AmTrust Financial Services has announced two new appointments to its cyber insurance team. Jeffrey Batt has been appointed vice president and head of cyber strategy and innovation, and Michelle Ingrassia has joined the team as vice president of cyber product and underwriting management.
Both will report to Aaron Basilius, senior vice president for cyber at AmTrust. Basilius joined AmTrust from Munich Re in July. AmTrust is currently active in the large risk cyber insurance market, and is developing cyber risk products for a wide range of small businesses, to be launched later this year.
“In the last year, with cyberattacks and data breaches on the rise, we have seen the demand for cyber insurance grow dramatically, especially in AmTrust’s core small business market,” Basilius said. “We are delighted that Jeffrey and Michelle have joined our growing team as we build out AmTrust’s cyber insurance offerings.”
Batt joins AmTrust from M&T Bank, where he served as cyber insurance practice leader. Prior to that, he served as vice president in Marsh’s cyber practice. From 2010 to 2016, Batt was an associate deputy general counsel at the Department of Defense. In his new role at AmTrust, he will be responsible for the company’s engagement with customers and business partners, and creating risk solutions.
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Ingrassia joins the company after seven years at Beazley, where she most recently served as an attorney in the cyber & tech division. Prior to that, she worked at The Falcigno Group (now TFG Insurance Specialties). Ingrassia is a member of the Connecticut State Bar. In her new role at AmTrust, she will oversee the company’s cyber insurance offerings.
“Our team draws on many years of broad practical experience in the dynamic global cyber insurance market,” Basilius said. “As cyber risk increasingly affects businesses of all types and sizes, we expect our group and practice to become an important new growth area for AmTrust.”
