IRDAI, Consilium, Kiwi General Insurance, Starr, UIB India: 10 APAC insurance people moves of the week
July 25 2025 by Andrew Mullen
InsuranceAsia News wraps up the people moves from the insurance industry in Asia this week.
1. India appoints former finance secretary as IRDAI chairman
The government of India has appointed former economic affairs secretary Ajay Seth as the new chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).
Seth, a former bureaucrat, has been appointed for a three-year term. The all-important regulatory post has been lying vacant for over four months, after the tenure of the previous chairman, Debasish Panda, ended on March 13.
With over 33 years of public service experience, Seth has held key roles in public finance, tax policy, infrastructure financing, fiscal management, and digital payments.
Read the full story here.
2. Specialty broker Consilium opens Singapore office, appoints CEO
Speciality (re)insurance broker Consilium has expanded into Asia by opening a Singapore office and appointing Rob Drysdale as CEO of Consilium Cedent Fac Asia to lead its development. Drysdale joins the broking business of the Aventum Group from parametric specialist Descartes, where he was head of Southeast Asia.
Read the full story here.
3. Indian startup Kiwi General Insurance appoints CEO
Saurav Jaiswal (pictured) has been appointed co-founder, managing director, and CEO (designate) of the newly established Kiwi General Insurance. WestBridge Capital has set up Kiwi General Insurance with Neelesh Garg, the former managing director and CEO of Tata AIG General Insurance, who holds a 10% ownership stake in the new venture.
Read the full story here.
4. Starr Insurance names new APAC head of financial lines
Starr Insurance has appointed David Wang as a senior executive to lead its financial lines business in Asia Pacific. Singapore-based Wang, who has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, has been named Starr’s new head of financial lines in the region.
Read the full story here.
5. UIB India assistant vice president
Reinsurance broker UIB India has appointed Sunil Sharma as an assistant vice president. New Delhi-based Sharma joins the firm from Policybazaar, where he was an assistant general manager for almost three and a half years, from March 2022.
Read the full story here.
6. Lockton India continues transactional lines build out, appoints VP
Global broker Lockton has appointed Pankti Doshi (pictured) as vice president of transactional lines. Mumbai-based Doshi is a chartered accountant, with over eight years of experience in M&A transactions, having advised private equity funds, strategic investors, Indian promoters, and sponsors, the statement said.
Read the full story here.
7. Aon India hires head of transaction solutions
Aon India has appointed Vikas Pareek as head of transaction solutions. Mumbai-based Pareek is a chartered accountant with over 18 years of experience in M&A and corporate finance. He brings deep expertise in transaction structuring, cross-border deals, and regulatory strategy, according to the post.
Read the full story here.
8. Delta Australia ropes cyber, PI underwriting lead
Specialist MGA Delta Insurance Australia has appointed David Augustyniak as its new cyber and professional indemnity (PI) underwriting manager. Brisbane-based Augustyniak joins the underwriter from Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, where he was a senior underwriter, executive and professional risks, for over seven years from July 2018.
Read the full story here.
9. Allianz Commercial names head of distribution management
Wenqiao Li (pictured) has joined Allianz Commercial in Hong Kong as head of distribution management. Hong Kong-based Li joins from Descartes Underwriting, where she spent the last three years as business development director for greater China.
Read the full story here.
10. Victor Insurance Australia appoints QBE veteran head of programs
Victor Insurance Australia, an underwriting agency and authorised representative of Marsh, has hired Dave Burnage, a QBE Insurance veteran, to the newly created role of head of programs. Sydney-based Burnage (pictured) comes with more than 20 years of experience in underwriting, claims, and product specialisation in Australia and the UK.
Read the full story here.
Other moves you may have missed
The Insurance Brokers Association of New Zealand (IBANZ) has appointed Katherine Wilson as its next chief executive, effective from September 8, while Allianz Partners, the affinity and assistance business of Allianz Group, has added Juan Ibarra Santos as a senior underwriter to its team in Hong Kong.
MS Amlin, the MS&AD Group-owned Lloyd’s global (re)insurer, has appointed Christiern Dart as its new chief executive officer, succeeding Andrew Carrier, who will join the wider Mitsui Sumitomo (MSI) group as an executive officer, while Munich Re CEO Joachim Wenning will retire at the end of the year and will be succeeded by chief financial officer Christoph Jurecka.
Zurich Insurance has appointed Michael Szwajda as its broker relationship and business development lead in Singapore, while Steadfast Group-owned Miramar Underwriting Agency has appointed Michael Mackenzie as head of underwriting technical services.
Elsewhere, Steadfast Group’s chief financial officer (CFO) Stephen Humphrys will retire from the role effective from August 31. In the interim, Hannah Lee, the current group financial controller, will become acting CFO of the Australian broker, while it continues an executive search.
For more InsuranceAsia News (IAN) people moves at brokers, insurers, reinsurers, insurtechs, specialty players, MGAs and loss adjusters across Asia Pacific’s fast-growing (re)insurance markets click here.
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