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

Après une première expérience résolument grands risks chez Rhône-Poulenc-Sanofi en sein de l’équipe Risk Management, Antoine rejoint l’aventure AGEO en 2000 pour développer les grands comptes. En 2005, il devient associé du Groupe et prends la direction de la division P&C, devient Directeur Général en 2012 puis Vice-Président. La croissance des organisations et des compétences est son moteur au service de cette incroyable aventure technique et commerciale.

En 2024, il rejoint Howden en mettant à disposition sa large expertise des différents métiers et segments de l’assurance, sa passion pour accompagner les équipes, et faire grandir les talents.

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.

With 10 years' experience in cargo insurance, Camille brings in-depth expertise of the specific needs of companies involved in the freight transport sector.
She has solid experience in the field, with 4 years at Filhet-Allard Maritime as an Account Manager specializing in commodities trading. She then spent nearly 3 years at AXA CS and AXA XL as Underwriter and Trade Sector Manager, where she managed a portfolio of key accounts and acted as technical reference for soft and hard commodities. After her career at AXA XL, she joined the SUCDEN group as Insurance Manager, where she managed all the group's insurance risks.

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.

Jean-Guibert is the Director of the Tech Sector within the Howden France team. Before joining Howden, Jean-Guibert worked for over 7 years at Aon France, as the Client Director for the Tech sector, assisting both listed and non-listed companies in their risk management operations. He specializes in insurance for software publishers, IT service companies, and electronic component manufacturers. Integrated into the French Tech ecosystem, he has supported numerous start-ups and international unicorns.

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.

Trained as a pharmacist, Julie joined the family company AGEO in 2017 as the director of management for social protection: health/insurance, collective, individual. Versatile and determined, Julie then took over the governance of IT services, compliance, back office, and contributions. Since 2021, her rigor and dedication have allowed her to join the COMEX and become the general director of the AGEO group until the integration of HOWDEN.
Since August 2024, Julie has been the Director of Social Protection Management and Director of the Châlons en Champagne site for Howden.

Leopold Larios holds a Master's degree in Finance (Major in Insurance & Risk Management) and a Master's degree in Computer Sciences for Finance from the University of Paris Dauphine. He has over 25 years of experience in operational and digital risks, as well as cyber risk.
Previously, he was the Director of Cyber Offer at Descartes, where he established the Risk Manager function in several large groups. He also served as the Risk Manager of the Edenred group for 7 years before becoming the Chief Risk Officer for the Mazars group for 5 years.

Léopold joined Howden France as Cyber Director in April 2024.
The Cyber / PI Tech team, made up of nearly ten experts, supports several hundred companies: SMEs, start-ups, ETIs and major groups.

Marc is Director of the Financial Institutions Sector within the Howden France team.
Prior to joining Howden, Marc worked for over 11 years in the banking and financial sector. He started his career at Société Générale (Derivatives Lawyer), then spent 8 years at Royal Bank of Scotland (Derivatives Lawyer then Counterparty Risk Negotiator then FI Relationship Banker), before joining ETI Finance (Senior Advisor). Marc was then recruited by Chubb Europe as a Key Account Financial Risk Underwriter, before joining Verlingue as Client Director.
He is a specialist in financial risks and coordinates the sector team, bringing his knowledge of banks‘ and insurers’ balance sheets as well as recognised expertise in the investment fund and real estate ecosystem.

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 nearly 20 years of experience in construction insurance, Raphaël has held increasingly responsible positions at Bouygues Construction, Marsh, and Satec where he was head of Construction and Real Estate. He now joins Howden France to lead the development of the Construction and Energy Product Line on an international scale. Recognized for his negotiation skills and strategic vision, Raphaël will contribute to positioning Howden France as a leading player in the construction and energy insurance market.

Specific expertise: Decennial, Waterproofness, Real Estate, Large Projects

Degrees:
- MASTER Degree IAP / La Sorbonne
- MASTER Degree Insurance Law / La Sorbonne
- Executive MBA / PSL Paris Dauphine
- Executive MBA / UQAM Montreal

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.