Job Moves and Senior Appointments 06.07.2026 -

london insurance market pexels-jimmykphotos-30946560

Time once again to round up the senior appointments news across the insurance sector.

HDI GLOBAL

As part of its strategic repositioning in the United States under the Xcelerate29 strategy, HDI Global (HDI) has appointed Justin Gress as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of its US business. The appointment complements the recently announced new leadership and organizational setup, designed to strengthen client centricity and bring underwriting, claims and service teams closer to brokers and clients.

Justin Gress is a senior insurance executive with over two decades of progressive leadership across operations, technology, and business transformation. His career includes Chief Operating Officer roles at global and specialty insurance organisations, most recently at Vantage Risk, as well as leadership positions at AXA XL and CNA Financial.

In his new role, Gress will oversee a broad operational portfolio spanning technology and data enablement, transformation, product development, and talent management. His mandate is to build a scalable and consistent operating model that enhances execution and delivers greater clarity and reliability for brokers and clients.

AVIVA

Aviva has appointed Jill Stewart as Head of Australia*, Probitas Pacific, following the decision by Max Broodryk to leave the business to pursue new opportunities.

Max, currently Country Manager for Probitas Pacific, will remain with the business until 1 September 2026 to support a smooth transition for brokers and clients. Jill will take up the role from 13 July, reporting to Belinda Steedman, Director of Global Propositions, and will work closely with Max until 1 September to ensure continuity across the business.

Jill brings a wealth of experience working in both the UK and Australian insurance markets and has led financial lines and specialty portfolios across the London market and Asia Pacific. Most recently, Jill led Willis Towers Watson’s Australasia FINEX business.

AVIVA PRIVATE CLIENTS

Aviva Private Clients has completed the restructure of its senior leadership team, with the announcement of two new appointments. Tom French, previously Head of Private Client Sales, has been promoted to the expanded role of Head of Commercial & Distribution where he is responsible for leading new business underwriting, sales and distribution, and development and marketing teams within Aviva Private Clients.

Paul Glennerster, previously Technical Underwriting Lead, has been promoted to Head of Underwriting, where he will be responsible for leading the underwriting management of the Private Client business, as well as the development of the existing product suite and underwriting oversight.

The confirmation of these roles completes the restructuring of the Aviva Private Clients senior leadership team.

COFACE

Coface, a global player in trade credit risk management, announces the appointment of Ivor Miric as Head of Debt Collection Sales, Asia Pacific Region, effective 2 July 2026.

Based in Hong Kong, Ivor is responsible for leading and developing Coface’s Debt Collection business across Asia Pacific, with a focus on driving growth, strengthening client relationships, and supporting the expansion of its debt collection portfolio. He reports to Peter Solomon, Chief Commercial Officer, Asia Pacific Region, Coface with a dotted line to Emre Ozer, Group Debt Collection & Surety Business Development Director.

CLEAR GROUP

Clear Group has announced two senior leadership appointments to support the next phase of its growth strategy. Phil Williams will take on the role of Group Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), while Matthew Alcott joins the business as UK Retail CEO. Both appointments take effect in September 2026.

The appointments reflect Clear’s continued evolution into a diversified insurance group spanning UK Retail, Brokerbility, Ireland, MGA and London Markets. They reinforce Clear’s focus on strengthening its commercial capabilities, enhancing client propositions and investing in technology, data and AI that will underpin the next phase of sustainable growth.

Phil Williams will take on the role of Group Chief Commercial Officer, leading Clear’s commercial agenda across the Group. Working with the executive team, he will focus on accelerating growth opportunities, strengthening client propositions and enhancing commercial execution through greater use of data, analytics and technology to deliver better outcomes for clients and colleagues.

Phil brings extensive experience across market development, broking, regulation, pricing and distribution. He will continue leading the UK Retail strategy until he takes up his new role in September.

Matthew Alcott joins as UK Retail CEO. Matthew Alcott joins Clear Group from Aon, where he most recently served as UK Chief Commercial Officer.

SAMPO

Sampo appoints Diane Michelberger Head of Investor Relations

Diane Michelberger has been appointed Head of Investor Relations for Sampo Group. She will assume her role in early Q4/2026.

Michelberger has extensive experience in investor relations within the insurance industry. Since 2023, she has acted as Head of Investor Relations at Admiral Group. Prior to that, she held various positions at Aviva and AXA UK.

LAIQON AG

Dr. Robin Braun appointed new Head of Sales of active Asset Management

LAIQON AG will consolidate its sales activities under the responsibility of Dr. Robin Braun. As of July 2026, he is assuming the vacant position of Head of Sales for LAIQON Asset Management in addition to his existing roles within LAIQON Group. In this capacity, he and his team will be responsible for the further development of retail, wholesale, and institutional sales in active asset management and will report directly to Axel Hörger, Chief Strategy Officer of LAIQON AG. In his expanded role, he will work closely with Manuel Woelki, Head of Marketing & Digital Lead Management, and his team, as well as with other departments such as Fund Operations or Risk Management.

Dr. Braun has been serving as Head of Group Sustainability at LAIQON Group since January 2023 and was additionally appointed Executive Director of LAIQON Asset Management GmbH in May 2024. In this role, he possesses direct leadership experience in active asset management and combines his strategic capital market and product expertise with operational responsibility for the further development of investment solutions. His deep understanding of distribution partners requirements and his expertise in sustainability strengthen LAIQON’s sales positioning in asset management.

TMK

Tokio Marine Kiln (TMK), a leading international specialty insurer, today announced the appointment of Alex Barnes as Departmental Head of Marine & Energy. Barnes has led the department on an interim basis since January 2026 and takes up the role permanently with immediate effect.

Barnes brings over 28 years of underwriting and leadership experience to the role, including 21 years at Beazley where she built and developed underwriting capability within its energy division across portfolio management, client servicing and technical underwriting.

Her appointment represents the next stage in TMK’s long-term investment in its Marine and Energy portfolio. TMK is building out its specialist underwriting and claims capabilities across the department, with further senior hires planned in the months ahead as the business positions itself to grow its market presence across all marine and energy lines.

PEN UNDERWRITING

Pen Underwriting, the multi-class multi-territory managing general agent (MGA), has appointed Kane Bryant into its marine war risk insurance specialist Vessel Protect as War Underwriter.

Bringing significant underwriting experience and an established specialism in marine war risks, Kane joins from Amphitrite Underwriting where he focused on underwriting marine hull & war. Prior to that he was at MS Amlin and Travelers, underwriting across a wider marine portfolio, including marine cargo and yachts as well as war.

Working closely with Vessel Protect’s team of dedicated marine war underwriters to offer comprehensive and bespoke coverage for single vessels or large multi-national fleets, Kane will add specialist capability at a time of high demand in this an ever-changing market.

LOCKTON

Lockton, the world’s largest independent insurance broker, has announced the appointment of Matt Kendle as Head of its newly established Construction and Design Practice. Matt joins from Marsh, where he served as a Managing Director, leading its international construction sector offering. He brings more than 20 years’ experience in construction and infrastructure insurance and brokerage.

His appointment follows Lockton’s strategic decision earlier this year to consolidate its construction-related teams from across the business into a single, 70-associate-strong practice. The new practice brings together the firm’s UK and International Construction, Energy and Power, Contractor and Design Firm Professional Liability, Casualty Construction, Surety, and Claims teams under his leadership.

CANOPIUS

Screenshot

Canopius Group, a leading global specialty and P&C (re)insurer, announces the appointment of Winnie Tay as Underwriter, Financial Lines, in Singapore.

Winnie will report to Robert Barnum, Head of Financial Lines, APAC, and will support the continued development of Canopius’ Financial Lines underwriting capabilities across the region.

Winnie joins Canopius from Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, where she spent over a decade in Financial Lines roles across Singapore and Southeast Asia. Most recently, she served as Senior Financial Lines Underwriter and Professional Indemnity Lead, Southeast Asia, overseeing underwriting and portfolio management for a multi-market Professional Indemnity portfolio.

COMPRE

Compre Group Holdings Limited (“Compre”), the Bermuda-domiciled international specialty reinsurance group, today announces the appointment of Graham Taylor as managing director of underwriting, effective immediately.

Reporting to Chief Underwriting Officer Rachel Bardon, Taylor will play a key role in leading the Group’s retrospective reinsurance activities, overseeing the execution of new transactions across the portfolio. Graham joins David Quinn and Zameer Mitha as part of Compre’s senior underwriting leadership team, further strengthening the Group’s capability across its capital solutions platform.

LIBERTY SPECIALTY

Liberty Specialty Markets (Liberty), part of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, has appointed Sarah Howell as head of claims, UK & MENA, effective 1 July 2026, reinforcing its commitment to claims excellence and client service across one of its key international regions.

Howell will report to Mike Gillett, chief claims officer, Liberty International Insurance, and Luis Prato, president, UK & MENA. She will join the UK & MENA executive leadership team and the global claims executive.

In her new role, Howell will lead the claims function across the UK & MENA region, with responsibility for delivering strong client and broker outcomes, maintaining technical excellence, and supporting the continued growth and strategic development of the business.