Welcome to golden October, let’s round up the latest senior level appointments news;
ALLIANZ
Allianz Group is announcing new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) appointments at Allianz Partners and Allianz Direct, ensuring continuity and growth momentum following Tomas Kunzmann’s appointment to the Allianz SE Board of Management. The appointments reflect Allianz’s strong internal leadership pipeline and reinforce its leading position in fast-growing, customer-centered digital business models that integrate motor, home, travel, assistance and health solutions. The appointments, all of which are subject to regulatory approval, are timed and sequenced to ensure seamless handovers.
Philipp Kroetz, currently Chief Executive Officer of Allianz Direct, will become Chief Executive Officer of Allianz Partners, effective November 1, 2026. He has led Allianz Direct since 2022, turning the business into an expanding and profitable European digital platform for property and casualty (P&C) insurance for more than 3.2 million customers.
Laurent Floquet, currently Chief Operating Officer of Allianz Partners, will succeed Philipp Kroetz as Chief Executive Officer of Allianz Direct, bringing deep expertise in mobility and service-led customer solutions to his new role. He will assume his new role on November 1, 2026.
A successor for Laurent Floquet will be announced in due course.
COFACE
Coface, a global player in trade credit risk management, announces the appointment of Zach Spencer as Head of Risk Underwriting, Asia Pacific Region, effective 1 October 2026.
Zach will relocate to Singapore to lead the company’s Risk Underwriting teams across Asia Pacific. He will report to Raphael Rousselot, Chief Underwriting Officer, Asia Pacific Region, with a dotted reporting line to Anca Dan, Group Head of Risk Underwriting.
Zach will be responsible for implementing Coface’s underwriting policies, developing the teams’ capabilities and maintaining high standards of risk analysis, portfolio monitoring and operational performance. He will also work closely with commercial, claims and debt collection teams to support profitable growth across the region.
ASCOT GROUP
Ascot Group Limited (“Ascot”), a global specialty (re)insurance company, has announced executive leadership appointments and organizational updates designed to advance its strategy and position the company for its next phase of growth.
Mark “Sarge” Pepper has been appointed President, Global Underwriting, effective October 1. In this expanded executive role, Mark will lead Ascot’s efforts to elevate its underwriting capabilities and position the company for long-term success. He will work closely with Jonathan Zaffino, Group Chief Executive Officer and President, and Ascot’s segment CEOs to develop growth strategies, pursue business development opportunities and strengthen coordination across the company’s UK, U.S. and Bermuda businesses.
Alongside Mark’s appointment, Ascot is evolving its organizational structure around two distinct areas of focus, each with dedicated leadership.
Elizabeth Johnson has been appointed President, Specialty Insurance and Reinsurance, effective October 1. In this role, she will oversee a newly created division encompassing all of Ascot’s global insurance and reinsurance underwriting operations, including Global Specialty, Bermuda Specialty/Leadline Capital Partners and U.S. Specialty. The new structure will align these businesses and create greater connectivity across the organization. It will also promote more responsive and aligned underwriting and distribution strategies in response to the increasingly dynamic risk landscape in which Ascot operates. Elizabeth will continue to report to Jonathan Zaffino.
Christopher “Chris” Flatt will join Ascot as President, Consumer Solutions. Ascot is forming this new division to focus on consumer lines, where the company sees significant opportunity to bring its distinguished underwriting and specialty risk capabilities to the market. He will lead the development of this business, which will offer insurance solutions across consumer-focused classes, including high-net-worth personal lines insurance. Chris will become a member of the Global Executive Committee, reporting to Jonathan Zaffino. He will join Ascot in early November.
UNDERWRITE ME
UnderwriteMe has appointed Tiffany Chan as Strategic Partnerships Manager. The appointment reflects the company’s ongoing investment in senior hires as it continues to expand its presence across the UK protection market.
Tiffany joins UnderwriteMe with more than eight years of experience in financial services, across commercial growth, solutions sales, customer experience and proposition development. She joins from Swiss Re, where her roles included Solutions Sales Manager and leading the set up and commercialisation of its behavioural consulting proposition in Asia-Pacific.
In her new role, Tiffany will focus on developing and enhancing strategic partnerships for UnderwriteMe’s Protection Platform, working closely with insurers, advisers and industry stakeholders to support the continued growth of UnderwriteMe’s technology and underwriting solutions.
EUNA
Augment Risk, the reinsurance and capital solutions broker, today announces the appointment of Brittany Haynes as partner, MGA, effective immediately. She is based in London and reports directly to Mark Aylward partner, MGA.
The appointment reflects Augment Risk’s continued investment in building a globally oriented MGA practice. As the sector continues to evolve across established and emerging markets, program businesses increasingly require partners with the technical depth, market relationships, and execution capability to navigate intricate capital and distribution decisions.
With 14 years of experience across the US and London markets, Haynes joins from Guy Carpenter, where she was Managing Director, following a successful tenure at Willis Re. She possesses deep expertise advising MGAs on strategic insurance and reinsurance solutions, specialising in Lloyd’s delegated underwriting authority placements and structuring North American programs. At Augment, she will leverage her extensive industry relationships and track record to build scalable foundations for MGA clients, securing the critical capital and capacity to drive their next stage of growth.
ABI
Dimitra Christakou joins the ABI as the new Director of Membership and Commercial Development. Dimitra’s role oversees membership relations and the ABI’s award-winning range of events, networking and learning and development programmes.
Dimitra brings extensive experience across membership, commercial development and events, having held senior leadership roles at BusinessLDN and Bloomberg.
Hannah Gurga, ABI Director General says: “We’re delighted to welcome Dimitra to the ABI. Her experience, leadership and energy will make a strong contribution to delivering on our priorities for members across the UK’s world-leading insurance and long-term savings sector.”
Dimitra Christakou, ABI Director of Membership and Commercial Development says: “I’m delighted to be joining the ABI at such an important time for the insurance and long-term savings industry. I’ve been impressed by the talent and commitment of the team, and I look forward to working with them and with members to build on the ABI’s strong foundations, deepening the value it delivers and developing the commercial partnerships that support its work.”
DWF
DWF, the global provider of integrated legal and business services, has appointed John Gilfedder as a partner in its Global Risks practice in London.
John joins from DLA Piper and brings more than a decade of experience advising clients across the aviation, insurance and travel sectors. He has acted for airlines, general and private aviation organisations, handling agents, manufacturers, maintenance providers and their respective insurers and reinsurers on a full spectrum of contentious and advisory mandates. John speaks fluent French and Spanish which has provided him with extensive opportunities to work closely with clients across Europe, West Africa and Latin America.
WILLIS
Willis, a WTW business (NASDAQ: WTW), has announced that Andy Chang has joined its global Direct & Facultative business as Growth Leader, based in Miami.
Chang will work across Willis’ global network to support the continued development and growth of its Direct and Facultative business, collaborating closely with regional leaders and teams across North America, Europe, London, Asia Pacific and other international markets.
He brings extensive experience across the global insurance and reinsurance markets, spanning retail, wholesale and reinsurance, complex international placement strategies and the development of cross-border solutions. Most recently, Chang served as Head of Alternative Distribution at Aon.
ANTARAH
Antarah, an MGA subsidiary of The Ardonagh Group, announces the appointment of Antonio El Hokayem as CEO.
El Hokayem brings a wealth of experience across underwriting, placement and portfolio management, joining from Gallagher where he has held a number of positions since 2022, including Financial Lines Director for Middle East and Africa and Head of Specialty for Saudi Arabia. Prior to this, he spent three years at Zurich as Financial Lines Underwriter and began his insurance career as a broker for Chedid Re.
Commenting on the appointment, Ardonagh Group Chief Executive David Ross said: “Antonio’s appointment represents a significant step in the development of the Group’s proposition across the Middle East and Africa, a market where we are seeing continued demand for sophisticated specialty solutions.
INSURANCE DEVELOPMENT FORUM
The Insurance Development Forum (IDF) has announced that its Steering Committee has appointed Hope Murera as its Deputy Chair. As Managing Director & Group CEO of ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company) and an existing Steering Committee member, Murera brings more than 30 years of insurance and reinsurance experience in Africa, and a strong record of advancing climate resilience and financial inclusion. She will serve in this role alongside her position at ZEP-RE.
Murera’s appointment strengthens the IDF’s industry leadership as it works to scale the contribution of insurance to resilience and sustainable development in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). Murera brings direct experience of developing insurance markets and delivering protection in communities facing significant climate and economic risks; perspectives essential to translating global expertise into solutions that meet local needs.
BMS
BMS Group (“BMS” or the “Group”), the independent specialist insurance and reinsurance broker and risk advisor announces the appointment of Paul Sheriff as group chief financial officer and executive director. Based in London, Sheriff will report to Nick Cook, BMS Group CEO, and will join in November. Sheriff will be taking over from Charlie Rozes, who has decided to leave the Group following a succession planning process.
Nick Cook, BMS Group CEO, said “Paul brings over 30 years of experience in the financial services sector, alongside a wealth of private equity expertise. He joins us from NewDay (backed by KKR and previously Cinven, CVC and Värde Partners), where he served as chief financial officer and chief operating officer. His background will be incredibly valuable as we build on our strong foundations and accelerate the Group’s next phase of growth. Prior to NewDay, Paul was chief financial officer and chief operating officer across several prominent organisations, Legatum (Dubai), Record plc, and Arbuthnot Banking Group plc. Earlier in his career, he held senior finance roles at Prudential plc and trained at Arthur Andersen.”
INVESTOR POINTE
Investor Pointe, a global technology and services firm powering how private markets firms operate, today announced the appointment of Juan Manrique as Chief Innovation Officer. Based in London, Manrique will work across clients, product, and technology to identify emerging challenges and opportunities.
Manrique brings more than 20 years of experience across technology, data, product, and marketing, along with 17 years as an entrepreneur. He co-founded and served as CEO of Untap, Hydra Management, and e-Task.it, and held senior roles spanning product, marketing, business development, and data services at Tiscali, Kingston Communications, Cision, and PSINet. His appointment follows that of fellow Untap co-founder Manfredi Bargioni as Chief Client Officer, bringing complementary expertise in understanding client needs and translating them into product and technology innovation.
VIPR SOLUTIONS
VIPR Solutions, the insurance-native technology platform for Delegated Authority intelligence, has appointed Tom Boucher as Non-Executive Chair. He joins following Bridgepoint Growth’s investment in VIPR and will work with Co-Founder and CEO Paul Templar and the management team as the business continues to expand internationally, develop its AI capabilities and make its platform simpler and faster for clients to adopt.
Tom brings more than 30 years’ experience across software, technology, data and insurance. As a CFO and Chair, he has helped lead four successful private equity exits for multiple sponsors. His experience includes Sequel Business Solutions, a software provider to the complex commercial and specialty insurance market that is now part of Verisk. Sequel was backed by Hg, a leading technology investor, where Tom later became an Operating Partner.
HIVE UNDERWRITERS
Independent specialty MGA HIVE Underwriters is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Brown as Head of Property to lead the launch of its global Property Direct & Facultative (D&F) business, further expanding its underwriting capabilities across global specialty markets.
Brown previously served as Head of UK and International Property at Sompo. With more than 30 years’ experience in UK and international property insurance, he brings extensive market expertise and a strong track record of building and leading high-performing underwriting teams.
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