Legal & General has appointed James Shattock as managing director and Pippa Keefe as commercial director of its UK Protection team.

Shattock, who is currently commercial director for retail protection, will assume his new role in December. He will join the retail executive leadership team.

He replaces outgoing managing director Steve Griffiths who retires after a 17-year career at Legal & General.

Griffiths led the retail protection and group protection businesses over the last six years.

Shattock enters the role with over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry across both the direct and reinsurance markets.

He joined Legal & General three years ago from UNUM UK where he was chief underwriting officer.

While Pippa Keefe will take over from Shattock after being promoted from business development director. She will also join the retail protection leadership team.

Keefe joined Legal & General in 2021 bringing over 13 years’ experience in the protection market working with insurers, re-insurers, and direct distributors.

The insurer said both roles will be crucial in leading the strategy and execution of its protection proposition, pricing, underwriting and claims, as well as overseeing relationships with key partners and intermediaries.

Legal & General Retail chief executive Bernie Hickman said: “Both James and Pippa’s appointments demonstrate how we’re continuously looking to support growth and development within our team and tap into the immense existing talent.

“It is a fast-moving time for the protection industry and I’m looking forward to working with James and Pippa in their new roles to ensure that we continue to deliver as a market leader in protection. I also want to thank Steve for his fantastic service to Legal & General, which has seen record protection claim payouts, as well as product changes to improve customer outcomes for more people.”

Legal & General said it paid out an average of over £2.4m retail protection claims a day in 2022. And provided £883 million to 17,768 claims across life insurance, income protection and critical/terminal illness products.