Two years later, in 1982, the office name was changed to West of England (Hellas) Ltd. By this time, staffing levels had increased to accommodate six claims handlers and assistants, reflecting the rising number of claims which were being generated in the burgeoning Greek maritime market. After John sadly passed away in 2006, Anna Kountouriotou took over the running of the business. In January 2011, Anna was succeeded in turn by Ian Clarke, who moved from the Club’s London office to assume the role of Head of Claims & Regional Director (Hellas).

Ian still fulfils these duties today, heading up a staff of 15 which collectively handles claims for approximately a quarter of the Club’s membership. The office is now fully established as West’s regional claims service centre for Greece, Cyprus and the UAE, cementing a relationship with the Greek shipping community which can trace its foundations into the distant past. The Los family, to cite just one example, has been with the Club for more than 100 years.

Having celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019, West of England (Hellas) Ltd is proud to have worked with some of Greece’s leading shipping companies, dealing with ships of all types. The office has handled many high-profile cases where substantial claims were involved, including the Express Samina case, where a RoPax ferry sank after hitting a reef outside Paros island’s main port, resulting in the loss of 81 lives, and the Norman Atlantic case, in which a car ferry caught fire in the Adriatic Sea and, again, many lives were lost. The office has also settled landmark legal disputes such as the Aquafaith and Griffon cases.

An additional source of pride is the office’s charity work. It supports Symplefsi, set up by doctors and nurses to deliver medical and educational supplies and services to remote Greek islands and encourages a staff member’s role with Charity Idols, which auctions sports memorabilia to raise money for humanitarian causes throughout Greece.