Utmost Group Board and Leadership

Paul Thompson is the Group CEO of Utmost, having co-founded the business in 2013. Paul has over 30 years of industry experience, having spent 16 years as an investment banker providing strategic, financial and mergers and acquisitions advice to financial institutions around the world, and holding senior management positions in several large private and FTSE listed organisations.

Paul was Group Finance Director and subsequently, Group CEO of Resolution Plc – the FTSE100 listed closed life fund consolidator and asset manager. In addition, Paul was a Partner and Head of the Financial Services Practice at Pamplona Capital Management.

Ian Maidens is the Group CFO of Utmost, having co-founded the business in 2013. Ian was a founding partner and Head of M&A of Resolution Ltd, where he led the UK life merger and acquisition activity including the acquisition of Friends Provident, the majority of the AXA UK Life business, and the Bupa life business.

Prior to the founding of Resolution Ltd in 2008, Ian was Group Chief Actuary and Head of Corporate Development at Resolution plc, leading the acquisitions of the life insurance business of Royal & Sun Alliance and the UK business of Swiss Life.

Joined Utmost Group in September 2023 from Prudential plc where he worked for 12 years in variety of leadership roles across key areas of Finance, Investor Relations and Strategy. Most recently Mark was Regional Director for Strategy, based in Hong Kong.

Prior to Prudential, he qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG LLP, providing audit and advisory services specialising in the insurance sector.

Dan joined in July 2021. He previously worked at AIG for 9 years in a variety of IT leadership roles, most recently as CIO of UK & Global Speciality

Prior to AIG, Dan worked at Marsh, BNP Paribas, and Fujitsu Consulting

Stephen joined Utmost in 2018 and leads Sales and Marketing activity globally.

Stephen has over 20 years of experience in the international life insurance industry across distribution channels and product types.

Gary is the Global Head of Product and Proposition in Utmost. His responsibilities include proposition development and management, pricing, technical services (legal, tax and regulatory) and deal structuring.

Gary has over 25 years of insurance and investment industry experience. Previous roles include Commercial Director of Zurich Insurance’s Global Corporate Life & Pensions business, Global Head of Propositions and member of Zurich’s Leadership Team (consisting of the top 100 executives globally), member of main board at Openwork (UK’s largest restricted advice network) and Global Head of Business Management at Willis Towers Watson.

Gary has a first-class honours degree in Mathematics with Statistics from the University of Bristol and has been a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries since 1998.

Lydia joined in 2023 and leads the Risk and Compliance team

Previously Lydia worked at abrdn in a number of senior leadership roles, most recently as Head of Shared Services in Risk and Compliance. Prior to this Lydia worked at the UK financial regulator, the FCA, and its predecessor, the FSA

Lydia is a qualified Chartered Accountant

Sandra leads the Group’s HR capabilities, ensuring our HR teams deliver full and effective support to achieving the Group’s strategy and target culture.

Joined Utmost Group in February 2021 from Aviva plc where she worked for 15 years in a variety of roles, latterly as Head of HR Business Partnering.

In 2018/19, Sandra was seconded from Aviva into a London based charity, Business in the Community, as their Director of People and Culture.

Prior to Aviva, she worked in HR roles at Addleshaw Goddard Solicitors, Davies Arnold Cooper Solicitors, Lloyds Register of Shipping and in various NHS Trusts.

Will joined Utmost in March 2026 and leads the Group’s legal team.

Will has over 20 years’ experience in a variety of in-house legal and policy leadership roles across business sectors spanning large corporates such as Microsoft and BT through to scale-up technology companies including BenevolentAI and Skype.

Will is a qualified Solicitor Advocate and Graduate member of the Chartered Governance Institute of England and Wales and has an LLB law degree from the University of Bristol.

Karl Moore is the CEO of Utmost Isle of Man.

Previously, Karl was CEO of Utmost Ireland, CFO of the Utmost Isle of Man business and prior to joining Utmost, he held senior positions with Barclays Bank.

Henry O’Sullivan is the CEO of Utmost Ireland, the Irish operation of Utmost including its life company, Utmost PanEurope dac.

Prior to joining the Group in 2016, Henry held various senior roles in Aviva and worked in banking with Ulster Bank and AIB Group.

Henry is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and holds the Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors.

Jurgen Vanhoenacker is the CEO of our Luxembourg business and was appointed in May 2025. Jurgen has over 25 years of industry experience and was previously the European Executive Director for Sales and Wealth Structuring for Lombard International.

Jurgen holds a Masters in Economics, a Masters in Business Administration and a PhD in Applied Economics from the University of Leuven – Belgium.

Derek Aherne is the CEO of our Guernsey business and has held the position since April 2026

Previously Derek was Head of International Operations for Utmost. He joined Utmost in February 2019 after the acquisition of Aviva.