From HR to the mountain top: Insurance firm Gilchrist Connell names new CEO

In what was likely a major first for the legal profession, insurance firm Gilchrist Connell has named a new chief executive officer with an extensive human resources background.

On 1 July 2025, Gilchrist Connell’s chief people officer (CPO), Belinda Cohen, will become CEO, taking over the top job from founding principal and managing principal Richard Wood.

Prior to her role as chief people officer, Cohen first worked as an insurance lawyer, then at a statutory insurer in-house, and eventually set up her own consultancy company where she drew on a “niche combination” of legal and business-related skills.

“I have spent the last 20 years of my working life combining legal, operational and people expertise to create profitable businesses that thrive. In my consultancy career, I have coached executive leaders, including CEOs, to do this,” Cohen shared with HR Leader’s sister brand, Lawyers Weekly.

“I think my experience working in both fee-earning and support roles in law firms, as well as my background in-house, provides me with a unique perspective on the needs of both law firm employees and our clients.”

Gilchrist Connell said it was likely this was the first appointment of a CEO with a people and culture and human resources background.

Wood, who will transition into an active, client-focused role, said the firm “canvassed all options” during its 18-month recruitment search.

“Simply, Belinda was the best person for the job,” Wood said.

“She gets us and understands the path we’ve chosen. The firm will continue its trajectory and success under her stewardship.”

Reflecting on her career to date, Cohen said she has thrived in having variety, in the ability to innovate within legal frameworks, and from having “intellectual debates with colleagues in pursuit of best practice outcomes”. This, Cohen added, has remained an “anchor”.

In her first legal role, Cohen said she was faced with the firm’s belief that the “best way to learn was to throw you in the deep end”, which saw her instructing a silk on day one and running a three-week Supreme Court trial by the three-month mark.

“Whilst I don’t recommend this approach these days, it was certainly a baptism of fire and a rich learning environment.

“I gained skills in those early years that have sustained me for decades and across many different roles,” Cohen said.

In addition to co-authoring books and conducting research into the neuroscience of risk-taking behaviour in corporate settings, Cohen has run a high-volume litigation practice, coached staff, delivered cultural change programs, and redesigned service delivery models.

During her four years as Gilchrist Connell’s chief people officer, Cohen said she supported the workforce through the pandemic, all while increasing the firm’s overall revenue and headcount.

“I couldn’t have done this without the support of the firm’s leaders and the amazing team of people I lead – it has been a true team effort and a privilege to have been a part of, and of course, continue,” Cohen said.

Drawing on her experience as CPO, Cohen has identified four main challenges in the legal profession to tackle: the war on talent, especially in a sector-focused firm; the motivation of multiple generations; employee wellness; and the evolution of leadership.

Reflecting on the first, Cohen said this would require constant delivery on the employee promise, which means “adapting and listening to your people and what’s important to them”.

On the latter, Cohen said firms are asking more from leaders.

“In response, we are heavily investing in upskilling our leaders to be able to meet the multiple demands of their roles and to have the skills to support and develop their people,” Cohen said.

Cohen said she “appreciates the size of the shoes” she will be stepping into but is confident she can continue Wood’s leadership of the firm’s clear ambition and strategy to be the leading Australian insurance sector law firm.

“Since the day I joined Gilchrist Connell back in October 2020, I have worked with some of the most compelling and collegiate people I have encountered in my career. This gets me out of bed in the morning and isn’t going to change with the transition.

“I don’t expect our clients’ experience of Gilchrist Connell will change. The team they know and trust will continue to deliver the work to progress their business goals – I am just the lucky person who gets to lead this incredible team,” Cohen said.

Since Gilchrist Connell started in 2008, Wood said the firm has grown tenfold and has become “a more complex and dynamic organisation”. In 2024 alone, 90 people have joined, and the firm is set to welcome another 30 in the following months.

“We have a vision and a clear strategy to achieve that. I’m confident the firm will stay on strategy,” Wood said.

“I’ll stay on with the firm, continuing to serve my clients whilst also providing strategic and management experience as needed.”