Meet The Team

Service First is a new Managing General Agent (MGA) established in 2022 and based in Dublin that will focus exclusively on Business Insurance. Although the company is new, the founders have a wealth of experience in the insurance market delivering profitable business through distribution in various markets including Ireland, the UK, Europe and the USA. Our goal is to provide our customers with Commercial insurance products that not only meet their needs but delivers excellent and reliable customer service and support. We have a strong view that partnerships with brokers and capacity providers are a long-term commitment built on trust that delivers a high-quality service and premium product.

We have developed a best-in-class system which allows us to electronically trade with our partners to provide reliable and efficient quotes and bound policies. Technology and automation are central to the trading platform to deliver a broking solution that is currently not available in the Irish market. Our system is made for brokers based on first-hand broker feedback designed to meet needs not yet provided in the market. 

Our Values

  • Access to New Markets for Irish Brokers

  • Tailor-made Insurance and Reinsurance solutions for brokers and their clients. 

  • Technology platform driving data-based solutions supported by our in-house actuary.

  • A Rated Capacity

  • Focus on Broker Service, 24-hour turnaround.

Directors

Enda Cunningham

Job Title: CFO

Enda has over 30 years commercial experience across a broad range of industries and financial services, including 14 years serving as plc board director. He trained as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte and left to join Capital Leasing plc on qualification. He subsequently moved to Athlone Extrusions Ltd and led their flotation on the London and Irish Stock Exchanges as Finance Director in 1998. In 2004 he left to join McInerney Holdings plc, again as Finance Director. In 2013 Enda became CEO of Matrix having provided corporate finance advice to the business for a number of years prior to that.

Padraig Lynch

Job Title: CEO

Padraig started his career in the Property Claims department of The Insurance Corporation of Ireland back in 1985. He remained there for 2 years before changing track to focus on a career in Commercial Insurance Broking in Glennon Insurance and then Alan Tierney & Partners. 

In 1998 Padraig set up his own Commercial Broking business, Power Lynch & Associates Ltd. This business was sold to Willis in 2012 in order to focus on the Consumer Insurance market through the Chill Insurance and Ivernia companies that Padraig founded. These companies grew to 7% of the Irish motor market through an investment in technology, automation and a focus on the customer’s needs. Living bridge took a majority shareholding in the group in 2020. Padraig is still a shareholder and holds a non-executive director post in what is today Irelands largest Personal Lines Insurance Broker.  

Adrian Ryan

Job Title: Head of Compliance and Risk

A career spent in the insurance industry has given Adrian wide-ranging experience of senior underwriting roles. He has held senior roles at Charman Underwriting Agencies, Ace Global Markets and Axis Re/Axis Specialty Europe. He formed Shelbourne Group, a specialist underwriting agency at Lloyd’s and co-founded Insure Homes Group a multi-state US business.

Senior MGMT Team

John Gregan

Job Title: Head of Pricing

John is the Head of Product & Pricing at Service First. With over 30 years in general insurance, John, a qualified actuary has a wealth of experience in the industry and has taken on various roles in the past including managerial roles in personal/commercial lines and pricing. John most recently worked for Ivernia and the Bank Of Ireland. Prior to this, he was a director in several areas including finance, claims, personal lines products (Aviva Europe), as well as being Head of Commercial Underwriting and Pricing.

PJ Kearns

Job Title: Head of Technical Underwriting

PJ has over 40 years of experience working in general insurance and financial services. He has held senior roles with Zurich Insurance as Head of Governance and Head of Technical Underwriting ensuring quality assurance, wordings review and compliance across both Underwriting and Claims. PJ is previously Charted Insurer qualified and has also obtained a Professional Certificate in Compliance from the Institute of Bankers and UCD.

Lyndsay Fitzgerald 

Job Title: Head of Underwriting

Lyndsay has over 15 years of experience in the general insurance market. She started her career working as an Underwriter at PJT Insurance Services which acted as a Lloyds MGA in Ireland. After that Lyndsay moved to Australia holding positions across claims and recruitment before continuing a career in underwriting. She has experience working with MGAs such as One Underwriting, a subsidiary of AON, and her most recent position was with Canopius Australia which is a Lloyds syndicate. Lyndsay’s expertise is in underwriting, managing and developing both Liability and Property books of business. She is qualified as an Authorised Product Advisor (APA).

Annie King

Job Title: Head of Operations

Annie has over 12 years of experience working across both the general and specialist insurance markets. She started her career in 2011 working for DAS Ireland and then Amtrust International in Dublin. Annie then moved to the London Lloyds market to specialise in Underwriting Operations working for leading insurers Beazley and Brit Insurance. Annie’s expertise is focused on developing underwriting-specific operational processes and systems as well as advocating for innovation and ESG in the insurance market. Annie is a certified Insurance Professional (CIP) and has completed a dissertation on sustainability in insurance.

Ciarán O’Callaghan

Job Title: Financial Controller

Ciarán has over 12 years of experience in the general insurance industry and is the Financial Controller for Service First. Ciarán qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2016 and completed the Diploma in Forensic Accounting in 2018. Ciarán has held a number of positions with Matrix Claims Services including head of legal costs, management accountant and corporate finance manager.