LUCIDA GROUP

Company background

Backed by UK mid-market private equity firm LDC, Lucida Group is a rapidly growing group of specialist insurance broking businesses, operating across private car, motorcycle, commercial, breakdown and third-party administration insurance markets.
 
The Group brings together a portfolio of well-established, best-in-class brands – including Autoaid, Autosaint, Autonational, Bennetts, Bike Devil, Constructaquote, Eurorescue, First Motor, First Van, Ladybird, Right Choice Insurance Brokers and XO Broker – under a single umbrella to unlock economies of scale, cross-selling opportunities and shared commercial insight.
 
Lucida Group continues to explore opportunities in the insurance market, with a view to delivering continued growth and long-term value to its stakeholders.

The brief

As Lucida Group enters its next phase of growth, the business identified the need for a new Group CFO capable of operating at the intersection of financial rigour and strategic ambition in a complex, multi-entity PE-backed environment.
 
Directorbank was appointed to lead the search, with the assignment managed by Simon Thomas.
 
The incoming Group CFO would support the CEO and wider leadership team, balancing the disciplines of strong cash and capital management, robust financial control and FCA regulatory compliance. Commercially astute, they would simultaneously serve as a strong partner to the business, translating financial insight into operational and strategic decisions through an intelligent data-driven approach.

The ideal candidate required:

• Significant experience in PE-backed or M&A-active environments, with hands-on exposure to transaction processes and a track record through to successful exit.
• Proven expertise in budgeting, forecasting, cost control and cash flow management at a group or multi-entity level.
• Deep understanding of FCA financial regulation and obligations.
• Demonstrable ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive results through cross-functional collaboration.

The process

Directorbank conducted a thorough and structured search process, mapping the market to identify businesses where comparable complexity and regulatory requirements exist. More than 30 proven candidates were assessed against the brief, with a shortlist of five presented to the Lucida team.

The result

James Burniston was appointed Group CFO in December 2025. James is a CIMA-qualified finance professional with over 16 years’ experience in the automotive insurance sector. He brings a strong track record across commercial finance, business strategy, cash management and P&L growth having held senior leadership roles at Lloyd Latchford Group, Atlanta Group and Markerstudy Distribution. His deep sector knowledge, combined with his experience of driving performance in complex, multi-brand environments, make him a great fit for Lucida Group’s ambitions.