Job Moves and Senior Appointments 19.01.26 -

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OK, it is time once more for a round up of senior appointments across the insurance sector;

QBE RE

QBE Re, the reinsurance division of global insurance group QBE, has appointed Sven Liu as Head of Greater China.

Sven brings more than 16 years’ experience across Asia and Europe, gained with leading global reinsurers. He is a multi-line underwriter and has held senior leadership roles across Greater China spanning underwriting, client management and business development with Munich Re and Scor.

In the newly created role, Sven will oversee portfolio management and growth opportunities for the Greater China region.

HDI GLOBAL

HDI Global (HDI) announces the appointment of Hiro Yamasaki as Managing Director and Legal Representative of its Japanese branch, marking an important milestone in the Corporate & Specialty insurer’s growth strategy for the region. Yamasaki brings over 25 years of experience in commercial Property & Casualty underwriting, portfolio management, and international leadership.

Hiro Yamasaki has held senior roles in Japan and the U.S., leading large-scale underwriting initiatives and managing group-wide Nat-Cat exposure. Most recently, he served in a global corporate underwriting function, where he drove underwriting enhancements, Nat-Cat exposure optimisation, and advanced AI strategies within the underwriting domain. His strong track record in disciplined underwriting, cross-cultural leadership, and sustainable growth will support HDI Global Japan’s next stage of development.

AVIVA LIFE AND PENSIONS IRELAND

Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland DAC (Aviva) has appointed Trisha Gibbons (ABOVE) as Director of Corporate Development and Assurance, joining the company’s Executive Committee in this newly created role. In her role, Trisha will lead Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland DAC’s governance and assurance function, strengthen risk and control frameworks, and support the sustainable growth of the business.

Sharon Slack Appointed Head of Trading, Commercial Lines at Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC

Sharon Slack has been appointed Head of Trading, Commercial Lines at Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC (Aviva). Sharon joined Aviva in 2022 as SME, Etrade & Schemes Manager, where her collaborative approach and focus on broker service have been instrumental in growing the business profitably. In her new role, Sharon will lead Aviva’s Commercial Lines Trading function for all areas except Speciality and Financial Lines.

John Bissett Appointed to Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC Board
Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC (Aviva) has appointed John Bissett to its Board, bringing extensive experience and insight to the organisation’s governance and broker representation.

NEONICHE

NeoNiche Integrated Solutions, a leader in full-service experiential marketing, has grown to become a prominent player in the industry, known for blending innovative technology with creative brand experiences for prominent technology and B2C brands globally. NeoNiche has appointed Sheraz Hasan, former Head of Marketing for AWS across Asia Pacific & Japan, to its Leadership Board.

CFC

CFC, the specialist insurance provider, pioneer in emerging risk and market leader in cyber, today announces the appointment of Christyn Yoast to the role of Global Head of Commercial, to drive the group’s commercial strategy across its growing global footprint. Yoast is expected to start in January 2026 and will be based in New York.

Louise O’Shea, CFC Group CEO, said: “I am delighted to welcome Christyn to CFC. She brings extensive experience in cultivating strategic partnerships and driving business growth. Her specialist insurance background, people-first approach and deep SME and digital knowledge make her an excellent fit for our business”.

CFC also announces that Nick Line has joined the business as Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO).

Line joins CFC from Markel International, where he served as CUO, bringing with him a wealth of global leadership experience, a strong actuarial background, and a proven track record in managing multi-billion-pound portfolios.

His expertise in building high-performing, international teams will be instrumental as CFC continues to deliver on its ambitious growth strategy.

COWBELL

Cowbell, a leading provider of adaptive cyber and specialty insurance solutions for global small and mid‑market organizations, today announced the appointment of Simon Hughes as Chief Commercial Officer. Hughes, who previously served as SVP, Global Distribution & GM, UK, will oversee Cowbell’s global commercial strategy, including distribution, partnerships, international expansion, and market development.

Since joining Cowbell to launch and lead the company’s UK operations, Hughes has played a pivotal role in expanding Cowbell’s international footprint and strengthening its distribution ecosystem. His appointment comes as Cowbell advances the next cycle of its organizational journey, focused on sustained growth, operational profitability, and continued global expansion.

PRICE FORBES

Price Forbes Re announces that Nick Frankland has been appointed to the role of non-executive chairman, effective 1^st January 2026 and based in London (subject to regulatory approvals).

Frankland brings more than 45 years of industry experience to the chairman role. He has previously held numerous senior roles at Aon – where he was Reinsurance CEO for London & Bermuda and most recently Chairman of the Global Strategy & Technology Group – and Guy Carpenter (latterly EMEA CEO) and currently serves as non-executive chair at Faraday Underwriting Ltd in Lloyd’s. He has also held senior roles at brokerages including R K Carvill, BMS Re and Winchester Bowring Ltd.

EQUIPSME

Business health insurance specialists Equipsme have appointed Anne-Maire Preston as a Business Development Manager, as the MGA continues to build momentum and fill the middle ground gap between traditional PMI and cash plans.

Anne-Marie joins Equipsme’s distribution team from AXA Health, who are also the main capacity provider underwriting the physiotherapy, private diagnosis and treatment elements of Equipsme plans. Anne-Marie has more than 25 years’ experience in the insurance sector, with 17 years working in PMI at AXA Health – most recently as an Intermediary Sales Manager. She brings to Equipsme a wealth of knowledge about the market, broker challenges and client priorities.

WORLDWIDE BROKER NETWORK

Worldwide Broker Network (WBN) has announced a change in its Board of Directors, naming Gurpal Dhingra, Joint Managing Director of Prudent Insurance, as Chairman of the Board, along with the appointment of a new Treasurer, Benjamin Verlingue, Chairman & CEO of Adelaide. The network also confirmed the addition of new broker members across four continents, reflecting WBN’s continued international growth.

As part of WBN’s long-term succession and board rotation plan, Dhingra assumes the position of Chairman of the Board, marking the first Chairman to represent the Asian continent, a milestone that underscores the network’s commitment to diverse leadership.

“We are delighted to elevate Gurpal to the Chairman role,” said Olga Collins, CEO of WBN. “His global perspective, deep industry experience, and collaborative approach will be invaluable as we grow our network solutions, expand into new markets, and continue delivering exceptional value for our members and their clients worldwide.”

In addition, Scott Davis, President of National Specialties of EPIC, has been appointed to the executive committee representing North America. Brian Hetherington, WBN’s current Chairman, will move into an Ex Officio role to support a seamless transition to Dhingra.

LIRG

Algorithmic Insurance Services, Inc., doing business as LIRG, a specialty reinsurance brokerage and risk advisory platform focused on parametric, structured, and alternative risk transfer, has announced the appointment of Orla Roche as Chief Marketing Officer.

In her role as CMO, Roche will lead LIRG’s global marketing strategy, brand positioning, digital presence, and content development across all divisions of the firm, including reinsurance brokerage, parametric solutions, and MGU incubation. She will also play a central role in shaping LIRG’s thought leadership, media strategy, and upcoming podcast initiatives.

Roche brings a proven track record of executing high-impact marketing strategies tailored to the modern social and digital media environment. Prior to joining LIRG, she held senior marketing leadership roles, including at Vitamin Energy, where she successfully led brand growth initiatives, content strategy, and audience engagement across multiple platforms.

CRX MARKETS

Sebastian Hofmann-Werther joins CRX Markets from 360T (Deutsche Börse Group), where he most recently served as Chief Revenue Officer FX & Digital and as a member of the Group Executive Board. In his new role, he will assume overall responsibility for corporate strategy, human resources, as well as the global client business and marketing at CRX Markets. His focus will be on scaling CRX Markets internationally, opening up new markets and client segments, and further strengthening the CRX Markets brand.

PRESTIGE UNDERWRITING

Prestige Underwriting today announces the promotion of Katy Peacock to the role of Head of Home, Product and Governance. Peacock joined Prestige Underwriting in 2015 and has over 20 years of experience in personal lines underwriting.

In her new role, Peacock will oversee the development and governance of Prestige’s home insurance portfolio, ensuring robust underwriting rigour and the delivery of market-leading home products in nonstandard. She will work closely with Charlotte Baker and Emma Attfield, who will support her in leading the Home Underwriting team.

Baker, previously Property Underwriting Team Leader, now serves as Underwriting Manager, while Attfield has moved from her Schemes Manager role to become Product Manager. Together, they will further strengthen Prestige’s home underwriting proposition for brokers and the wider market.

PEN UNDERWRITING

Pen Underwriting, the multi-class multi-territory managing general agent (MGA), has appointed Darren Glover as Senior Development Underwriter for Northern Ireland. Darren joins Pen’s Commercial Risk Managed team, which serves brokers and clients across the UK, expanding its network of dedicated underwriting expertise to Northern Ireland.

Darren brings more than 30 years’ experience across the full spectrum of property, casualty and property owners’ risks. Having started his career as a commercial insurance broker, he has first-hand knowledge of what brokers are looking for. Darren has since held various senior development underwriter and underwriting manager roles, all based in Northern Ireland. He joins from fellow MGA Generation Underwriting, where he has been Northern Ireland Underwriting Manager since 2021, before which he worked at MS Amlin, Chubb, Zurich and RSA.

ALTEA INSURANCE

Altea Insurance (Altea), the multi-class managing general agent specialising in the healthcare and medical sectors, has appointed Chloe Archer as an underwriter. She will be based in London and will report directly to Carly Matson, CEO.

Carly Matson, CEO of Altea said: “We are delighted to welcome Chloe to Altea. Her strong technical insight and trusted broker relationships will help ensure brokers continue to receive the high level of service they have come to expect from Altea.

“Chloe’s knowledge of the healthcare sector will enhance the team’s capability across the portfolio. Her expertise will also support our commitment to providing bespoke, reliable coverage and the high-quality, long-term capacity our clients value.”

ALUMIA

Alumia, a leading investment advisory firm recognized for its independent and innovative approach, is pleased to announce the appointment of Christian Barozzi as Sales Director (Tied Agent), reinforcing its presence in Switzerland and Italy.

Christian brings over 25 years of experience in financial markets, wealth management, and fund distribution, having held senior roles at Société Générale, Lazard Frères Gestion (through Global Funds Europe Ltd, exclusively for the Italian market), and Global Funds Distribution SA. He is currently Co-Founder and CEO of Fundsgate SA, a Lugano-based firm specializing in third-party fund distribution, and serves as Vice President of Pragmatik Innovation, a digital innovation hub, as well as Advisor to Motus Hub, a sustainable business ecosystem.

SUN LIFE

Sun Life recently announced the appointment of Frankie Leung as the new Chief Agency Officer for Asia, effective March 16, 2026.

As Chief Agency Officer, Frankie will be responsible for driving Sun Life’s Asia agency business and key initiatives including agency recruitment, activation, compensation, training and development, and recognition. Reporting to the Chief Client and Distribution Officer, Asia, Frankie will be based in Sun Life’s Asia regional office in Hong Kong.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Frankie to Sun Life,” commented David Broom, Chief Client and Distribution Officer for Asia. “His leadership will be invaluable as we accelerate the growth of our agency business and bring our advisor value proposition to life across the region. Frankie will play an instrumental role on how we enhance our advisor experience from investing in their development, strengthening their ability to support Clients’ financial wellbeing, and equipping them with the tools and training needed to deliver confident, future-ready financial planning.”

AXA UK COMMERCIAL

AXA UK Commercial has appointed Caroline Dunn as Chief Underwriting Officer following the announced retirement of David Ovenden, who has been in post since December 2021. Most recently Caroline was Chief Underwriting Officer at Zurich UK and will join AXA UK Commercial on 1 July. David will stay with the business until the summer to ensure a smooth transition.

At Zurich, Caroline led underwriting strategy, with a strong focus on technical discipline, portfolio performance and sustainable growth. Prior to Zurich, she spent seven years at Lloyd’s of London in senior underwriting roles, with responsibility for underwriting oversight and performance across the Lloyd’s market business.

CHAUCER

Chaucer Group (‘Chaucer’), the global specialty (re)insurance group, today announces the appointment of Les Loh to the role chief executive officer Singapore, effective from 2nd March 2026, subject to regulatory approval. In his new role, Loh will report to Angus Milgate, global head of distribution. Loh succeeds Margaret To, who will transition to a consultancy role. In addition, Chaucer has appointed Dan Bryan as head of reinsurance Asia Pacific (APAC), who will take up his new role in Q2 2026, reporting into Loh.

Loh joins from Guy Carpenter where he held the role of CEO Southeast Asia and Korea. He brings with him more than 27 years of experience across broking and underwriting, having also held roles at AXIS Capital, notably as president, APAC, and Benfield, as a senior broker. He is a significant figure in the APAC market and his appointment reflects Chaucer’s ambition in the region.

QBE

International business insurer QBE is aiming to grow its presence within the Life Science sector in the Nordics, having appointed Henrik Hansen to the newly created role of senior Life Science underwriter.

Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, Henrik Hansen is in charge of developing QBE’s Pharma – Life Science (PLS) portfolio across the Nordics. QBE’s policies cover businesses whose products or services help diagnose, prevent, or treat diseases in both humans and animals.

“We created this role to support our growth plan in the life science sector,” said Henrik Larsen, general manager, QBE Nordics. “Henrik decided to join us because he wanted to be part of that growth journey. We’re very glad to have him on board and we trust our partners will appreciate his background and expertise.”

ARCH

Arch Insurance UK Regional Division today announced the appointment of James Heys as Senior Property & Casualty Underwriter, effective immediately.

In this role, Heys is responsible for driving new business development across the property and casualty portfolio with a regional focus on East Anglia. Based in Colchester, he reports to David Mann, Colchester Branch Manager.

Bringing over 20 years of UK insurance market experience to the position, Heys joins Arch from Victor Insurance where he was most recently UK Sports Product Lead. Prior to this, he was a Commercial Underwriter at MS Amlin.

MNK INTERNATIONAL

MNK International, a leading independent Lloyd’s of London broker, has appointed Chief Executive Officer Jamie Illing to lead a new offer to the South African and broader Southern African market. Illing brings more than 30 years of local and international insurance and reinsurance experience across both underwriting and broking platforms. His career includes senior leadership roles at organisations such as Marsh, JLT Group, Independent Aviation, and Regent Insurance.

Under his leadership MNK International South Africa has a renewed focus, delivering high-quality corporate insurance and reinsurance solutions, underpinned by deep international market expertise and a commitment to supporting the local broker and insurer community.

DUCK CREEK

Duck Creek Technologies, the global intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property and casualty P&C and general insurance, recently announced the appointment of Jose Lazares as Chief Product Officer (CPO). In this role, Lazares will lead Duck Creek’s global product organization, and play a central role in setting product and platform vision, advancing AI innovation, and turning strategic priorities into customer-focused roadmaps across its cloud platform.

Lazares brings more than two decades of experience building, scaling, and delivering cloud-based software platforms across SaaS, PaaS, and enterprise environments. He is widely recognized for leading applied AI initiatives that support intelligent decision-making, process automation, and enterprise-wide adoption while driving sustained revenue growth.