People Moves: Starr Names Chen CEO of Starr Singapore; Arch Re Announces 4 Executive Promotions; Fidelis MGU Boosts Underwriting Team With 6 Promotions

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Starr Insurance, Arch Reinsurance and Fidelis MGU.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Starr Names Chen CEO of Starr Singapore

Starr Insurance announced that Sean Chen, a 14-year member of Starr’s global team, has been named chief executive officer of Starr International Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (Starr Singapore), effective Aug. 28.

Chen most recently served as Starr’s regional manager for Korea, Taiwan and Japan for property, energy and construction. He previously served as a senior property underwriter in Starr’s Hong Kong office.

Including his time at Starr, Chen has more than 25 years of underwriting and client relations experience on both the insurance carrier and broker sides of the business.

Chen succeeds Phil Finley as CEO of Starr Singapore. Finley recently moved to Thailand as CEO of Starr International Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Ltd., to oversee the expansion of that important new venture for Starr while continuing to lead Starr’s Asia operations as president, Asia Pacific Region.

“We’re fortunate to have an executive of Sean’s caliber, with extensive underwriting experience, to help us grow our presence in Asia,” said Maurice R. Greenberg, chairman and CEO of Starr Insurance. “Sean’s advancement underscores Starr’s strength as a place where people can thrive along with the company.”

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Arch Re Announces 4 Executive Promotions

Arch Reinsurance Ltd., a subsidiary of Bermuda-based Arch Capital Group Ltd., announced the promotions of Crystal Doughty to chief underwriting officer, Property, and William Soares to chief underwriting officer, Casualty and Specialty.

Both will report to Jerome Halgan, CEO of Arch Reinsurance Ltd. (Arch Re Ltd.).

Pierre Jal, who most recently served as global chief underwriting officer for Arch Re Ltd., has assumed the role of chief underwriting officer for Arch Reinsurance Europe (Arch Re Europe). Jal, now based in Zurich, continues to oversee underwriting strategy across both Arch Re Ltd. and Arch Re Europe.

Matthew Dragonetti, president of Arch Re Ltd., will expand his responsibilities to include leading client-centric initiatives across Arch Worldwide Reinsurance Group.

Doughty joined Arch in 2021 as a senior property underwriter and has been leading several of Arch Re’s insurance-linked securities initiatives. Prior to Arch, Doughty spent 15 years with Markel in various underwriting and actuarial roles.

Soares has held a variety of senior underwriting roles, most recently head of Casualty and Specialty, since joining Arch Re Ltd. in 2006.

Jal started with Arch Re Europe in 2007 as an underwriter/actuary and has held senior underwriting roles at both Arch Re Europe and Arch Re Ltd.

Dragonetti helped found Arch Re Ltd. in 2001 and has been president and head of Property since 2017.

“I want to congratulate Crystal and William, both of whom have been critical to the success of Arch Re Ltd., and I am looking forward to working with them as we strive to meet the needs of our customers and grow our Bermuda platform,” Halgan said. “I am also excited to draw on Matt’s and Pierre’s experience and leadership as we advance several strategic initiatives across the reinsurance group.”

“Crystal and William’s well-deserved promotions reinforce the caliber and depth of our leadership team at Arch Re. We take great pride in our underwriting acumen, and I know they will be incredible stewards of the underwriting legacy that is well established at Arch Re Ltd.,” said Maamoun Rajeh, chairman and CEO of Arch Worldwide Reinsurance Group.

“Matt and Pierre have been instrumental in building our operations in both Bermuda and Europe, and I’m delighted they will once again apply their talents and experience to help our organization realize its full potential. We have incredible opportunities in front of us at Arch Re, and I’m looking forward to what’s next,” Rajeh added.

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Fidelis MGU Boosts U/W Team With 6 Promotions

Fidelis MGU, the privately owned, Bermuda-based managing general underwriter, announced six promotions, including three to senior executive roles, with immediate effect.

Richard Coulson has been promoted to deputy group chief underwriting officer (CUO), remaining in his secondary role as chief executive officer (CEO) of Insurance. He was most recently UK CUO since 2021, overseeing all business written from London and the group’s insurance lines. His responsibilities will expand to include assisting with the management of Fidelis MGU’s global underwriting portfolio across all lines of business. Coulson joined Fidelis in 2015 at the time of its launch as head of Speciality and has since held multiple executive positions at the company.

Michael Davern, who was most recently Deputy UK CUO will be taking over the role of UK CUO from Coulson, remaining in his role as group head of D&F Property, Energy and Construction, leading the management of the UK portfolio. Davern began his career in the industry at 2003 at Lane Clark & Peacock actuarial consultancy. After qualifying as an actuary, he moved into underwriting at Catlin Syndicate, progressing to underwriting manager. He joined Fidelis in 2020 as a senior underwriter.

Matthew Bellamy has been promoted to Deputy UK CUO. He will continue his role as director of Underwriting for the group with responsibility for underwriting data, systems, process and reporting having joined Fidelis in 2019 as a senior underwriter.

Bellamy began his career in the industry at Amlin as a US property treaty underwriter before moving to Acappella Syndicate 2014 where he held multiple senior underwriting roles on the Property Treaty team and was deputy active underwriter.

Fidelis MGU has also promoted Jamie Cann to head of Aviation and Space, Savannah Thompson to head of Political Risk, and Abigail Wilkins to head of Airlines recognizing their leadership in these lines of business and the significant expansion of these portfolios.

“It is an exciting time for Fidelis MGU as we take advantage of our separation from the Fidelis Insurance Group to redouble our focus on underwriting and our balance sheet colleagues complete a successful first earnings release as a public company,” commented Richard Brindle, executive chairman and CEO of Fidelis MGU.

Topics Underwriting Insurance Wholesale