Profile
“What truly drives me is the positive impact I can have on others, knowing that every decision affects our partners, employees, and their families”
Philip Mortimer, Heffernan Insurance Brokers
After steadily rising through the ranks at a pair of major technology and pharmaceutical companies, becoming the CFO of a large, highly respected insurance firm at the age of 36 was no easy task for Philip Mortimer.
For the CFO at Heffernan Insurance Brokers, this achievement represents years of commitment to professional growth, an emphasis on talent development, and an unrelenting work ethic.
Hailing from Clondalkin in Dublin, Ireland, Mortimer brought his talents across the pond with a determination to prove himself in a new country and a new industry.
“While I’ve always known I wanted a career in finance and accounting, I’ve also learned that success comes from staying open to opportunity and being ready when it arrives. I always want to challenge myself at the highest level possible,” he says.
1350 Carlback Ave., Walnut Creek, CA
925 934 8500
pmckenna@msigusa.com
linkedin.com/in/philip-mortimer-fca-cia-9603a966
heffins.com
Philip Mortimer
Chief Financial Officer Heffernan Insurance Brokers
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“The biggest challenge is managing growth while modernizing our technology and processes. The insurance industry is evolving rapidly, and as we scale, we need to ensure our people, systems, and data are ready for the next level”
Philip Mortimer,
Heffernan Insurance Brokers
2011
2011–2014
2014–2023
2023–Present
2020–Present
Trained in public accounting in Dublin, Ireland and qualified as a Chartered Accountant and Registered Auditor
2011
Moved to Oracle as a Senior Accountant for Croatian and Cyprus entities before moving to the UK entity
2011–2014
2014-2015: Senior International Accountant at BioMarin Pharmaceutical
2015-2016: Manager, EMEA Policy and Statutory Reporting
2016-2017: Senior Manager EMEA Accounting
2017-2019: Senior Manager, Business Process and Transformation
2019-2021: Associate Director, Internal Audit
2021-2023: Director, Internal Audit & Data Analytics, GCE
2014–2023
Chief Financial Officer at Heffernan Insurance Brokers
2023–Present
2020–2025: US President, Crawford Global Technical Services (GTS)
2025–Present: President of US Loss Adjusting, Crawford & Company
2020–Present
Milestones
Milestones
ELITE WOMEN 2024 JUDGE
Since arriving as chief financial officer at Heffernan in February 2023, Mortimer has drawn on his background in finance, transformation, and internal audit to look for ways to improve productivity, profitability, and customer service. He is steadfast in his belief that business innovations should also fit with Heffernan’s culture, which emphasizes collaboration in the workplace, philanthropy, and community involvement.
“What truly drives me is the positive impact I can have on others, knowing that every decision affects our partners, employees, and their families,” he explains. “That sense of responsibility, combined with a belief that independent firms can set new benchmarks for excellence, fuels my commitment to perform.”
Adaptability, along with his commitment to staying ahead of technological and industry shifts, continues to set Mortimer apart from his peers. With his ability to rapidly navigate organizational change, complex M&A activity, and the integration of new technologies to streamline processes, the IBA Hot 100 honoree has been a driving force behind Heffernan’s future-ready strategy.
“Transparent communication has helped me build trust across departments and navigate organizational growth with composure. It’s also what enables me to meet the expectations of the business, so that I can bridge strategic vision with hands-on execution, which I believe is a critical balance for any finance leader.”
Across the country, insurance firms are navigating how to successfully modernize their technology while sustaining growth. Mortimer focuses on achieving that balance at Heffernan by maintaining its entrepreneurial culture while continuing to build stronger, more efficient operations. “The biggest challenge is managing growth while modernizing our technology and processes. The insurance industry is evolving rapidly, and as we scale, we need to ensure our people, systems, and data are ready for the next level,” he says. “That means investing in technology, building strong internal talent pipelines, and ensuring every financial or operational change aligns with our long-term vision.”
With these rapid changes occurring in the insurance landscape, Mortimer has prioritized the development of a high-functioning team that can remain resilient to market forces and adaptable to technological innovation.
“I see the next year as an opportunity to create further process efficiencies and deepen our integration of technology into our operations, making data more actionable and freeing our teams to focus on higher-value work.”
He adds, “Equally important is investing in people: developing leadership depth within the finance and operations teams so that growth creates opportunity at every level. I want to ensure that the progress we make, whether through innovation, process improvement, or cultural alignment, strengthens the organization long after any individual project is complete.”