View this article online: https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2022/09/22/686254.htm
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Strategic Risk Solutions and Markel International.
A summary of these new hires follows here.
Strategic Risk Solutions Taps Marsh’s Meindersma to Lead Canada Expansion
Strategic Risk Solutions (SRS), the independent insurance company manager, announced that Brad Meindersma has joined SRS as the president of SRS Managers (Canada) Ltd.
Meindersma brings with him to SRS a wealth of knowledge and experience. Before joining SRS, he was a senior vice president for Marsh Captive Solutions in Bermuda where he spent nearly three years, according to his LinkedIn profile. Prior to that, he was executive vice president at JLT Insurance Management in Bermuda where he worked for more than seven years, his profile added. Meindersma has worked directly with and advised senior executives from companies ranging from mid-sized to Fortune 50.
He has acted as the client account executive, a captive board member, an underwriting committee and/or investment committee member, client prospecting and sales manager, captive and commercial insurer setup, and coordinated the AM Best rating process as well as liaising with external service providers for a portfolio of captive and commercial clients.
“We are excited to have Brad join us as we have many Canadian clients in various domiciles but decided it was an opportune time to have ‘boots on the ground’ locally to better serve our current and future clients based or with significant operations in Canada,” said Brady Young, president, and CEO of Concord, Mass.-based SRS.
“We expect an uptick in activity, both new formations and re-domestications, given recent legislative changes and the opportunity to form domestic captives in British Columbia and more recently Alberta. Brad is the ideal person to build and lead our team in Canada as these domiciles gain traction,” Young added.
“The growth potential at SRS is very exciting. Diving into the legislation and coordinating the setup of Alberta and British Columbia insurance management operations is a great beginning. SRS has such a well-respected reputation and growing the business into Canada to provide customized services is the logical next step,” commented Meindersma.
With over 25 years’ experience, SRS provides management and consulting services to a wide range of insurance company entities, from single parent captives to complex commercial insurers and reinsurers. SRS has operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, and South Africa.
Markel Int’l Promotes 3 in Wholesale Claims Leadership Team
Markel International, a subsidiary of Markel Corp. announces three senior promotions that build out the leadership team within its wholesale claims operation. This latest investment in leadership plays an important part of Markel’s strategy to scale further growth across the organization’s wholesale business.
Under the new leadership team, Jonathan Pestell will assume the role of head of claims performance for speciality, where he will concentrate on driving broker engagement, while identifying areas to strengthen Markel’s claims service across its professional and financial risk (PFR), cyber, equine, and trade credit, political risk, and surety (TCPRS) classes of business.
Pestell has been with Markel International for more than 12 years during which time he has held the role of claims manager of professional indemnity at the organization.
Meanwhile, Thomas Upton has been named head of claims performance for marine and energy. Akin to Pestell’s position, Upton will focus on enhancing relationships with brokers, ensuring that complex claims continue to be dealt with quickly and efficiently for clients operating in the marine and energy liability space.
Upton started as a senior claims adjuster at Markel International more than seven years ago. Since then, he has climbed the ranks to become claims manager of energy liability and terrorism.
Completing the line-up of appointments is Dan Lofty, as the new head of claims operations and special projects team (SPT). Lofty will be responsible for managing vendor relationships, ensuring the business continues to deploy the correct systems and processes.
Lofty joined Markel International more than seven years ago, starting as a senior casualty claims adjuster in the reinsurance division before progressing to the role of reinsurance and special projects claims manager.
Collectively, the trio, who have more than 50 years of experience in claims between them, will ensure the wholesale claims and underwriting teams are closely aligned, as they take Markel’s claims service to the next level.
Pestell, Upton, and Lofty will be based at Markel’s London office and report to Chris O’Shea, wholesale claims director at Markel International.
“We would like to congratulate Jon, Tom, and Dan, on their recent promotions. With their wealth of knowledge and experience in claims, I am confident that they will further enhance our award-winning claims service, by working closely with our brokers, clients, and underwriting teams to drive profitable growth, as our wholesale business navigates to US$2 billion gross written premium (GWP),” O’Shea commented.