Our protection specialists
Our team of protection specialists provide focused, adviser-led support for large cases, estate planning and business protection. From tailored training and live webinars to one-to-one sessions, they’re ready to help you manage high-value cases.
Karen Leys - Specialist Protection Team Lead
Karen has been in financial services since beginning her career as a graduate trainee at Sun Life in the City of London in 1988. She brings a wealth of experience in the adviser market across protection and pensions, having served as an Account Manager for Friends Provident, Winterthur, and Aegon.
Currently, she is the Lead for the Specialist Protection Team at Royal London.
In her role, Karen collaborates with teams across protection, holistic, and workplace to support advisers with business protection and estate planning. Her team delivers training through webinars and workshops and provides hands-on support for large and complex cases.
Nathan Douse – Senior Protection Specialist
Nathan is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 25 years of financial services experience both in a business development and an adviser capacity, bringing a wealth of experience across pensions, investments, and protection.
He's now part of Royal London's Specialist Protection Team, supporting sales teams and their advisers in developing business protection and estate planning opportunities.
His role includes running training sessions and webinars, helping advisers looking to enter new markets including supporting them through this, and assisting with large and/or complex cases.
Adrian Bates - Senior Protection Specialist
Adrian has worked in the insurance industry since 1977. During that time, he has mainly worked in life assurance sales, as a BDM for several life offices, a protection adviser, and Head of Protection with a large national advice firm.
In his role within the Specialist Protection Team at Royal London, he shares his extensive knowledge with advisers on topics such as business protection, IHT protection planning, and large sum assured cases. He also provides insights on how to position the need for protection with clients and structure effective solutions.
David Cunningham - Senior Protection Specialist
Based in Edinburgh, David brings a strong background in adviser development and protection strategy, with a particular focus on IHT and business protection. His expertise includes relevant life plans, key person cover and business continuity planning.
David plays a pivotal role in delivering training sessions, webinars, and large case support, often collaborating with colleagues across the Specialist Protection Team. He provides support on complex cases to advisers and our sales teams.
Robert Betts - Senior Protection Specialist
Robert brings over 30 years of experience in financial services, having worked across a number of insurers, specialising in protection development with a focus on business, wealth and estate planning. He has also worked as a corporate adviser in the employee benefits and group propositions market.
A regular industry speaker for over 20 years, Robert has played an influential role in many leading industry bodies. Now, as part of Royal London's Specialist Protection Team, his focus is on helping advisers grow their understanding of protection in the areas of corporate and estate planning - enabling them to better connect with clients and deliver robust, value-for-money strategies.
Michelle Mackenzie - Specialist Protection Telephony Account Manager
Michelle began her career in financial services in 2007 at Aegon, where she developed a strong foundation in the UK protection and intermediary markets. Her dedication and passion for protection quickly earned her a promotion to Protection Account Manager.
Michelle now specialises in supporting advisers with business protection and estate planning cases, guiding them from quote to completion. She works closely with the Royal London's Specialist Protection Team, helping to identify opportunities and deliver tailored solutions that meet client needs.
Her collaborative approach and deep market knowledge make her a trusted partner for advisers navigating complex protection scenarios.
Eoin Meagle – Specialist Protection Telephony Account Manager
Originally from Dublin, Eoin began his career in insurance in 2006, where he worked for well-known providers, including the AA, Aon, and Allianz.
He began his profession in health insurance and achieved the Professional Diploma in Insurance with the Insurance Institute of Ireland. In May 2018, shortly after relocating to the UK, he joined Aegon as a Consultant, where he found his passion for the protection industry and quickly achieved the Certificate in Insurance with the Chartered Insurance Industry.
Eoin is now an integral part of the Specialist Protection Team at Royal London supporting advisers with business protection and estate planning enquiries.
Chris Fail - Specialist Protection Telephony Account Manager
Chris has worked in the protection market since 2016, after spending four years in Commercial Insurance. He has held positions at Aegon and LV= as a Telephone Account Manager, where he supported the growth of advisory businesses in the protection market.
As a key member of the Specialist Protection Team, Chris supports advisers with large cases, business protection, and estate planning. He specialises in identifying opportunities within these complex areas and offers expert guidance on complex queries about IHT and business protection. Chris also provides training in these areas for advisers and their teams.
Contact our Specialist Protection Team
If you'd like any help in this market, or have a specific case you'd like to discuss, email our protection specialists at
ceppsteammailbox@royallondon.com