Juliet Allan

Juliet's background is in arts marketing. A Cambridge music graduate, she also has qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and is a member of the Arts Marketing Association.

Juliet joined La Playa in 1999 and is responsible for all marketing and PR operations, including editorship of the legendary News from the Beach!

Hanna Beaumont FIRM

Hanna Beaumont joined us in 2006 from the City, where she spent six years in commercial insurance and risk management at Aon, looking after UK and global technology clients.

Hanna is a qualified Fellow of the Institute of Risk Management and, from La Playa's base at the hub of Cambridge's "Silicon Fen", she advises technology companies on insurance and risk management issues in both Life Sciences and ICT.

Hanna also enjoys horse riding, running, water skiing, cycling, golf, reading and painting.

Mark Boon ACII

With thirty years' experience in the industry, Mark Boon is a specialist in insurance for the media, arts and technology fields. He has in-depth understanding of working practice in these areas, and first hand experience of handling multi-million pound claims.

Mark Boon is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Jonathan Bromley

Jonathan is an engineering graduate, joining us from Hexcel to work with our Science & Technology clients. Outside of work, Jonathan practices amateur photography, is a keen footballer and also dabbles in Kung-fu.

Julie Brooklyn

Julie has worked in financial services for twenty years, as Branch Manager at the Woolwich Building Society and then in financial planning at N W Brown and Company in Cambridge.

She keeps a watchful eye on the La Playa systems, and helped to develop our bespoke relational database.

Outside work, Julie is Manager and Coach of the Histon Hornets Girls Football Team.

Ann Butler ACII

During her 40 year career in the insurance industry Ann has worked in an underwriting and managerial capacity for 2 major insurers- Aviva and Prudential. She brings a wealth of experience to her compliance and operational management role at La Playa.

Ann is a keen quizzer and puzzle addict. She enjoys attending the local gym to keep fit. 

Matthew Clark ACII

Matthew is one of the most experienced insurance brokers in the UK's science and technology sectors. He joined us from Lark Insurance, where he had responsibility for their technology brand TMX Risk Solutions.

Matthew has over twenty years' experience in commercial insurance, three of which were spent in Saudi Arabia advising major oil and construction companies on their risk management and insurance programmes.

He has developed an in-depth understanding of the risks associated with emerging and disruptive technologies and the exposures such companies face.

Matthew is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute, and a Chartered Insurance Broker.

He can be seen each evening leather- clad, speeding off into the night on his Triumph bike.

Gareth Cotton

Gareth joined us in 2006 for a marketing research project, and moved to the Private Client Division in July 2007.

Prior to this, he studied Business Management at Anglia Ruskin University.

Gareth spends his evenings in the studio as a dance music producer/engineer and describes himself as a "bit of a gym junkie".

Kellie Cawdron

Kellie joined the Private Client team after 8 years’ senior broking at Marsh Private Clients as well as underwriting experience at Chubb.

Kellie loves high performance vehicles, dealing with all of the luxury brands of vehicles such as Ferrari and Maseratis, as La Playa’s motor expert. 

Mike Cullen

Mike joined us in September 2007, with over thirty years' experience in underwriting and broking. Formerly a director of Moffat Saunders, Mike initiated the private client division there, and built up a client base of individuals with complicated assets to insure.

His prickly passion is growing cactuses, a field in which he has become a renowned expert! Mike is a regular supplier of plants to Kew Gardens.

Alan Gale

Alan joined the La Playa Board in 2000. He trained as an investment analyst with Bankers Trust Company before becoming a specialist retail analyst with stockbrokers Spencer Thornton and then moving to The Royal Trust Company of Canada as a fund manager.

Having decided he had had enough of analysing other people's businesses, he left to join an industrial group. Alan has headed several companies and now works principally in property development in the UK and overseas, with interests in Spain and Eastern Europe - as well as working on La Playa's corporate development.

Patrick Gordon

Patrick has worked with computers since they were loaded - very slowly - from cassette tapes. The first computer he ever wrote code for was called a PET. Distracted for 2 years by the joys of performing with a Goth band around Europe, Patrick returned to computers and published the Guardian on CD-ROM.

He then progressed onto testing, developing and delivering crime fighting software before being seduced by the Internet.

For the last 11 years, Patrick has designed, built and developed websites for a very diverse selection of SMEs including every variation of the La Playa website.

Outside of work, Patrick can be found at woodwork classes making boxes and tables.

Katie Gouskos

Katie joined La Playa in April 2008 and holds an undergraduate degree in English literature, as well as a professional diploma in marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.  

Having previously worked in the environmental sector, Katie joins the editorial team for News from the Beach as well as working in event management and all aspects of our marketing.

A beach aficionado, Katie also considers herself a Ballroom and Latin dancing queen.

Paula Hawthorne ACII

Paula is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Insurance and was previously a City loss adjuster and more recently worked at a Cambridge broker.

She has 15 years' experience in the industry, and particularly in claims and commercial broking.

Her private interests include music and being a "fair- weather" sailor.

Jessica Hiscock Cert PFS

Jessica joins La Playa Financial Management having worked as a freelance paraplanner in Dorset before relocating to Cambridge. Holding Certificates in Financial Planning and Administration, she is dedicated to providing exceptional customer service.

A music graduate, in her spare time Jessica is a cellist with the Cambridge Philharmonic, and she also enjoys a weekly workout on the badminton court.

Rachel Holmes ACII

Rachel , , , lsjkdfdlk;fopsej,,,, originally joined La Playa back in 2007 and returned to us in January 2011. Rachel has a law degree along with 11 years insurance experience at NFU Mutual, Smart & Cook and Hendersons. She’s also a county swimmer and half marathon runner and is a member of the La Playa walking club.

Catherine Lineham

With over 10 years insurance experience as both commercial underwriter and broker, Catherine spent seven years living and working in Spain in property. Catherine enjoys speaking (& learning!) Spanish, and regularly hits the gym.

Sonia Maio

After working on several key projects for La Playa we convinced Sonia to join us permanently in October 2008. Sonia comes from a commercial background with expertise in financial services.

A skilled seamstress - she can whip up a pair of curtains in a flash - Sonia is also something of an expert in Italian cuisine, growing her own herbs and tomatoes and cooking to her mother-in-law's traditional recipes.

She relaxes, albeit infrequently, with a really good book.

Tracey McCreath ACII

Tracey left the City to join us in September 2007 from Aon, where she advised businesses ranging from mid-sized to global on their insurance portfolios.

Tracey has nearly two decades' experience in insurance and spent a year as a Business Improvement Analyst.

She enjoys cooking, calligraphy, football, travel and cinema.

Matthew Mullee

Matthew Mullee has twenty four years of insurance broking and underwriting experience, and with professional studies at the Regent Academy of Fine Arts, has developed a wealth of specialist knowledge in the field.

He is an expert in insurance for period property and listed buildings, as well as for art, antiques and jewellery collections.

Adrienne Murphy

Adrienne is a Chartered Accountant who trained with Coopers & Lybrand now PriceWaterhouseCoopers more years ago than she cares to remember!

Adrienne worked in their Growing business division and later in Forensic Accounting, gaining a supreme set of skills including accountancy, audit, tax and HR matters.

Adrienne is a Treasurer of a charity supporting a hostel for homeless girls in Cambridge; she enjoys Pilates and the gym - intermittently!

Mike Palmer Dip PFS

Mike joined La Playa in 2009 with more than 25 years experience in financial services, advising individuals and companies on a plethora of tax, investment and pension issues.

Heading up the new financial services arm, Mike takes a holistic approach to financial planning, providing a bespoke service for all his clients.

When Mike is not advising, he loves to travel with his family and especially enjoys visiting the Greek isles.

Zoe Pepper

We’re delighted to welcome Zoe back to our Accounts Department as Finance Officer, after an absence of eight years!

A legend in her own lunchtime, Zoe previously worked at Smart Learning.

Elaine Redington

Elaine joined La Playa’s S&T group in August this year, bringing 18 years experience in commercial broking, including over 10 years working on international and technology business.

She enjoys golf, skiing, reading and running, she’s hoping to take part in a 10K run next year!

Arianne Rosmolen MSc

Arianne joins the feisty La Playa marketing team following a masters degree in Management and Marketing and an undergraduate degree in Economics and Psychology in the Netherlands. A keen outward-bounder, she has climbed the highest peak in England, Scafell Pike.

Mike Taylor-West Dip CII

Mike is a graduate of the Institute of Marine Studies, University of Plymouth where he majored in Maritime Business, and Marine Law. Formerly the Director of Savills Insurance Services – Private Clients, and with underwriting experience at Chubb Masterpiece and Pantaenius Yacht Insurance, Mike brings 20 years of private client insurance experience, passion and enthusiasm in his field of expertise.

Rarely happy unless in sight of water, Mike can be found on the Solent in any manner of waterborne activities in his free time. In winter, like many beach types, Mike is a powder hound, skiing in the Alps.

Laura Wellstead

Laura has 10 years’ experience of managing global insurance programmes, including 5 years at Marsh’s Media & Entertainment division. Passionate about high quality client service, regardless of company size, she relishes providing insurance solutions for the more ‘challenging’ entertainment risks. Laura loves shoes, wine and music – preferably in that order too.