6 People on the Move

The latest promotions and hires in the insurance industry, from AIG and Zurich Canada to Chubb and Willis Towers Watson Romania.
By: | April 21, 2019

AIG Adds Kathleen Zortman to Its Team

AIG announced Kathleen Zortman will join the company as president and CEO of its private client group, general insurance.

Zortman will report to Peter Zaffino, CEO of AIG general insurance and global COO, and serve as a member of the general insurance executive leadership team.

In her new role, Zortman will lead AIG’s global high net worth portfolio, with additional responsibility for strategy, underwriting and distribution for AIG’s private client business. Based in New York, she will also manage high net worth’s product lines, including personal auto, homeowners and umbrella policies.

“Kathleen is an industry leader with a proven track record of building successful businesses,” said Zaffino.

“She will be an excellent addition to the General Insurance executive leadership team as we position our business to meet the evolving needs of our high net worth clients.”

Ms. Zortman joins AIG from QBE Insurance Group where she served as president of property & casualty, North America, and oversaw the largest of QBE’s four business lines.

Prior to QBE, she was chief field executive of Fireman’s Fund Insurance from 2011 through 2015. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at Professional Risk Solutions, Johnson & Higgins, Deloitte and Chubb.

Willis Towers Watson Appoints Eleonora Geamanu to Lead Business in Romania

Willis Towers Watson named Eleonora Geamanu as the new head of Willis Towers Watson in Romania.

Geamanu will be based in Bucharest and will start the role subject to the receipt of the usual regulatory approvals. She will be responsible for driving revenue growth and meeting client needs across the Romanian market for a wide range of business lines.

Eleonora Geamanu, head of Willis Towers Watson, Romania

Eleni Lykoudi, head of central and eastern Europe, Willis Towers Watson, said: “Romania is a high-potential market where our clients are increasingly demanding complex solutions to their risk and people needs.

“Eleonora has excelled in her previous roles with the company, and she has the market insights and leadership experience to help drive our business forward.”

Geamanu added, “I am very excited to take this role and to see how I can further grow our business.

“We are fortunate to have a deep pool of senior talent, which will enhance our ability to execute against our long-term strategy, and help ensure our commitment to delivering value to all of our clients,” she said.

The previous head of Willis Towers Watson Romania, Anca Roscaneanu, is now the head of sales and client management for central and eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Willis Towers Watson.

Zurich Canada Names Head of Liability

Marco Royer has been named head of liability for Zurich Canada. He will be a member of the Zurich Canada Executive Team and will report to Zurich Canada CEO Saad Mered. Royer’s first day at Zurich will be July 1.

Royer will be responsible for leading the market-facing underwriting teams in Zurich Canada’s liability portfolio, including casualty, energy casualty, construction liability, environmental liability and commercial automobile.

He will also oversee Zurich Canada’s Alternate Risk Transfer team and will be responsible for the development and growth of the healthcare and public sector industry verticals.

“We are very excited to have a leader of Marco’s caliber and deep experience and relationships in the Canadian market joining us,” Mered said.

“With his addition to Zurich Canada, we continue to build a diverse, experienced and proven senior leadership team that will enable the transformation and repositioning of Zurich’s presence in Canada.”

Marco has been certified as a Chartered Financial Analyst and is a member of London UK CFA Society. He also holds a master of business administration and a bachelor of arts in economics from McGill University in Montreal.

He is also a board member of La Fondation OLO in Montreal whose mission is to help low-income families bring healthy babies into the world and teach them healthy eating habits early on.

Strategic Risk Solutions Brings on Richard Daley as Managing Director

Strategic Risk Solutions, a provider of captive management and consulting services, announced that Richard Daley will join the company on August 1 as managing director, ending his 13-year tenure with JLT Insurance Management (Bermuda) Ltd.

Richard Daley, managing director, Strategic Risk Solutions

For the last four years, he served as JLT’s president.

“I am proud of the captive management business we built at JLT, and it is difficult to walk away from that,” Daley said in a press release.

“SRS represents a new chapter in my career and an opportunity to work for an independent captive manager focused on delivering top-quality captive management services to its clients.”

Daley will work alongside David Sykes and Andrew Hupman, also managing directors, in SRS’s Bermuda office. He will also join the Board of SRS International, which includes SRS’s activities in Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Barbados.

He is charged with helping the team expand its local presence in Bermuda and grow its captive services.

“[Daley] was always a strong adversary as a competitor, and we look forward to working with Richard to continue to build our Bermuda business,” Sykes said.

Chubb Appoints Sara Mitchell as Division President

Sara Mitchell will join Chubb as its division president for the United Kingdom and Ireland retail business, effective April 30.

She is currently head of the company’s middle market division for the UK and Ireland. Mitchell will succeed David Robinson, who is taking a sabbatical starting at the end of April.

As division president, Mitchell will be responsible for Chubb’s property and casualty, accident and health, and consumer lines operations across the UK and Ireland. This encompasses four regions: London, Midlands & South, Scotland & North, and Ireland.

She will continue to be based in London and will report directly to David Furby, regional president, Europe. She will continue fulfilling her current duties until her successor is chosen.

Mitchell joined Chubb in 2011 and has since served in a number of senior management roles in both consumer and commercial P&C businesses in the UK and Europe.

She’s previously worked in commercial market roles for both RSA and Allianz. Mitchell is an associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Everest Brings on VP for Its Structured Solutions Group

Everest Insurance announced that Sharone Menczel Poopor has joined its Structured Solutions group as a vice president, based in the company’s Liberty Corner, N.J. office.

Sharone Menczel Poopor, vice president, Structured Services, Everest Insurance

Poopor will be responsible for underwriting unusual and complex risks, offering clients a range of underwriting solutions.

Marty Scherzer, head of Structured Solutions said, “We are pleased to have someone with Sharone’s talent and specialized knowledge join our team.

“With her significant and diverse experience Sharone will be a great asset as we further build our capabilities to offer unique and innovative solutions for our clients’ most complex and challenging risks,” said Scherzer.

Poopor most recently held the title of SVP/senior managing underwriter in the special risk unit at Ironshore and started her insurance career at AIG.

Poopor holds a JD and a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

The R&I Editorial Team can be reached at [email protected].

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