven, and highly collaborative, business focused on delivering outstanding client experiences.
Stuart McKellar has more than 23 years insurance experience with nearly 18 years at international broking houses. During this time, Stuart has held various management and executive leadership positions for State based and National businesses. He has also been responsible for the provision of all aspects of broking services to ASX listed, private company, government owned corporation, association and multi-member, clients from a wide range of industries and sectors. Prior to joining Howden, Stuart was Deputy Leader for a major international broker in the Corporate, Commercial and Affinity business, and a member of their Pacific Executive Committee.
Amanda Blackburn
Amanda Blackburn
Partner Affinity
Adding value to every client interaction is really important to me.
Amanda brings over 14 years’ experience in SME commercial, corporate, domestic and scheme broking. Particular areas of expertise include real estate and property professions, not-for-profit, aged care, fleet leasing, buying groups and professionals.
Amanda's industry knowledge and contributions have been recognised through her invitation to a number of platinum industry leadership programs. She is also the recipient of the Warren Tickle Memorial award, as the NSW / ACT Young Professional Broker of the Year.
Gary Ward
Gary Ward
Partner Affinity
My goals are straightforward – to get the best possible outcome for our clients, delivered in a simple and swift manner
Starting his broking career in 2007, Gary brings lots of hands-on experience in affinity, mid-market and SME offerings. He’s worked in various leadership roles, developing, servicing and enhancing group offerings for leading buying groups and associations, both national and international. He has particular expertise in the real estate and property industry.
Lauren Malkin
Lauren Malkin
Senior Associate Affinity
Lauren has 19 years’ insurance broking experience, specialising in tailored insurance scheme programs for non-profit, community organisations and industry groups for more than 15 years, with a strong focus towards driving strategy, cost and coverage alignment for clients.
Matt Cavallaro
Matt Cavallaro
Partner Affinity
The best part of my role is spending time with clients, understanding their business and harnessing their collective buying power
Matt oversees the design, delivery and performance of affinity-style insurance schemes for member-based associations, buying groups and franchise networks. Before Howden, Matt worked in senior roles for global broking houses and claims management firms. Matt has 20 years’ experience working with the not-for-profit, retail, motor trade, food & beverage industries. He’s also designed insurance solutions for both federal and state government.
Marion Hall
Marion Hall
Partner Affinity
Marion has over 25 years’ experience in corporate and construction broking, in Australia, the UK and New Zealand. She is responsible for the Affinity Building Industry practice for Howden Australia, focused on the building industry and allied trades, servicing both residential and commercial construction companies.
Brenton Oviss
Brenton Oviss
Senior Associate Affinity
Brenton specialises in creating tailored programs for member-based associations and buying groups. He’s worked across many industries, including motor trade associations, allied health groups, retail associations and fleet leasing companies. He found his niche in Affinity around seven years ago. Before that, he spent five years in corporate and commercial insurance.
David Harry
David Harry
Senior Associate Affinity
David has over 10 years’ experience within the insurance industry providing all aspects of broking services to Commercial and Affinity clients. David has particular expertise in the Not for Profit and Care sector’s having been responsible for the management and placement of insurance programs for Associations, Multi-member organisations and complex accounts.
Prior to joining Howden, David managed the Affinity Not for Profit team at a large broking house, and in 2020 was awarded the National Insurance Brokers Association - Young Professional Broker of the Year for NSW/ACT.