Future-Proofing MGA Boards: Combining Mindset with Wider Expertise

Nick Kirk is an Insurance professional with more than 40 years’ experience as an executive and non-executive director for MGAs, Insurers and the wider market, working across Australia, London, Europe, and Southeast Asia. Now primarily based in Sydney Australia but travelling regularly to and from the UK. He is a Chartered Insurer, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and currently serves as a Non-Executive Director of Graph Co Ltd, Uris Group Limited, and MDSCo Ltd in the UK.

Nick has a record of contributing to sector development through his past roles on the Insurance Special Interest Group of the IoD in the UK, the membership committee and the Masters Series committee of the Worshipful Company of Insurers in London. He is interested in building strong boards, encouraging open discussion, and supporting insurance businesses as they grow and particularly, respond to change.

 In a discussion with Gary Pike, Nick shares his thoughts on:

Building the Future MGA Board: Combining Challenger Mindset with Wider Expertise

MGAs are built on the foundation of specialist knowledge, entrepreneurial thinking, and the ability to move quickly in response to client needs. That focus has driven success and created challenger brands that outperform their weight. But as the MGAs themselves and the sector grow and the business environment becomes more complex—with new technology, shifting market cycles, and increased regulatory demands—the boards that position themselves for future success will be those that pair their proven agility with the broader perspectives of advisory expertise from beyond their niche.

Maturing Business, Changing Landscape

Evolving as an MGA means navigating more than just internal scale or operational complexity. The sector itself is changing: competition, consolidation, technology, capital flows, and regulatory scrutiny are all reshaping what it takes to win. MGAs reaching new stages of maturity benefit from board members who have faced similar transitions—who can bring structure, guidance, and strategic insight, without stifling entrepreneurial culture.

The Benefits of Pairing Expertise

MGAs that successfully blend their niche challenger mindset with good advisory skill sets can:

• Broaden their view of risk and opportunity—unlocking new partnerships and markets.
• Enhance strategic decision-making and scenario planning, equipped for both growth and resilience.
• Retain the nimbleness that set them apart, while gaining the benefit of seasoned oversight when it counts most.
• Inspire confidence from investors, partners, and regulators—demonstrating readiness for what comes next.
•  Crucially, building a future-ready board doesn’t mean shedding the qualities that make MGAs special. It’s about adding—methodically and at the right pace—new perspectives and experiences that allow those qualities to flourish in a fast-changing world.

Practical Steps for MGA Boards

• Audit existing skills and experience, identifying where additional governance, technology, or market expertise will add value.
• Prioritise cultural fit: advisory voices should support and challenge, not slow decision-making or dilute what makes the business unique.
• Set a forward agenda, using board renewal as a chance to build both resilience and opportunity—not just compliance.
• Celebrate the interplay of deep sector knowledge and external advice: the fused strength of both is greater than either alone.

Looking to add to your board or looking for additional advisory expertise?

 Please contact me to discuss garypike@insurenedsearch.com