Specialty carriers dominated this week's leadership changes. Ascot overhauled its executive structure, and several insurers hired from larger rivals to strengthen underwriting, claims and distribution.
Ascot Group has reorganized its business into two divisions and named three executives to lead them, with changes taking effect on October 1.
Mark "Sarge" Pepper (pictured, left) becomes president, global underwriting. He will work with group CEO and president Jonathan Zaffino on growth strategy, product development and underwriting talent across Ascot's UK, US and Bermuda operations. Pepper joined Ascot when it was founded in 2001 to run treaty reinsurance, and has been group chief underwriting officer since 2009.
Elizabeth Johnson (pictured, center) has been named president, specialty insurance and reinsurance. This new division combines Global Specialty, Bermuda Specialty/Leadline Capital Partners and US Specialty under one leader. Johnson joined Ascot in 2020 and has been group chief operating officer since 2024. She previously spent nearly two decades at AIG, where her roles included global head of excess casualty.
Chris Flatt (pictured, right) joins in early November as president of a newly formed consumer solutions division, which will include high-net-worth personal lines. He was most recently global chief underwriting officer at AIG. All three report to Zaffino.
"Sarge's expanded enterprise-wide role will reinforce the underwriting leadership at the center of our strategy," said Zaffino.
Ascot's move into consumer lines, and high-net-worth personal lines in particular, adds capacity in a segment where brokers have struggled to place high-value homes in catastrophe-exposed areas. Bringing its specialty units under one leader may also give wholesale and retail partners a more consistent underwriting appetite across Ascot's platforms.
Everest Group has appointed Nandini Mani as SVP and group chief claims officer, with immediate effect. She succeeds Andrew McBride, who is retiring. Mani was previously Everest's chief compliance officer, and before joining the company she ran Chubb's overseas general claims organization of more than 2,000 staff.
Claims leadership shapes how coverage disputes and large losses are resolved. Brokers with complex placements on Everest paper will be watching for any change in approach.
MSIG USA has appointed Oscar Aguilar as head of excess and surplus property. He joins from Liberty Mutual, where he was senior vice president and national manager of major accounts property, shared and layered. His earlier roles include Ironshore and Brit Insurance.
CEO Peter McKenna said Aguilar's retail and wholesale relationships would help MSIG USA build an E&S property offering that brokers could rely on.
More E&S property capacity for shared and layered risks is welcome for wholesalers building towers on large or catastrophe-exposed accounts.
Starr has appointed Duncan Ellis as executive vice president, client engagement, effective October 2. He reports to president and CEO Steve Blakey.
Ellis joins from Marsh, where he led the US and Canada real estate and hospitality practice, and he previously held senior roles at AIG.
Ellis spent years on the broking side, which suggests Starr intends to deepen its intermediary relationships across its lines.
MGA Paragon Insurance Holdings has promoted Mike Denton to executive vice president.
Brett Papenhagen and Erik Ostgulen become senior vice presidents of Paragon Specialty Property, leading the PSP Custom and PSP Select teams respectively.
The renamed teams give retail agents clearer points of contact for Paragon's specialty property programs.
Plymouth Rock Home Assurance has promoted Jared Stuckey to vice president of customer service and underwriting. He moves across from Plymouth Rock's independent agent auto business.
Stuckey said agents could expect changes to the customer experience. Agents placing home business with the carrier should watch for updates to service and underwriting processes.
Corgi Insurance has appointed Stephen Segroves as head of pricing, leading rating models for its trucking program. He was previously an actuary at Nirvana Insurance and spent more than 14 years at Travelers.
Commercial auto remains one of the most volatile lines. New pricing leadership at a technology-led trucking carrier is a signal to watch for agents placing fleet business.
