Our Achievements

We are measured on the success of our delivery and on the productivity of our working relationships. Put simply, our reputation rests on results and on the quality of our service to you.

Atticus Associates have substantial experience in successfully delivering projects for underwriters, general insurers, brokers and solution providers. We offer a team of consultants who are internationally experienced having successfully delivered projects in the UK, US, Europe and Bermuda together with a solid understanding of the cultural challenges involved.

Since our first year of trading in 2008, we have delivered over 45 projects / assignments, small and large, in a project leading capacity, either independently or working closely with our clients' internal teams. We are especially pleased to have references for our work to CEO / CIO / COO level and are happy to share these on request.

Our focus on maintaining a reputation for quality delivery and project interaction continues apace into 2012!

Our 2011 achievements:

We provided extensive analysis and design consultation on key aspects of a new-build enterprise data warehouse (EDW) project, including methodologies for premium earnings and foreign exchange handling, formulation of all major reporting metrics across the group and advice on capturing a history of data updates to support accurate ‘as-at’ reporting and analytics. We also made a significant contribution to shaping the project lifecycle and implementing a solid methodology for project management and control. Phase 1 was successfully implemented on time and to budget in 2011.
We formulated a strategy for the creation of a market-leading MI function at a managing agency client. This included the necessary control and prioritisation mechanisms, user and MI team training, hardware and software platform specifications and a plan for the distribution and storage of MI output. The strategy was well received by the client and is currently being pursued.
We supplied a roadmap document to managing agency executives for the future expansion of the EDW over the next 12-24 months. The recommendations in the document were widely accepted and will form the basis of the client’s MI development plan for 2012/13.
In the Solvency II arena, we supplied the data dictionaries and entire Capital Modelling data lineage documentation to two separate managing agencies, along with methodologies for their integration into the client’s data governance procedures and future maintenance. Once again, both sets of deliverables were well received by the clients and are considered by them to be crucial to achieving Solvency II compliance.
We provided a consultancy overview for a new and extensive datawarehouse and MI project at a large Lloyd's Syndicate. The feedback and advice were well received and led to significant changes in how the client will go about structuring the project in 2012. We have been invited to perform quarterly project reviews throughout this period.
We structured and initiated a Lloyd’s Insurer’s Solvency II, providing interim SII Programme Management supporting several key workstreams within the SII programme.
We designed and implemented a SharePoint document management system for the Solvency II work-streams, and as a content management and portal system for data management initiatives.
Implemented Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for a Reinsurance operation in Bermuda and London in a very tight timeframe, so that it could be launched at their annual summit meeting held each April. The system is used to track relationships with their business producers / clients so that they can grow the higher quality business and develop long term relationships with the key players.
Project managed / participated in the evaluation of a number of strategic new business ideas for a leading specialist Insurer in London & the US.
Led a review for the Group COO to validate whether to proceed with a new Outwards Reinsurance system, concluding they could save over £1m in 2012 by not proceeding; rather they should concentrate on tightening the business processes around the financial reporting in this area (which is now underway).
Managed the Change Portfolio for the Bermuda division of a FTSE 250 Insurer.
Managed the Solvency 2 Outsourcing work-stream successfully through the Lloyd’s SII application process.
Led the business analysis and project managed the upgrade of a London Market underwriting system (OBX – Release 6)
Managed the migration of an existing Insurance operation to a new limited company entity.
Smoothly delivered a high quality release to an online broker portal for the critical renewals season, on time and with confidence without impacting the business users.
2011 Infrastructure Projects include: Completed a new global desktop roll-out to all non-London Market users in London.
Created new processes and procedures for new data centres and delivered build documentation for all infrastructure builds.
Self Service Password Reset was implemented for Citrix users globally.

Our 2010 achievements:

November 2010 - Successful Business Project Management for a key implementation of a major post live release of the Open Box + underwriting system. This release was deemed a major success due to the level of interaction with our client's underwriters and operations team and the overall quality that has enabled our client to enter a stable BAU release cycle.
July 2010 saw our first major Solvency II engagement come to life with a contract to support a significant Lloyd's syndicate in meeting their SII obligations in 2011/12. This key work is ongoing with the first key deliverables due in 2011.
May 2010 - we completed a comprehensive and wholly independent RFI/RFP tender process to select a software integrator for Guidewire's market leading ClaimCenter product. Having advised our carrier on an integrator and business case preparation, we were asked to stay on and help shape the delivery programme covering key project roles for the Inception phase of this agile delivery.
In March 2010 - we completed our project management of a comprehensive test of a major carriers DR plan including "hot" failover of key systems to their second remote data centre.
On January 8th 2010 we successfully went live with a complex project to deliver Direct Debit functionality across Fine Art and High Net Worth business lines for the French operation of a Top 5 retail insurer. This project involved multiple work streams across IT, Underwriting and Compliance functions.

A selection of our 2009 achievements:

Successful management and completion of a major US business expansion programme (FTSE 250 insurer). Our Associate's in-depth Lloyd's experience enabled the US team to build up their knowledge of complex property placements and reinsurance and ensured the end-to-end processing at the Lloyd's syndicates was in place. Systems and Operational processes have been created to enable the writing of 'big ticket' risks in the US, requiring considerable analysis of both UK and US markets to structure their requirements.
Upgrade of a major online system to update a terrorism underwriting facility for a speciality insurer has provided users with an increased reporting facility for book management with additional reporting fields that adhere to new Lloyd's regulations.
A successful e-placing implementation with a large insurer for Terrorism business in 2008 led to us delivering Phase 2 to an additional business group in Q1 2009.
A major upgrade of Room's EXACT, a risk modelling upgrade to improve off-shore cat modelling and enable more accurate / efficient new business quotations, was well-managed to deliver on time prior to the critical renewals period.
Successful interim management of a major European portfolio of projects for a leading retail insurer, implementing a more productive team structure and working process between IT and the business.
The successful application of the Atticus MI & Data Framework to assist a blue chip insurer with their EDW enhancement project (Outwards RI Focus). This work is ongoing as we continue to deliver value and specialist expertise within the insurance MI / Data warehousing space.

Our 2008 achievements:

The roll out of a major new Lloyd's syndicate ($150M capacity) across multiple system platforms supporting US cover holder business growth.
The assisted implementation of core underwriting systems for a major Lloyd's syndicate.
The design, delivery and deployment of a new broker scheduling system for underwriters. The system informs brokers in real-time of the underwriter's availability and number currently queuing to see them through a large display on the Lloyd's trading floor, thus allowing brokers to better optimise the timing of their visit and enabling the team to operate effectively without being on the Lloyd's floor. The project met very tight time scales driven by the renewal season, was successfully completed within two months and described as a 'fantastic job' by the project sponsor.
Successfully managing the re-platforming of a major B2C transactional website to a new server base with upgraded operating systems and databases. This high risk project required precision delivery to ensure minimal business interruption during a high traffic period coinciding with a major TV advertising campaign.
The implementation of a web placing platform for straightforward Terrorism risks, freeing up time for more complex, high value transactions at the Lloyd's box. Solid business understanding was essential for effective communication with the underwriters, from defining business requirements through customisation, testing and implementation, alongside managing 3rd party system providers and the internal IT team. The underwriting team were very pleased with the delivered system and decided to deploy the system on a wider basis in 2009.
Strategic planning and the preparation of a comprehensive business case for major IT investment (FTSE 250 insurer).
Business Application performance issues - technical troubleshooting and resolution.
International infrastructure expansion for a major insurer.