Laura Walker has been appointed Group Chief Operating Officer, subject to regulatory approval. In her new role, Laura will report directly to Kevin Spencer, Group Chief Executive.
Laura joined Markerstudy Group following the acquisition of Atlanta Group in July 2024, where she served as Strategic Change Director, reporting to Emma Rawlinson. Her career includes senior leadership roles at Danaher Corporation and General Electric, where she developed a strong track record in strategic execution and long-term growth.
Bringing extensive experience in leading large-scale operational transformation, organisational integration and business performance across private equity-backed businesses and global FTSE 100 organisations, Laura’s appointment will strengthen the Group’s operating model, bringing together core functions that underpin successful business delivery.
SAPIENS
Sapiens is appointing Maroun S. Mourad as Chief Executive Officer, North America. Mourad joins Sapiens’ Senior Leadership Team and brings more than 27 years of global leadership across property and casualty (P&C), life and annuities, reinsurance, data analytics and technology.
Mourad joins Sapiens from Clarivate, where he was President of its Intellectual Property division. Before that, he spent a decade at Verisk as President of Global Claims, Global Underwriting, Life and International, and served on the company’s Senior Operating Committee. Earlier in his career, he was Chairman and CEO of Zurich Insurance Group’s Middle East business and held senior leadership roles at Arch Reinsurance, AIG and Gen Re, a Berkshire Hathaway company in the US, UK and Europe. Mourad holds Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science degrees from U.C. Berkeley.
“North American insurers are under more pressure than ever to move faster, price risk more accurately and serve customers better,” said Paul Wheeler, CEO, Sapiens. “Maroun has spent his career leading exactly that kind of change, at carriers, at reinsurers and at the data and software businesses that serve them. His depth across software, AI and data makes him the right leader to scale our North America business.”
HDI GLOBAL
HDI Global (HDI) has announced the appointment of Delphine Leroy as Managing Director France. She will assume the role effective 1 January 2027. Leroy succeeds Jean-Marie Haquette, who will retire after a successful career spanning nearly four decades in the insurance and reinsurance industry.
Delphine Leroy brings nearly 30 years of experience in the insurance industry and has held senior leadership positions with international insurers. Most recently, she served as General Manager France at QBE. Previously, she was Managing Director France and Head of South Europe at CNA Hardy. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles across underwriting, distribution, risk management and executive management.
ATHENEA
Athenea Automotive Group has appointed Dee Vije to the role of Group Property Director, with a remit to oversee the management and development of Athenea’s property portfolio.
Amongst her responsibilities, Vije will lead Athenea’s real estate strategy, working in partnership with teams internally to unlock greater value from existing locations. The Group is currently represented across 79 sales locations, comprising of sites that sit across Brayleys and Johnsons.
Vije brings more than a decade and a half of experience in property management and industrial design, initially working in project management for commercial and retail construction. For the past 9 years, Vije has held board level Head of Property and Property Director positions, more recently at two major automotive retail groups.
AGEAS AND ESURE
Jane Mustoe and James Turner have been appointed as independent non-executive directors (NEDs) to the Ageas UK and esure boards.
Jane Mustoe is a Senior Technology Director at Tesco PLC and the Technology member of Tesco’s UK Leadership Team. She is responsible for technology across Commercial, Supply Chain and Fulfilment, and the technology Innovation Lab, having previously led Corporate Functions Technology. She is also a board member of dunnhumby and Group Technology sponsor for Retail Media.
James Turner brings more than 30 years’ experience across financial services, including senior leadership and Board level roles spanning finance, risk, compliance, audit and business transformation. His career includes, most recently, Strategic Finance Director at Standard Life plc, where he was responsible for strategy, mergers and acquisitions, as well as major model change, treasury, tax and capital management.
FINANCIAL OMBUDSMAN SERVICE
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Board has appointed Liam Coleman as chair of the Financial Ombudsman Service, with the approval of the Treasury.
Liam will take up the permanent role on 10 October 2026 for a 3-year term, having served as interim chair for the last year.
Ashley Alder, chair of the FCA, commented: “Liam has brought strong leadership and valuable insight to the Financial Ombudsman over the past year. His extensive experience across financial services, regulation and public service organisations will be invaluable as we work together to support a redress system that is fair, predictable and effective for consumers and firms.”
COMPRE
Compre Group Holdings Limited (‘Compre’), the Bermuda-domiciled international specialty reinsurance group, today announced the promotion of Davin Patel to chief risk officer, subject to the necessary governance and regulatory approvals, and Thuan Ho to chief actuary, pricing, pending immigration approval.
Patel joined as one of Compre’s first actuaries in 2016 and has played a pivotal role in building its actuarial capabilities across reserving, capital management and underwriting due diligence. He has led transaction due diligence activities across all actuarial disciplines, while developing Compre’s pricing capabilities to support increasingly sophisticated transaction structures across the specialty reinsurance sector.
INSURANCE ADVISORY PARTNERS
Insurance Advisory Partners (“IAP”), the investment bank focused exclusively on the insurance, insurance services and insurtech industry, today announces the appointment of Partners Rinki Melwani and Benjamin James as co-heads of UK & Europe who will jointly report to Tony Ursano, founder, managing partner and chief executive officer.
Based in IAP’s London office, they will lead the firm’s UK and European operations, working closely with IAP’s global leadership team and clients across the region to support the continued growth of the business.
Rinki and Ben have played an active role in IAP’s growth since joining, serving as valued advisers to clients across the global insurance sector on strategic, M&A and capital-raising transactions. Rinki’s work with IAP’s clients builds on her long-standing track record at leading global investment banks, including J.P. Morgan, Citi, Credit Suisse and Jefferies, where she has successfully delivered several insurance / insurtech transactions, earning her a strong reputation as a trusted adviser in the sector. Ben brings deep insurance-sector expertise and a broad advisory and investment background, developed through a career in investment banking and principal investment that has included Fenchurch Advisory Partners, Financial Services Capital and Deloitte.
BP3 GLOBAL
BP3 Global, a leader in intelligent process automation, has appointed Richard Neish as chief executive officer with a remit to drive growth and scale its agentic orchestration proposition.
Neish will head up a global executive team focused on driving growth in North America and Europe through agentic orchestration leadership in regulated enterprise organisations.
Neish brings more than 20 years’ experience in enterprise technology consulting and large-scale data and AI transformation. Most recently, he was CEO of technology and data consultancy Crosstide. This followed senior leadership roles at Kin + Carta, where he led the firm’s strategic planning and execution as global chief strategy officer. In this capacity he headed the evolution of its custom software and data transformation proposition and spearheaded its enterprise growth in Europe and the Americas.
AMTIVO
Amtivo, a leading global provider of accredited certification, assurance and training services, has appointed Cristine Marion as Director of Technical Operations for its US business. She brings more than 20 years of certification industry experience to the role.
Cristine joins Amtivo from NQA, where she held a series of operational and technical roles before becoming Operations Director. Most recently, she oversaw the full client lifecycle, from renewals and service growth through to certificate issuance. That work gave her a clear view of certification operations from the perspective of both clients and auditors.
CONSILIUM
Consilium, the global specialty (re)insurance broker, has appointed Rory Hardingham as Partner within its International Property Risk Solutions team.
Rory is a London-based International Property specialist. He joins Consilium from Willis Towers Watson where he was Lead Associate for the last five years. He has extensive experience across the international property market, bringing a valuable combination of underwriting and broking expertise spanning more than a decade. He has developed specialist knowledge of international property risks, alongside experience working with complex and challenging exposures across international territories.
CRUX UNDERWRITING
Crux Underwriting, the multi-line specialty MGA, today announced two senior leadership appointments as the business continues its next phase of growth.
Mike O’Connor has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer, expanding his responsibilities beyond his current role as Chief Underwriting Officer. As Chief Commercial Officer and Co-founder, Mike will lead Crux’s commercial strategy across the business, focusing on distribution, broker relationships and growth initiatives.
BROWNE JACOBSON
Browne Jacobson’s regulatory expertise for public and private organisations in sectors including health and care has been strengthened by the recruitment of two legal directors.
Caroline Barker and Tom Walker, a barrister, have joined the UK and Ireland law firm, where they will work with clients across health and life sciences, government, and corporates as members of the Criminal, Compliance and Regulatory team, which is led by Andy Hopkin.
SWISS RE CORPORATE
Effective October Matthew Brady has been appointed Head of Crisis Management in the US, succeeding Caitlin McGrath, who recently took on the role of Head of E&S US. Matt will also join the Swiss Re Corporate Solutions US leadership team.
Matt currently serves as Deputy Head of Crisis Management and brings 17 years of insurance industry experience. He has been a Product Recall underwriter since 2013 and, in his current role, has played a critical role in the success of the Crisis Management business. He brings strong commercial leadership and deep market expertise, with a particular focus on clients and developing talent across the team.
He takes on leadership of a well-established business that, under Caitlin’s leadership, has grown into a leading market writer of product recall in the US.
LOCKTON
Lockton, the world’s largest independent insurance broker, has strengthened its Professional and Executive Risk (ProExec) practice in Norway with the promotion of Aksel Jebsen to Head of ProExec Norway and the appointment of Robert Øyri as Senior Vice President, ProExec.
Based in Oslo, Aksel and Robert will work closely with Norwegian and multinational clients, delivering strategic risk advisory and insurance solutions to boards, executives and companies operating across various sectors including professional services, energy, renewables, technology, industrials, marine, financial institutions, and aquaculture.
GALLAGHER
Gallagher has announced the appointment of Jason Saunders as an executive client advocate in its global aerospace practice. In his new role Jason will be based in Atlanta in the US and will focus on new business, management of client relationships and ensuring clients receive the full benefit of Gallagher’s services and capabilities.
Jason joins Gallagher from Willis, where he has worked since 2014, most recently as managing director and head of global aviation & space for North America. Prior to this Jason spent 11 years at AIG, in a number of roles including senior vice president and head of major and complex risk for North America. Jason will report to Stephen Lloyd, CEO of Gallagher’s aerospace major risks in the US.
XPT SPECIALTY
XPT Specialty, a leading wholesale broker for commercial and personal insurance, has announced that Michelle Moore-Lukezich has joined the firm as Senior P&C Underwriter/Broker in Spokane, Washington. A Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Moore-Lukezich brings nearly two decades of commercial property and casualty (P&C) underwriting experience in the wholesale market, with a focus on small and middle market accounts.
In her new role, Moore-Lukezich will partner with retail agents across Washington and the broader Pacific Northwest to underwrite and place commercial general liability, property, garage, and professional liability coverage. Working across both binding and brokerage channels, she will give agents a single, experienced point of contact from first submission through bind.
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