Global insurance broker Marsh has announced a series of executive leadership transitions within Marsh Agency, naming Matt Stadler (pictured, left) as chief executive officer effective January 1, 2027. Stadler succeeds David Eslick (pictured, right), who will step into the role of chairman.
Both leaders will report directly to Nick Studer, president and CEO of Marsh Risk. For commercial brokers and retail partners across the country, the leadership transition marks a continuation of the agency's dual focus on middle-market scale and localized account servicing.
Stadler joined Marsh in 2015 through the acquisition of Texas-based MHBT, Inc. He was appointed CEO of the Southwest region in 2023 before advancing to President of Marsh Agency in 2025. Based in Dallas, Stadler brings over two decades of commercial broking experience advising middle-market businesses and individuals on property and casualty programs as well as employee benefits strategies.
Studer highlighted Stadler's strategic vision, strong client focus, and proven ability to align regional operations for national expansion as key drivers behind his appointment.
The leadership handoff marks a pivotal milestone for Marsh Agency, which has operated as Marsh’s middle-market arm since its founding in 2009. Eslick has guided the agency's growth model over the last 17 years, overseeing an aggressive inorganic expansion strategy that integrated top regional brokerages into a unified national footprint.
Under Eslick’s tenure, Marsh Agency completed more than 100 agency acquisitions, expanding its overall footprint to exceed $5 billion in annual revenue. Studer credited Eslick’s leadership with establishing the division as a dominant force in the middle-market sector by equipping acquired regional brokers with broader corporate tools, expanded carrier market access, and advanced risk engineering capabilities without sacrificing their local client relationships.
For producers and account executives within the system, this strategy allowed regional offices to maintain their entrepreneurial culture while leveraging the global placement scale and specialized resource network of the parent organization.
Stadler’s promotion to CEO has triggered a series of internal executive appointments across the agency’s leadership ranks, also taking effect in January.
John Stanchina, currently serving as CEO of the Mid-Atlantic region, will succeed Stadler as President of Marsh Agency. Stanchina joined the organization in 2010 through the acquisition of Virginia-based brokerage Thomas Rutherfoord Inc.
Filling the Mid-Atlantic leadership opening, Guy Morrison will step into the role of regional CEO. Morrison currently serves as president and employee health and benefits practice leader for the Mid-Atlantic region, having joined Marsh in 2011 following the acquisition of Atlanta-based Strategic Benefit Solutions.
By promoting leaders who entered the firm through historical agency acquisitions, the firm signals ongoing operational stability for its broking force. The coordinated succession ensures continuity for producers and middle-market clients navigating tight property markets, complex casualty exposures, and evolving employee health and benefits placements nationwide.
