King Risk Partners and W. R. Berkley Corporation have announced leadership appointments involving veteran insurance executives Michael Christian (pictured left) and R. Christopher DeLauder (pictured right).
King Risk Partners said Michael Christian has joined its board of directors, adding an executive with extensive brokerage leadership experience as the company continues pursuing acquisitions across the East Coast.
Christian founded Risk Strategies Company in 1997 and led the brokerage as chief executive officer for more than 22 years before becoming chairman of the board in October 2019. He served in that role until August 2025. Brown & Brown, Inc. acquired Risk Strategies in 2025.
Before launching Risk Strategies, he served as managing director at Alexander & Alexander from 1995 to 1997. He also previously worked as executive vice president at Jardine Insurance Brokers, where he managed the company’s Midwest region and served on its US board of directors.
Christian also serves as board president of Someone Else's Child, Inc. and has been managing partner at Community Impact Ventures since December 2020. He was inducted into the Insurance Business America Hall of Fame in 2020.
The appointment comes as King Risk continues an active acquisition strategy. In April, the brokerage announced the acquisition of Connecticut-based New England Property & Casualty and Morin Associates, LLC to expand its personal lines, small commercial and employee benefits capabilities in the state.
That followed its March acquisition of PRL Associates in New York. King Risk completed 14 acquisitions in 2025, up from eight a year earlier, and now operates more than 50 locations serving over 55,000 clients. The brokerage also received a growth investment from Lightyear Capital and BHMS Investments in April 2025 to support expansion.
“We’re excited to welcome Mike Christian to our Board of Directors,” Scott Popilek, chief executive officer of King Risk Partners, said in a statement. “His extensive background in the insurance sector and his proven ability to build a leading insurance brokerage platform will be tremendously valuable to King Risk Partners. We are looking forward to drawing on Mike’s insights and leadership as we continue to enhance our offerings and deliver value to our clients.”
Malcolm King, chairman and founder of King Risk Partners, said Christian’s appointment aligns with the firm’s efforts to expand board leadership and build on its more than 50-year history.
W. R. Berkley Corporation named R. Christopher DeLauder president of Berkley Environmental, effective immediately. He succeeds Kenneth J. Berger, who has been appointed chair of the business.
DeLauder has nearly 40 years of insurance industry experience, with most of his career focused on environmental insurance. He joined Berkley Environmental in February 2010 as vice president for environmental operations and was promoted to senior vice president in 2015. He most recently served as executive vice president, a role he held since February 2021.
Before joining Berkley Environmental, DeLauder spent more than 14 years at Zurich Financial Services, where he held roles including vice president of commercial markets for the New England branch, regional vice president for environmental operations and environmental underwriter for the Southeast region. Earlier in his career, he worked at St. Paul Companies for nearly a decade.
The leadership transition comes as W. R. Berkley continues to post strong financial results. The insurer reported Q1 2026 revenue of about US$3.69 billion, net income of US$515.2 million, and return on equity of 21.2%.
“We are pleased to welcome Chris into the role of president and are confident in his abilities to successfully lead the extremely talented team going forward,” said W. Robert Berkley Jr., president and chief executive officer of W. R. Berkley Corporation.
Berkley Jr. said Berger played a central role in building Berkley Environmental and will remain involved with the company through the transition while supporting other corporate initiatives.
“Ken has been an outstanding contributor and leader within our organization for many years. He has been instrumental in building Berkley Environmental into one of the most successful parts of our group today. We are grateful for all that he has done and will continue to do on behalf of our shareholders,” Berkley Jr. said.
Berkley Environmental provides environmental risk solutions through a regional underwriting model in which a single underwriter manages all required lines of business for clients.
Founded in 1967, W. R. Berkley Corporation operates globally through its insurance and reinsurance and monoline excess segments.
