It’s time for the weekly job moves and appointments round up, so here goes;
WHITE BEAR GROUP
White Bear Group, incorporating Lloyd’s Managing Agency, Blenheim Underwriting Ltd, and the MGA trading platform, White Bear Managers Ltd, is pleased to announce the appointment of Tara Woodward as Bloodstock Underwriter and Madeline Long as Bloodstock Underwriting Assistant. The pair will aid in further expanding the White Bear Manager’s portfolio of specialist MGA trading units, which now includes Bloodstock alongside Energy Liability, Builders Risk, Management Liability, and Aviation.
Following an amicable departure from Ryan Specialty Group, Bloodstock will continue to operate under a binding authority agreement backed by Lloyd’s capacity that now includes the addition of Blenheim Syndicate 5886.
PIB GROUP
PIB Group Ltd (‘PIB’) has appointed Michael Hendriks as Chief Commercial Officer in Europe. His appointment further strengthens the Group’s European leadership team, and he will be reporting into Onno Janssen, the CEO for PIB Group Europe.
PIB’s international division focuses on retail brokerage and is rapidly growing its re-insurance, wholesale and underwriting business lines, offering regional consolidation opportunities and long-term growth potential.
In this new role, Michael will build on PIB’s international strategy and the development of its family of businesses. He will connect and replicate the breadth of capabilities across Europe to provide all PIB’s solutions to local and multinational clients. In parallel to this, Michael will have a particular focus on the German market, where he is based and where PIB recently acquired Munich-based Contego.
GILC
Global Insurance Law Connect (GILC) announces that Abeledo Gottheil Abogados has joined its legal network. The Buenos Aires headquartered firm provides services in insurance and business law to domestic and international corporate clients.
Abeledo Gottheil is the fifth firm from the Americas to join the network and the 26th firm globally. Established in 1963, the firm has more than 60 lawyers and 15 partners, and prides itself on being a full-service law firm with focus areas in insurance law and beyond, covering corporate law, tax, labour law, contracts, litigation & arbitration. The firm has long-standing clients in several industrial and commercial sectors, such as energy, automotive, aviation, technology and electronics, food, beverages, engineering, procurement and construction, and consulting services.
DWF
DWF, the global provider of integrated legal and business services, has announced the appointment of Viran Ram as a new partner joining the Global Risks insurance team focusing on property and related liability.
Viran brings 20 years’ experience to his new role at DWF and joins the business after 12 years at Clyde & Co, where he was made partner in 2019. Viran runs a national practice providing cost effective solutions for Insurers on claims of any value. He focuses on policy coverage, subrogated recoveries, and non-injury defence work in property and liability lines, predominantly for London market insurers and also composite insurers.
TOKIO MARINE HCC
Tokio Marine HCC (TMHCC) – Specialty Group, a member of the Tokio Marine HCC group of companies based in Houston, Texas, has announced the appointment of Sam Austen as Senior Film and TV Production Underwriter. Based in London, Sam will further strengthen the specialist expertise in the Contingency and Professional Risk – Media, Film & TV divisions, both in the UK and in collaboration with Tokio Marine’s global network.
Sam’s hire is part of a broader expansion of TMHCC’s Film & TV offering and is complimentary to recent hires in London, Paris, Dusseldorf and Barcelona facilitating new Entertainment underwriting capabilities through its Lloyd’s syndicate, HCC International Insurance Company PLC, and Tokio Marine Europe. He will report to Neil Paddon, Head of Contingency Underwriting within TMHCC – Specialty Group’s International division.
ARCH
Arch Insurance (EU) dac (“AIEU” or “the Company”) today announced the promotion of Duncan Smith to Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”).
As CEO, Smith is responsible for leading the executive management team of AIEU and delivering on the Company’s growth plans for continental Europe through its expanding network of branch offices. AIEU provides specialist insurance solutions within the European Union, writing insurance business through its Property & Casualty and Mortgage divisions and providing capacity to Managing General Agents through its Alwyn Europe division.
Smith joined Arch in 2005 and was most recently Deputy CEO of AIEU. Prior to this, he was Head of Professional Lines for Arch Insurance International.
ARCH CREDIT UNDERWRITING
Arch Insurance International (Arch) has also announced the promotion of Tim Watson to Credit Underwriting Manager, effective immediately.
In this role, Watson is responsible for managing all credit-related underwriting activities across the team’s Credit & Political Risk portfolio which spans non-payment, non-delivery cover and the full suite of political risk coverages. Based in London, he reports to Ed Cornish, Head of Credit & Political Risk.
Most recently, Watson was a Senior Credit & Political Risk Underwriter, having joined Arch in 2021. Prior to this, he was a Credit & Political Risk Underwriter at Canopius. Watson is also Chair of the International Underwriting Association of London’s Political Risks Committee.
CENTRE FOR DISASTER PROTECTION
The Centre for Disaster Protection (the Centre) is delighted to announce the appointment of Emily White as its Chief Finance and Operations Officer. The new role has been created to position the Centre for its next phase, to further develop delivery capability to meet the growing momentum in the global disaster protection agenda.
Emily brings 20 years of experience in disaster risk financing, across (re)insurance, insurance-linked securities, and international development. She brings a breadth of leadership experience from organisations including Lloyds Banking Group, the World Bank, Lloyd’s of London and Flood Re.
PEN UNDERWRITING
Pen Underwriting today announces the appointment of Robert Dobson as Marine Claims Manager across the diverse range of specialisms which now make up Pen’s fast-growing marine practice.
Pen’s expanding team of technical underwriting and risk mitigation experts in this area cover everything from ports & terminals, marine trades and brown water hull to marine professionals, war risks and kidnap & ransom. Most recently, Pen announced the launch of a new London market yachts specialism to support the growing global yacht industry.
Bringing more than 40 years’ industry experience – all of which have been focused on marine claims management and adjusting – Robert has served in a range of senior marine claims director and management roles including at Argo Global, Aon, and Chubb Insurance Company of Europe.
MOSAIC INSURANCE
Mosaic Insurance has appointed executives Karen Reilly and David Barr to lead its respective US and international business growth in the environmental liability sector.
Based in Atlanta, GA, Reilly has 18-plus years of experience in the environmental insurance sphere, holding roles across underwriting, product development, and management throughout her career. She was among leading US environmental risk specialists Mosaic added to its team last year to drive a strategic buildout of business across the Americas. The expansion followed the company’s move to a new office in New York City, and its hiring of prominent specialty market executive Toby Smith as Americas CEO.
Barr has been based in London, UK since 2022, when Mosaic launched its global environmental liability division as the company’s seventh specialty underwriting unit. He is a qualified geologist with more than 30 years’ professional experience in environmental insurance underwriting and broking, the petroleum industry, and environmental consultancy.
“We’re proud to announce Karen and David to lead our growth and expand market engagement across their respective focus regions,” said Jim Finnamore, Global Head of Environmental Liability at Mosaic. “Both are highly respected, accomplished talents in our industry and their deep expertise will help drive our corporate growth in the sector.”
AON
Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, announces the appointment of John Neal as Global Chairman of Climate Solutions and Global CEO of Reinsurance for Aon, effective following the conclusion of his notice period.
Neal will help lead Aon’s efforts to address the growing and complex risks associated with climate change, while also building on the success of the firm’s industry-leading Reinsurance team, further enhancing the value Aon delivers to clients. His appointment arrives at a critical time as businesses and communities around the world must tackle increasing volatility driven by climate-related events, and as Aon continues to leverage its integrated Risk Capital capabilities to offer the firm’s clients advanced analytics, innovative solutions and access to new sources of capital. Neal will play an important role in delivering Reinsurance solutions to meet the evolving demands of today’s dynamic marketplace.
He will be based in London, reporting to Andy Marcell, CEO of Risk Capital for Aon, and serve as a member of the firm’s Risk Capital leadership team.
SOLOGENIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
The Sologenic Development Foundation announced Michael McCluskey as its new Chief Executive Officer. This leadership change comes at a pivotal time as Sologenic has recently partnered with a US-based broker-dealer to launch tokenization solutions and navigate the rapidly evolving regulatory environment.
Sologenic stands as the largest ecosystem built on the XRP Ledger, covering the entire user journey—from issuing digital assets to managing and trading them on a decentralized order book DEX.
McCluskey brings nearly two decades of experience from pivotal roles at Fidelity Investments and multiple fintech organizations while also being an active member of the Boston Blockchain Association. His expertise spans sales leadership, strategic partnerships, and payments technology, making him an ideal leader to propel Sologenic’s mission of merging traditional financial markets with modern blockchain solutions.
VOLT
Volt Underwriting, the new MGA formed to support clients active in the energy transition sector, is today joined by Tom Nooth-Cooper, one of London’s most prominent renewable energy underwriters. He was previously Head of Renewable Energy at Travelers Europe.
Volt Underwriting is one of the first MGAs to provide clients with coverage both for conventional power generation and renewable energy risks. It is backed by prominent, well-established Lloyd’s syndicates and has made a big impact on the market since its launch in October.
Be the first to comment