Lawrence Hawkins appointed General Counsel Zurich UK
21 October 2026
Zurich has appointed Lawrence Hawkins as General Counsel UK, following the departure of Ed Bridge, who has moved to a new global role with Beazley and Zurich Global Specialty.
Lawrence will join Zurich in the first quarter of 2027 from Standard Life, bringing more than 20 years' legal experience in the financial services sector, including senior leadership positions within Barclays and Deutsche Bank. He has a strong track record of advising complex, highly regulated businesses and providing clear, commercially focused legal counsel in dynamic operating environments.
In his new role, Lawrence will lead Zurich's UK Legal team and serve as a key adviser to the UK Executive Committee. He will support the business on a broad range of legal, regulatory and governance matters, helping Zurich navigate an increasingly complex landscape while continuing to deliver sustainable growth and positive outcomes for customers.
Commenting on the appointment, Drazen Jaksic, CEO Zurich UK, said:
"Lawrence brings a wealth of legal expertise, deep commercial understanding and extensive experience of supporting large, complex organisations through an evolving regulatory environment. His judgement, leadership and pragmatic approach will be invaluable as we continue to grow our business and deliver for our customers and partners.
"I would also like to thank Ed Bridge for his outstanding contribution to Zurich. His leadership has been instrumental in supporting our business over many years, and we wish him every success in his new role."
Lawrence Hawkins said:
"I'm really pleased to join Zurich at such a crucial time for the business, bringing the experience I’ve gained across different sectors. Zurich has a strong reputation for doing the right thing for customers, colleagues and communities, and I'm looking forward to working with teams across the UK to provide trusted legal advice that supports the business's ambitions and long-term success."
Lawrence will take up his role as General Counsel UK in the first quarter of 2027. Until then, Georgina Fleet will continue to oversee General Counsel responsibilities alongside her role as Chief Compliance Officer.