People Moves: Liberty Specialty Promotes 2, Hires Political Risk U/W; HDI Global Names Röllecke Head of Cyber/Financial; Ex-Lloyd’s CEO Ward Becomes CFC’s Non-Exec. Chair

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Liberty Specialty Markets, HDI Global and CFC Underwriting.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Liberty Financial Risk Solutions Promotes 2, Hires Political Risk Underwriter

Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM), part of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, has made two senior promotions in its Financial Risk Solutions (FRS) division and has expanded its Political Risk team.

Huw Owen, formerly FRS head of underwriting and London Markets, takes on the newly created role of FRS chief underwriting officer. Sam Wilde, formerly underwriting manager – FRS, becomes FRS head of London Markets, the role vacated by Owen.

Both take up their new roles with immediate effect. Owen will report directly to Peter Sprent, global head of FRS. Wilde will report to Owen.

Both Owen and Wilde have significant experience of the financial services sector. Owen joined Liberty in 2012 as Global Financial Risks – head of London Markets after 10 years in insurance. Wilde joined Liberty in 2017 as senior underwriter after 13 years in banking.

“Huw has been instrumental in developing Liberty’s growing product capabilities. He’ll be responsible for ensuring that our global underwriting teams are positioned to provide market-leading innovative financial risks solutions in each of our market segments,” Sprent commented.

“Sam has expanded FRS’s non-payment offering and developed a number of our strategic initiatives, most notably project finance, asset-backed finance and capital markets. Our clients and brokers will benefit from his technical expertise and commercial acumen,” he added.

In addition, Mia Jureidini joins the FRS division as political risk underwriter with immediate effect. She will be based in London, reporting to William Limb, LSM’s Political Risk Practice leader. Jureidini was formerly senior broker with WTW.

“Socio-economic issues stoked by the pandemic, increasing foreign direct investment in relation to the energy transition, and the post-pandemic recovery, have increased demand for the political risk product. Mia’s knowledge, market experience and ability to forge strong working relationships make her a valuable addition to our team,” said Limb.

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HDI Global Promotes Röllecke as Head of Cyber & Financial Lines

HDI Global SE has appointed Meike Röllecke as the head of Cyber & Financial Lines. In this role, she will manage the global underwriting business of the industrial insurer with cyber insurance policies for industrial and corporate clients.

Röllecke has up to now been head of Cyber Local Risk at HDI Global. Previously, she held various posts in the company. She was board assistant in the Finance & Risk Management division and did a stint in the Group Risk Management department of the Talanx Group, the parent company of HDI Global SE. The 30-year-old holds an MBA in insurance from the Institute of Insurance Science at Leipzig University.

In her new role, Röllecke will report to Dr. Mukadder Erdönmez, who as member of the Management Board of HDI Global SE is responsible for liability and cyber insurance and for motor fleet insurance. She will concentrate on optimally adapting the product portfolio to customer requirements. There will be a strong focus on the development and provision of advisory and service offerings for the management of the cyber risks our customers are exposed to.

She will be responsible for the development and implementation of the HDI Global Cyber Strategy.

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CFC Names Former Lloyd’s CEO Ward as Non-Executive Chairman

CFC Underwriting, the London-based managing general agent and emerging risk specialist, announced it has appointed Dr. Richard Ward as non-executive chairman, subject to regulatory approval.

Ward has a long and distinguished career in insurance and the London Market, serving as CEO of Lloyd’s of London from 2006 until 2013, during which time he helped transform the organization and introduce digitization across many of its processes, said CFC in a a statement.

Following his time at Lloyd’s, Ward was non-executive chairman at Brit Insurance, chairing the syndicate through its IPO and subsequent sale to Fairfax. He was also executive chairman at Cunningham Lindsey Group and non-executive director at Partnership Assurance Group.

Ward is currently the senior independent non-executive director at Direct Line Group and, until recently, was executive chairman of Ardonagh Specialty.

“We are delighted to welcome Richard to CFC. The last 12 months have brought many milestones for our business – from the launch of our new syndicate to a record-breaking private equity deal – and Richard’s arrival is yet another such milestone,” commented David Walsh, group CEO of CFC. “Richard brings a wealth of experience and leadership working with some of the most notable names in our market, including Lloyd’s itself, and will be a tremendous asset to us as we move ahead.”

Topics Cyber Excess Surplus Underwriting London Lloyd's