The Bridge International has appointed former GT Insurance CEO Tony Dodd as a strategic adviser, with a focus on underwriting agencies.

The consultancy says the appointment reflects rapid expansion in the underwriting agency sector, where gross written premium is estimated to have increased 470% over the past 10 years to exceed $11 billion.

Mr Dodd began his career at Zurich before moving to GT as Queensland manager. He was appointed CEO of the Allianz-backed agency in 2020.

Over more than 20 years with GT, he helped lead its growth in specialist heavy vehicle and machinery insurance.

The Bridge says Mr Dodd will support its strategy and corporate development practice, led by executive chairman Stuart Blake, and insurance practice led by CEO Stuart Brown.

“Over the last decade, underwriting agencies in Australia have transformed from small, subscale operations into a major distribution channel delivering specialist services,” Mr Blake said.

“At The Bridge, we partner with underwriting agencies to help them scale and position themselves for sustainable growth.”

The Bridge says as agencies expand, new challenges emerge including operating model complexity, tighter regulation, rising competition, and shifting broker and customer expectations.

Mr Dodd says he worked closely with The Bridge while at GT and valued its client-side experience, insurance capability and pragmatic advice.

“They did not just advise on strategy. They rolled up their sleeves and helped the business address real operational challenges created by rapid growth,” he said.