Meet the team

Nicolas is a true insurance professional, with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He has spearheaded major international operations for leading insurers and global brokers. His work has taken him across numerous European countries, with stints in both France and the United Kingdom, as well as some time spent in Israel, the Middle East, and Africa.

His passion lies in driving growth and transformation, fostering a strong team spirit along the way. Surrounded by a talented team, Nicolas has successfully built Howden France day by day, ensuring that clients and partners alike benefit from relevance and expertise.

Éric is a seasoned professional in the French market with a rich background at Aon, Marsh, and Gras Savoye WTW. Over the past three decades, he has successfully led and energized various entities, spanning ETIs, Risk Management, Social Protection, and Affinity Insurance.

Leveraging his extensive experience, Éric spearheads Howden's growth in France, drawing on his in-depth understanding of diverse customer segments and geographical dynamics of the market.

With a background in management consulting, Delphine has held executive roles for over fifteen years, including Operations Director, within international insurance companies specializing in major risks, such as Chubb.

Now, she passionately leads the implementation of Howden France's growth strategy, overseeing the management, strategy, and organization of the group's support functions.

With several years of experience in consulting at EY, specializing in the insurance sector, Adrien took on the role of Performance Management Director at the VYV Group.

He then played a key role in the growth of the Wholesale Broker SPVIE as Deputy General Manager before joining Howden France as Finance Director. He focuses on overseeing various acquisition and integration operations with utmost attention.

Julie began her career within the AXA Group, where she progressed through several HR positions in departments undergoing transformation. She later worked at Aon as a Project Manager and HR expert before becoming Deputy HR Director, initially overseeing local operations and then expanding her responsibilities to cover Europe.

As the HR Director, Julie leverages her expertise in the insurance sector and its Human Capital challenges to enhance Howden's employer brand in France.

With a Master's degree from ENASS and an MBA in Management, Risks, and Control from the University Paris Dauphine, she brings over 10 years of valuable experience from her tenure at WTW before joining Howden France.

An expert in international programs and assisting multinational clients, Anaïs leads as our International Director, ensuring top-notch services for our clients in import and export. She plays a pivotal role in fostering synergies between Howden France and the broader Howden network

Arnaud is the Regional Director West. He holds a DESS degree in Maritime Law and began his career in 1999 at DIOT, initially working in claims and later in production in the transportation department. In 2004, he joined the Bolloré Group, where he managed body insurances and P&L for the DELMAS fleet before becoming the Deputy Risk Manager for all group activities and insurance branches, including logistics, transportation, energy, industries, and media.

In 2010, this native Breton returned to Lorient to join Gras Savoye, where he later became the head of the subsidiary in the Greater West region. At the end of 2022, Arnaud joined Howden to expand and promote the brand in the Brittany and Pays de la Loire regions.

Camille is a seasoned professional in healthcare law and medical sector risk management, leading the development of this specialized domain for private and public healthcare institutions, healthcare professionals, and the pharmaceutical sector.

Her background as a healthcare law specialist and her experience in major brokerage firms empower Howden France to deliver a robust expertise and innovative, high-value solutions to the market.

Caroline Haquet, an accomplished graduate from the French Institute of Petroleum and Engines, holds the position of Director of Energy Product Line Development. With a diverse background at Shell, she gained experience as an engineer in Siberia, a geophysicist in the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil, and a geological engineer in Nigeria and the Netherlands.

Joining Scor Group in 2011 as an Offshore Underwriter, Caroline later assumed leadership of the Offshore Department in 2017, overseeing a team in London and Paris. In 2021, she joined Marsh Group, driving the establishment and growth of the Energy & Power practice in France and the Hydrogen Europe practice.

Caroline Haquet's expertise and dedication continue to shape the future of the energy industry, inspiring transformative solutions.

A graduate in Public Law, Claude Noël has dedicated his entire career, always in brokerage, to insuring large public and private projects, construction companies, and renewable energy. Recognized as an expert by insurers and clients, he has played a key role in winning major market tenders. Claude currently holds the position of Director of Construction Product Line at Howden France, for whom his experience and expertise in insuring construction projects and stakeholders are valuable assets.

Didier, the CEO of CRF Assurances, brings over 12 years of managerial experience in Financial Risks with Chubb Insurance Company of Europe, both in France and Southern Europe. He later joined AIG Europe Limited France in 2004, leading the Financial Risks department and subsequently taking charge of the SME-Enterprise Risks segment. Eventually, he became the Executive Director of AIG France, overseeing Personal & Small Business Risks.

In 2012, he assumed the role of CEO at RSA France (Royal Sun Alliance France), and in 2014, ventured into entrepreneurship, contributing to the acquisition of CRF Assurances. After an exciting 7 years, Didier now continues his career as the Managing Director of Howden Financial Lines within Howden France.

With over two years' experience at Gerling America Insurance CY in New York, specializing in Liability underwriting, Didier later joined Aon Mergers & Acquisitions Paris as Deputy Director, driving the growth of Insurance Warranty and Tax Opinion products. Progressing to AIG Europe Limited France in 2002, he assumed various management roles in Financial Risk guarantees. In 2010, he took the helm as Director of AIG France's Financial Risks division, extending his leadership to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands in 2014.

In 2014, he ventured into entrepreneurship and played a key role in acquiring CRF Assurances. Seven exciting years later, Didier now thrives as Deputy General Manager of CRF Assurances and Director of Financial Lines at Howden France.

Étienne, an ESC Grenoble graduate, began his career at AXA as a Senior Liability Underwriter for Key Accounts for 3 years. In 2011, he joined Théorème as a Client Manager, specializing in major automotive accounts, before becoming the Director of the Automobile Department (Production, Claims, Technical) in 2015.

Today, Étienne holds the position of Director of the Automobile Fleet specialty at Howden France.

Florence Bidard est diplômée d'une maîtrise de Droit des Affaires et d'un DESS de Droit des Assurances obtenus à l'université de Caen ainsi que d'un Master of European Law de l'université d'Edimbourg.
Florence débute sa carrière au sein du cabinet de courtage Impact assurances. Elle rejoint le groupe AIG en 1999, où elle exercera différentes fonctions de souscription et de management dans les départements risques financiers et responsabilité civile. Elle deviendra ensuite responsable du développement et de la relation courtage, en charge des délégations régionales.
Avant d’intégrer Howden France, Florence occupait le poste de Directrice du Département Responsabilité Civile et Environnement chez Liberty depuis 2018. Elle est ainsi nommée Directrice de la Ligne Produit Responsabilité Civile & Risques Spéciaux au sein d’Howden France en juillet 2023 et y apporte sa vaste expertise tant en matière de souscription que de gestion des relations clients.

Jean-Baptiste graduated from EDHEC Business School with an MSc in Strategy and Organization. After an initial experience at Gan Patrimoine (a subsidiary of Groupama) in personal insurance, he worked for four years in Italy for an insurance captive of the Crédit Agricole group to develop its activity and partnerships. Upon his return to France, he joined the underwriting department of AXA XL (formerly AXA CS) to lead development and innovation projects before integrating the marine cargo underwriting team in France, of which he became responsible in 2020.

Currently serving as Director of the Maritime and Transport Product Line and General Manager of Howden Marine France, Jean-Baptiste is responsible for developing Maritime and Transport solutions, which are one of the pillars of Howden in France. Howden Marine in France is built on the historical foundations of Guian, superbly developed with Seasecure under the direction of Jean Brossollet, with Jean-Baptiste succeeding him.

With a Master's in Insurance Management, she expertly guides clients in managing their social protection programs strategically and socially, while adhering to set objectives and legal requirements.

With years of experience, Julie has advised numerous groups across diverse industries, delivering tailored expertise to tackle legal, economic, and social challenges through data-driven decision support solutions.

Mathieu is a graduate of EM Lyon with nearly 15 years of experience in the prominent brokerage industry. Throughout his career, he has held key roles in business development, management, and providing value to his clients.

In 2014, Mathieu became a part of the Diot-Siaci group, where he successfully took on various positions before assuming the role of Commercial Director for Non-Life Insurance (IARD) in the Rhône-Alpes region in 2019. With great agility and a strong sense of pride, Mathieu embodies and promotes the Howden France brand alongside his dedicated teams in the Rhône-Alpes Auvergne area.

Connect with this accomplished professional who leaves a lasting impact and plays a pivotal role in Howden's presence in the region.

With a Master's degree in private law, Nicolas LECOMTE joined the OFRACAR Group, a Norman brokerage firm, upon completing his studies in 1990. He began his career as an entrepreneur, alongside his brother, Stéphane LECOMTE, in this company founded by their father, Jean-Pierre LECOMTE, in 1964.

Nicolas quickly took over the management of the IARD and Legal Department of the Group. In 2005, Nicolas notably created the entity ASSURFROID, specializing in insurance for business risks, dedicated to refrigeration engineering, climate engineering, professional kitchens, and renewable energies. Quickly, ASSURFROID became recognized as a specialist in the Cold professions, becoming a reference in the world of installers and particularly a leader in the French territory.

His two passions are risk management and running.

As a commercial judge at the Commercial Court of ROUEN for 20 years, he presided over the 2nd Chamber of litigation and is now a conciliator at the Court of Appeal of Rouen, attached to the Commercial Court. In order to anticipate their succession, the leaders of OFRACAR joined Howden in 2024. It is only natural that Nicolas continues his aspirations by becoming the Director of the Cold Sector for Howden France.

With a career kick-start at GRAS SAVOYE, Olivier later spent over two decades with Anglo-Saxon brokers, holding roles such as Middle Market Manager. Now, as part of Howden France, he leads the charge on specialized Middle Market Property and Liability for both national and international clients. Olivier's expertise shines in structuring and driving the newly formed team, covering all aspects from regional offices to Paris

With a background as Key Account Manager at Gras Savoye in Neuilly, Paul later became General Manager for their subsidiaries in Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire. In 2006, he took the helm as Director of the South-West region in France. Seeking an intrapreneurial opportunity, Paul joined Howden France to build and grow the South-West region.

With a degree from the Higher Institute of Management and a Master's in Mathematics, Richard served as the CEO of Liberty Specialty Markets for 4 years before joining Howden.

Previously, at AIG, he held the position of Deputy CEO, following roles as Director of Financial Risks (D&O, EPL, Fraud, PTL, Cyber, K&R), Commercial Director for France, Key Accounts Director for Southern Europe, and Chief Underwriting Officer for France. Richard also acted as a trainer on Executive Liability at IFPASS and was a member of the Executive Council of FFA.

At Howden, Richard is responsible for driving business development in the Key Accounts segment across all P&C insurance lines.

In 1986, as he finishes his studies, Stéphane joins the brokerage firm OFRACAR, created by his father, Jean-Pierre LECOMTE, in 1964. At that time, the company only had 5 employees.

In 1990, Stéphane succeeds his father and becomes CEO of the company OFRACAR. The firm becomes a specialist in corporate risks and a leader in Normandy. It expands throughout the French territory and gathers more than 85 employees. Over the years, Stéphane, alongside his brother, Nicolas LECOMTE, and their teams, develop insurance programs for specific professions (Technical Studies Offices, Professionals in Cold, Air Conditioning, Driving Schools and Training Centers) and develop specialized skills making the firm a national reference on certain products (Loss of Employment of the Manager, Work Accidents and Occupational Diseases Insurance / Credit Insurance and Factoring).

34 years later, the OFRACAR management anticipates its future and joins the Howden group. Stéphane strengthens his ambition, as CEO of OFRACAR and Director of Normandy within Howden France.

As a co-founder of THEOREME in 1992, he has been instrumental in expanding the company's expertise in Fire, Accidents, and Miscellaneous Risks (IARD) for businesses, as well as Social Protection. Notably, he holds a unique proficiency in fleet automobile insurance.

Continuing his journey, Xavier actively contributes to the growth and success of Howden France.

Graduated from the European Institute of Business and with an MBA in International Business obtained in the USA, Xavier joined the insurance brokerage to develop innovative and tailor-made solutions to better manage the impacts of exogenous risks and credit for projects. This approach has helped support and facilitate the realization of public and private projects, both in France and internationally, for commercial companies and financial institutions. Recognized as an expert by insurers and clients, he has particularly contributed to assisting large groups in winning and securing their tenders.

Xavier Mallez currently holds the position of Director of Credit, Guarantees, and Political Risks Product Line at Howden France, bringing his experience and expertise developed over more than 25 years in financing, guarantees, credit risks, and political risks to secure complex projects in France and internationally.