Category: Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance

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Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) has made two key leadership promotions, according to a recent announcement.

Hilary Browne, a 25-year veteran of the global insurance industry, has been promoted to the role of Deputy Global Chief Underwriting Officer. She joined BHSI in 2019 as Country Manager, Ireland, and Head of Casualty for Europe, and most recently served as Global Chief Underwriting Officer, Casualty and Healthcare, and Deputy Head of Europe. Her new role will see her assume executive oversight for BHSI’s global accident and health (A&H) underwriting, multinational underwriting and support, and underwriting affairs, while retaining responsibility for global casualty and healthcare underwriting.

Cameron Holmes, who has more than 20 years of experience in engineering and technical lines property insurance, has been promoted to Global Underwriting Officer, Property for Energy and Construction. He joined BHSI in 2015 as Property Energy and Construction Manager and has been Head of Property Technical Lines in Australia since 2018. In his new role, Cameron will continue to be based in Sydney and will report to Dean LaPierre, BHSI’s Global Chief Underwriting Officer, Property and Marine.

These leadership promotions come at a time of growth for BHSI’s global underwriting portfolio. The company’s executives have praised Hilary and Cameron for their contributions to BHSI and the wider industry, saying that they are ideal candidates for these new roles. Hilary’s transition to her new position will see her Europe region responsibilities move to Alessandro Cerase, the newly named Head of BHSI Europe Region.

© 2023 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance has promoted Ben Ruddlesdin to Head of Professional Indemnity & Cyber (UK). He was previously Senior Underwriter, PI & Cyber.

“Ben has been integral to the growth of our PI portfolio over the past three years,” said Jessica Kirby, Head of Executive and Professional Lines, UK. “In his new role, he will work closely with Executive Underwriter David Harries and our exceptionally experienced team to take our PI presence to the next level, as we continue our growth into more primary and lead positions.”

Ben has nearly 10 years of industry experience and has held a variety of increasingly senior roles within the Professional Indemnity market.

He continues to be based in London.

© 2023 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) has appointed Bart De Wilde to lead its growing property underwriting team and portfolio in Switzerland.

“I am very excited to be expanding our Swiss operations with leaders and teammates whose excellent capability and character will drive the best possible experience for customers and brokers seeking stable property solutions,” said Leander Metzger, Country Manager, Switzerland, BHSI. “Bart will build and lead our property team, providing our reliable capacity, risk engineering and CLAIMS IS OUR PRODUCT philosophy to the Swiss marketplace.”

Bart has more than two decades of insurance underwriting and engineering experience. He comes to BHSI from Holcim Ltd, where he was most recently Deputy Head of Group Insurance. He holds a master’s in Industrial Sciences from Catholic University Leuven, Technology Campus de Nayer.

As part of a steady expansion of its global footprint, BHSI opened a new office in Zurich, Switzerland in 2022, where its growing team is offering a full line of commercial property, casualty, and specialty insurance solutions to customers and brokers.

Bart is based in BHSI’s Zurich office.

© 2023 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) has announced the following leadership appointments in its UK Executive & Professional Lines business: Jess Kirby has been named Head of Executive & Professional Lines, responsible for the management and leadership of BHSI’s Commercial Management Liability, Financial Institutions and Professional Indemnity businesses. Jess is stepping into the role previously occupied by Chris Warrior who will focus on driving technical underwriting excellence across each of BHSI’s Executive & Professional Lines segments. Additionally, Tom Harris has been named Head of Commercial Management Liability, replacing Jess Kirby.

“BHSI moves into 2023 with exceptionally strong momentum in our Executive & Professional Lines business,” said Chris Colahan, Head of BHSI UK and Europe. “We look forward to continuing to provide customers and brokers with much-needed solutions that come with BHSI’s financial stability, service excellence and CLAIMS IS OUR PRODUCT philosophy.”

Jess was previously Head of Commercial Management Liability, UK. She joined BHSI in 2018 as Senior Underwriter, Commercial D&O. With 15 years in the industry, she has held a variety of increasingly senior-level positions in the Executive & Professional Lines Business. Chris Warrior joined BHSI in 2019 as Head of Management Liability, UK. Chris has 40 years of insurance experience and will be driving continued technical development across Executive and Professional Lines.

Tom Harris joined BHSI in 2021 as Senior Underwriter, Commercial Management Liability. During his 15-year career, Tom has held a variety of increasingly senior financial lines-focused positions with both insurers and brokers.

Rounding out BHSI’s UK Executive & Professional Lines leadership team are Janine McGriskin, Head of Financial Lines, Dave Harries, Executive Underwriter and Maeve Kelleher, Head of Claims.

© 2023 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance has announced a pair of promotions on its U.S. Executive & Professional Lines team, naming Shelley Norman, Senior Vice President, Management Liability, U.S., and Jason Preston as Senior Vice President, Management Liability, Central Region.

“I’m pleased to elevate these two leaders to oversee our growing Executive & Professional Lines portfolio in the U.S.,” said Anthony Tatulli, Head of Executive & Professional Lines, North America. “Shelley and Jason will help lead our team as we continue to bring underwriting solutions to our customers, together with BHSI’s financial strength, and our CLAIMS IS OUR PRODUCT philosophy – all of which are particularly vital to our broker and customer partners.”

Shelley, who has more than 25 years of industry experience, joined BHSI in 2021 as Senior Vice President, Management Liability, Central Region. In her new role, she will oversee BHSI’s regional teams underwriting commercial public and private non-profit management liability insurance nationwide. She continues to be based in Chicago.

Jason has more than 22 years of industry experience spanning both the underwriting and brokerage sides of the business. He joined BHSI in 2021 as Vice President, Management Liability. In his new role, he will oversee BHSI’s Commercial Public and Private Non-Profit Management Liability underwriting team in the Central region. He continues to be based in Chicago.

© 2022 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance has promoted Katharina Rütz to Head of Commercial Lines E&P in Germany. She was previously Senior Underwriter, D&O, in Germany.

“BHSI’s commitment to serving our Executive & Professional Lines customers and business partners in Germany and throughout the DACH region is stronger than ever,” said Andreas Krause, Head of DACH, BHSI.

“I am pleased to have Katharina leading our talented team as we build long-term relationships in our marketplace with stable E&P solutions, backed by our long-view underwriting, financial strength, and CLAIMS IS OUR PRODUCT philosophy,” said Carsten Keune, Head of E&P, Germany, at BHSI.

Katharina, who joined BHSI in 2021, has more than 13 years of experience in the German insurance market. She holds a law degree from Westfälische Wilhelms-University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cologne University of Applied Sciences.

She will continue to be based in Cologne.

© 2022 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.