Lloyds' Smith Joins ACORD

ACORD, the insurance data standards group, and Lloyd's said Michael Smith, manager, Business Process Reform (Claims and Standards) at Lloyd's, will be transferred to ACORD.

Mr. Smith, it was announced, was "seconded" in support of ACORD's increasing standards activities within the London market.

Mr. Smith will be working with Pearl River, N.Y.-based ACORD's Roy Laker, assistant vice president, London market, bringing his expertise and experience to bear on a wide range of initiatives.

"Mike brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with Lloyd's as well as London market business process and data messaging experience," said ACORD President and Chief Executive Officer Gregory A. Maciag.

He added that, for the past four years, Mr. Smith has been working with ACORD standards and "brings a unique perspective on the international dynamics of ACORD and its member communities."

Until being seconded, Mr. Smith served as chair of the ACORD Reinsurance and Large Commercial Technical Steering Committee.

Mr. Laker added, "This is an excellent opportunity for ACORD and Mike to work together in pushing ahead with the London market's Reform Programmes and Global ACORD objectives."

Mr. Smith, he said, "brings firsthand experience to ACORD in implementing new processes in London and worldwide."

Steven Haasz, Lloyd's London director of market infrastructure and program management and ACORD board member, said, "Lloyd's recognizes that we must have effective international standards on which to base our services and products. It is in all our interests to ensure efficient and effective data communication."

He said that Lloyd's transfer of Mr. Smith to ACORD was "another example of our approach to sharing knowledge and expertise to improve in the same way that we have benefited from the secondment to Lloyd's of David Harris, Nigel Roberts and Steven O'Connor."

Over the last seven years, Mr. Smith worked on the London market reform program focusing on claims processes and contributing to accounting and settlement, the announcement said.

He has also worked with ACORD to shape and improve the standards for data, messages and communication technology that form the foundation for London market business process improvement.

Mr. Smith's career at Lloyd's of London over the past 22 years has encompassed all aspects of business and IT projects in support of the insurance process, the announcement noted.