HDI Global US names Shadi Albert CEO in broker-led shift

HDI Global US has named Shadi Albert (pictured) as its next chief executive officer. He takes the role on July 13, 2026.

Jim Clark, who led HDI Global US for 23 years, stepped down with immediate effect on June 23. Dr York von Falkenhayn serves as interim CEO until Albert arrives. Von Falkenhayn currently heads market management for the US.

The changes are part of the Hannover-based carrier's four-year growth strategy, Xcelerate29, running from 2026 to 2029.

A $1 billion platform in a market dominated by larger players

HDI Global's US subsidiary reached $1 billion in gross written premiums in 2024. This milestone came alongside new partnerships and product launches in cyber, life sciences, and environmental liability.

HDI Global's Xcelerate29 strategy calls for significantly more US growth by 2029. The carrier has named the US its primary international expansion target. To pursue that, it is restructuring operations to bring underwriting, claims, and service teams closer to brokers and clients.

Brokers tracking HDI Global US's recent underwriting hires across cyber, engineering, construction, and casualty lines will recognize the pattern behind those appointments.

Why broker access matters in the US specialty market

US excess-and-surplus lines now account for 34% of commercial insurance business. That segment runs almost entirely through specialty brokers and wholesale intermediaries.

The top five US brokers already control 52% of brokerage revenue, according to Mordor Intelligence. For carriers competing in specialty and commercial lines, access to those broker relationships is a direct factor in placement volume.

Albert's career spans both sides of the distribution line. He has held senior roles at global brokers Aon, Marsh, and WTW. He has also held executive leadership positions at US-based insurance companies.

He joined W.R. Berkley Corporation in 2023 as president of Berkley Luxury Group, after serving as executive vice president of strategy and business development at Selective Insurance. He was appointed president of Vela Insurance Services in July 2025.

Albert holds a Master of Business Administration from Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

What Clark's departure means for the US business

HDI Global SE executive board member Dr Mukadder Erdönmez credited Clark publicly with building the US operation across more than two decades.

In a statement, Erdönmez said the company is entering "the next phase of growth," with the goal of positioning HDI Global US as a carrier that serves broker partners and clients more directly with tailored commercial and specialty solutions.

The May 2026 executive board restructure under Xcelerate29 gave Erdönmez formal responsibility for the US market alongside his liability, cyber, and motor duties. The US CEO appointment follows that shift.

HDI Global CEO Dr Edgar Puls said Albert would lead the business into its "next chapter of disciplined growth." Brokers seeking to understand how HDI Global US is building out its specialty lines capacity can track the carrier's recent hire activity as a guide to its current appetite.