Team

Erin Hamrick has over thirty years of experience in the insurance industry and two decades in executive search. She has partnered with boards, CEOs, and senior leaders across property/casualty, reinsurance, life/annuity, brokerage, and insurance-related financial services, as well as private equity and venture-backed firms.

A Lebanon, Pennsylvania native, Erin discovered her passion for golf in high school, becoming the first female to play on the boys’ varsity team. She graduated from Villanova University and began her career at The Hartford in Atlanta, gaining experience in underwriting and marketing before moving to Hamilton Dorsey Alston as a broker.

Erin later joined Heidrick & Struggles’ Insurance Practice, rising to Partner, then worked at Spencer Stuart before founding Sterling James in 2011. Through Sterling James, she built a leading insurance-focused search firm known for advancing female executive representation.

Recognized as the 2016 APIW Woman of the Year and one of Reactions Magazine’s Top 50 Women in Re/Insurance, Erin has contributed to research on gender disparity and written for Carrier Management. She has served as Chair of the LPGA Foundation Board, Trustee of Georgia State University’s Risk Management Foundation, and Strategic Advisor to Talent Guard

Ian has deep experience in board and executive level search across the insurance, wider financial services and professional service sectors. His work spans public, private and private equity backed companies as well as Not For Profit organisations. Over a 28-year period, Ian has handled global assignments as well as country specific assignments in the UK, US, Bermuda, Continental Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific.

Before moving into search, Ian was a Managing Director at Newman Martin & Buchan Ltd, London-based insurance brokerage firm. Ian also worked in the US specialty insurance industry for seven years at Global Special Risks Inc., a Lloyd’s coverholder. Ian began his career at Willis Faber Plc.

Ian holds a BA in Economics and Politics from the University of York and an MBA from INSEAD. He is a trustee of the Whitley Fund for Nature, a conservation charity and Rivertime Trust, a charity that assists handicapped people and others who are in need. Ian is also a governor of a girls’ primary school in London. Ian was for the six years until 2018 the Senior Independent Director of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey and Chairman of Durrell UK.

Amanda brings nearly a decade of experience in the insurance sector, with her background as an executive search professional shaped by her early career as an Underwriter with Chubb’s Public Entity team and later as a Broker with Willis Towers Watson’s Large & Complex Casualty team in New York.

Prior to joining Sterling James, she held roles with Eliot Partnership and Korn Ferry, where she executed on global senior executive searches for Commercial P&C, Life & Health, and Personal Insurance organizations.

Amanda is a graduate of New York University.

Freddie has ten years of professional experience in executive search and international communications. Before joining Sterling James in 2026, Freddie spent almost six years with Sainty Hird & Partners, a leading global executive search, assessment and development firm.

Freddie’s focus is on insurance executive and non-executive search across the UK, Lloyd’s, North American and international markets, with expertise in market mapping, succession planning and compensation analysis.

Prior to moving into executive search, Freddie worked in public relations and communications as a Senior Account Manager at The PC Agency, representing a portfolio of global travel and aviation clients including tourism boards, luxury cruise lines, and international airlines.

Freddie has a BA in Classical & Ancient Studies from the University of Nottingham and has also completed his Award in London Market Insurance from the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).

With over 25 years of experience in retained executive search, Jennifer’s talent acquisition background encompasses senior level engagements for insurance, financial services and professional firms.

Recent years have led to Jen focusing almost exclusively on the needs of insurance clients given the changing nature of the industry. Over the course of her career, Jen has conducted work for public and private companies as well as private-equity-backed and not-for-profit entities.

Her work includes international clients and complex projects with needs intersecting Europe and North America. Having led more than 500 successful search projects, Jen has also led recruitment process teams and complex multi-location/ multi-business engagements.

Prior to Sterling James, Jen founded and led Reed Jones Partners – a boutique executive search firm. Her previous executive search experience includes senior roles with Heidrick & Struggles, CTPartners and Korn/Ferry International. The foundation of her success comes from leading recruiting initiatives for investment banking firms Morgan Stanley, Barclays and Lehman Brothers. Jen holds a professional coaching certification and is a graduate of Smith College.

Bertie joined Sterling James in 2026 after almost five years at the European Tour Group, the leading professional golf tour in Europe, where he was part of the Strategy team and led Insights for the business. Prior to the European Tour, Bertie worked for Sainty Hird & Partners in the Insurance team, where he worked on a wide array of executive and non-executive searches.

Bertie’s search focus spans both Insurance and Sports, drawing upon his prior experience and deep networks in both industries.

Bertie holds an MEng in Materials Science from Oxford University and a distinction in LSE’s managerial finance course.

Jenner is an integral part of the Sterling James team. She directs and manages all administrative functions as well as helps research, coordinate and manage projects. Working with both clients and candidates, Jenner‘s vivacious personality and absolute attention to detail provides continuity and organization to our business globally. She is a graduate of William Smith College.