Tony Dodd joins The Bridge International as Strategic Advisor

The Bridge International doubles down on helping Underwriting Agencies with the appointment of Tony Dodd the previous CEO at GT Insurance as a Strategic Advisor

SYDNEY, 21st May 2026.

The Bridge International has announced that Tony Dodd has joined as a Strategic Advisor. He will focus on supporting Underwriting Agencies and Managing General Agents across Australia and New Zealand.

Tony joins The Bridge following a distinguished career in the underwriting agency sector. He previously served as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Commercial Officer at GT Insurance.

Tony Dodd, Strategic Advisor

Tony began his career at Zurich before moving to GT Insurance as Queensland Manager. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2020.

Over more than 20 years with the business, he led its growth to market leadership in specialist heavy vehicle and machinery insurance.

Tony will join The Bridge as a Strategic Advisor, alongside his role as a Director at Ceesure Insurance an Authorised Representative of Insurance Advisernet.

Underwriting agencies and MGAs now represent a major and fast-growing segment of the Australian insurance market, with estimated gross written premium of more than $11 billion growing by 470% over the last 10 years.

Stuart Brown CEO The Bridge International said: “The Bridge is doubling down on its commitment to underwriting agencies across Australia and New Zealand. We are proudly not career consultants and as practitioners have walked in the shoes of our clients. Tony represents this and brings deep industry knowledge.”

We provide end-to-end solutions spanning M&A, strategy, claims uplift, pricing, product and distribution capability uplift, working as a true extension of leadership teams to drive profitable, sustainable growth. Tony’s first-hand experience will ensure we drive sustainable change and will help our clients build deeper capabilities and a strategic edge”

This growth has been driven by specialist underwriting expertise, agility, broker demand and the ability to respond to complex and underserved risks. It has also been supported by a prolonged hard market, which has created new opportunities for agencies with strong technical capability and clear market focus.

As agencies scale, new challenges emerge. These include growth strain, operating model complexity, tighter regulation, economic uncertainty, rising competition and shifting broker and customer expectations.

The Bridge sees a significant opportunity to support underwriting agencies and MGAs through this next phase of growth. The focus is on helping agencies scale with discipline, uplift capability and respond to increasing market complexity, while protecting the entrepreneurial speed, specialist expertise and commercial edge that made them successful.

Stuart Blake Executive Chair of The Bridge International said “Over the last decade, underwriting agencies in Australia have transformed from small, subscale operations into a major distribution channel delivering specialist services now accounting for over $11 billion in premium – up 470% over the last 10 years. At The Bridge, we partner with underwriting agencies to help them scale and position themselves for sustainable growth.

We’re genuinely excited to be working with founders and leaders that are disrupting the sector. Tony Dodd with over 20 years experience and the last 5 years as CEO for GT Insurance is a true expert in the industry. Having worked alongside him at GT Insurance, we know first-hand how well he knows the industry and the value he can provide to founders and CEOs.”

The Bridge has a deep understanding of the Australian MGA and underwriting agency landscape. The firm has worked with agencies moving from founder-led growth to scaled, sustainable businesses.

Tony Dodd’s appointment as Strategic Advisor strengthens this proposition. He brings first-hand executive experience from within the sector and reflects The Bridge’s practitioner-led approach. The Bridge have walked in the shoes of their clients and understand the commercial, operational and leadership realities of scaling an underwriting agency.

The Bridge has had a track record of helping agencies introduce modern practices without diluting the entrepreneurial culture that drives performance. They understand the pressures that come with rapid growth and design fit for purpose solutions that protect speed, accountability, and commercial edge.

Tony Dodd Strategic Advisor said: “I am delighted to join The Bridge as a strategic advisor. I worked closely with the team while at GT Insurance and valued their client side experience, deep insurance capability, and pragmatic advice. They did not just advise on strategy. They rolled up their sleeves and helped the business address real operational challenges created by rapid growth. They get things done. Our values and ways of working are well aligned, and I know the impact The Bridge can have for underwriting agencies.”

The Bridge International’s advisory services span strategy and corporate development, customer experience and operations, insurance including underwriting, claims and distribution, culture, leadership and capability, and program delivery and embedment. The Bridge supports clients end-to-end, from growth strategy and operating model design through to technology enablement, execution, and delivering sustained results.

Tony will support both the Strategy and Corporate Development practice, led by Executive Chairman Stuart Blake, and the Insurance practice, led by CEO Stuart Brown.

For further information on The Bridge International’s underwriting agency and insurance advisory services please contact Stuart Blake or Stuart Brown.

About The Bridge International

The Bridge International is a trusted, alternative, innovative and purpose driven management consultancy operating in Australia, New Zealand and internationally. It is a values and purpose-driven organisation headquartered in Sydney, with teams in Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia. Their vision is clear - to become the most trusted professional services consultancy in our chosen markets.

The Bridge International’s leadership team brings deep C-suite experience, having walked in the shoes of their clients. This practitioner-first approach, combined with strong consulting capability, enables them to quickly define the problem and design pragmatic, fit-for-purpose solutions that are actionable and effective - not theoretical.

Clients trust The Bridge International to provide honest advice and work as an extension of their team, delivering measurable results and strong returns on investment. The company’s fair-value model reflects its fast-track approach, lower overheads, and commitment to having senior experts on every assignment.

The Bridge International’s practices span: Strategy & Corporate Development, Customer & Operations, Leadership, Culture & Capability, Insurance, Program Delivery & Embedment. The range of services offered enables the company to support a wide range of client needs, providing a bridge between strategy and execution, embedding sustainable solutions and transferring knowledge so that clients succeed over the long term.

About CXO2

CXO2 is The Bridge International group’s specialist customer experience and service transformation business. CXO2 works with boards and executive teams to improve enterprise performance by strengthening service and operational foundations, then translating strategy into execution that works.

CXO2’s approach is pragmatic and commercial. We help organisations reduce avoidable contact, improve cost to serve, protect trust and lift productivity, while embedding change so outcomes stick. CXO2 works across industries as practitioners who have led and delivered in complex environments, partnering closely with teams to simplify complexity and turn customer intent into clarity and measurable impact.

About Bridge to Good

Bridge to Good is how The Bridge International turns business into good. Through its foundation, the company supports Lifeline, Cancer Council NSW, and Dementia Australia, helping create impact where it matters most.