This week's moves include a new leader for one of the main product recall markets in the US, a London law firm's first US office, and senior hires on the technology and lawyers' liability sides of the market.
UK law firm RPC has opened its first US office, in New York, with the hire of insurance coverage specialist Scott Schechter (pictured, left) as a partner. He joins from New York firm Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan.
Schechter will build a dedicated New York insurance team handling complex claims with US exposure, particularly in financial lines and cyber, working with RPC colleagues in the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Simon Laird, RPC's global head of insurance, said the firm's insurance clients increasingly faced complex, fast-moving claims with US exposures, and that New York was a natural next step.
Claims for global D&O, cyber and warranty and indemnity programs often involve both US litigation and London-market coverage questions. A firm that can advise across both may speed up the handling of large multi-jurisdictional claims for brokers' clients.
Guidewire has appointed Dan Brown (pictured, center) as chief product officer, reporting to CEO Mike Rosenbaum.
Brown will lead product strategy, with a focus on building AI into Guidewire's core applications for P&C insurers. He joins from Celonis, where he was chief product officer. He previously held the same role at Certinia and spent 15 years at Microsoft.
Rosenbaum said Brown had a record of turning product vision into market execution and rapid enterprise adoption.
Many carriers run their policy, billing and claims systems on Guidewire. How quickly it embeds AI into underwriting and claims will help determine how fast carriers can speed up quoting and claims handling for the brokers they work with.
PilotLegis, a risk purchasing group for more than 1,600 attorneys across 27 law firms, has appointed Tracy Kepler (pictured, right) as executive director. She has more than 25 years of experience in lawyers' professional liability, risk management and professional responsibility.
Kepler was previously director of risk control for CNA, leading risk management initiatives for law firms. She has also directed the American Bar Association's Center for Professional Responsibility, and spent nearly 14 years as senior litigation counsel with the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
Jessa Baker, chair of the board, said Kepler's experience in professional liability and risk management made her an exceptional addition.
Brokers placing lawyers' professional liability for mid-sized firms will see a group with a seasoned risk control specialist at its head. This could strengthen its loss control offering at renewal.
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions has appointed Matthew Brady as head of crisis management in the US, effective October 5. He succeeds Caitlin McGrath, who recently became head of E&S US. Brady also joins the US leadership team.
Brady has been deputy head of crisis management and has 17 years of experience in the industry. He has underwritten product recall since 2013. The company said the crisis management unit had grown under McGrath into one of the leading product recall writers in the US.
"Matt's appointment is a natural progression and reflects both the impact he has made on our Crisis Management business and the strength of the talent we are developing within Swiss Re," said Adrian Hall, CEO US.
Product recall is a specialist line with relatively few markets. Brokers placing recall for food, consumer products and manufacturing clients will deal with a familiar underwriter in charge, which points to continuity of appetite. McGrath's move to E&S also gives the carrier an experienced leader in its surplus lines operation.
