HUB International has appointed Roger Cervo as senior vice president of complex risk in Canada, bringing one of the country's most experienced large commercial insurance producers into a role that reflects growing demand for specialist expertise across the Canadian market.
Cervo joins with more than 30 years of experience across large commercial risk, construction, manufacturing and mining. He is a Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) and a Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker (CAIB), holding licenses across all provinces except Quebec.
The timing of the appointment reflects conditions in the Canadian commercial insurance market that are placing a premium on specialist expertise.
While the broader market has softened, the relief is far from uniform. Large, complex risks in construction, mining and manufacturing are navigating a very different set of pressures.
Canada's construction sector is grappling with a confluence of global supply chain disruptions, rising material costs, labor shortages and sustainability requirements. US tariffs on Canadian imports are pushing steel and aluminum prices to multi-year highs, while timber costs continue to climb amid ongoing trade disputes and copper prices surged 29% in early 2025. This environment demands the ability to design and place programs that account for shifting replacement values, supply chain interruption exposures and the financial volatility that project owners and contractors now carry.
The insurance models that once served Canadian construction are being re-engineered, with coverage strategies now required to match the complexity of P3 contracts, modular housing, nuclear small modular reactors and hybrid cyber policies, a shift that demands specialized broking capability rather than generalist program placement.
Carol Mills, president and CEO of HUB Coastal, said the appointment directly addressed client demand.
"Our clients are navigating increasingly complex risk environments in their operations within Canada and throughout their multinational presence, supply chain and partner relationships," she said. "Roger's decades of experience bring the depth and relationships our clients need to stay ahead of risk."
Cervo's move reflects a broader pattern in which specialist talent has become a competitive differentiator across the Canadian market. Competition for experienced underwriting and broking talent has intensified as insurers and brokers target growth in higher-margin specialty business.
The pressure is structural. Retirements are outpacing new entrants, particularly in specialized roles, while a new generation of professionals gravitates toward technology-enabled careers, creating fierce competition for talent that bridges insurance expertise with technical knowledge.
The ability to attract senior producers with deep sector-specific relationships and program design experience has become a genuine differentiator, particularly as clients with complex multinational operations expect their broker to lead rather than simply place.
The appointment reflects HUB's sustained investment in its Canadian operations.
HUB has completed 42 acquisitions in Canada, including more than 13 Canadian employee benefits and pension brokerages, building a distribution network it is now complementing with deeper specialty capabilities. Following a US$1.6 billion institutional investment in 2025 that valued the firm at US$29 billion, HUB reported US$4.8 billion in revenue in 2024, with CEO Marc Cohen indicating IPO preparations are advancing toward a potential listing in 2026 or 2027
