Axa XL, QBE, Gallagher, Zurich, WTW: 9 APAC insurance people moves of the week
February 28 2025 by Andrew Mullen
InsuranceAsia News wraps up the people moves from the insurance industry in Asia this week.
1. Axa XL names new India reinsurance branch CEO
Munich Re’s Alok Shukla will succeed Joseph Augustine as the new CEO of the India reinsurance branch of XL Insurance Company SE, effective from April 1, Axa XL has exclusively confirmed to InsuranceAsia News (IAN). Mayuri Singhal, Asia head of finance for Axa XL, will concurrently serve as interim CEO from February 1 to March 31, with Augustine continuing to support the transition as senior advisor until the end of March having stepped down as CEO on January 31.
Read the full story here.
2. QBE Asia makes wholesale market foray with appointment
QBE Asia has announced the appointment of Ronak Shah as CEO of wholesale markets for Asia, effective from March 1, 2025. The newly created position underscores QBE’s commitment to strengthening its facultative reinsurance business across Asia.
Julie Starley, meanwhile, has been permanently named as chief claims officer for Australia Pacific at QBE, subject to regulatory approval. Sydney-based Starley had been appointed as interim chief claims officer, while retaining her current role as managing director for consumer, following the departure of Jon Fox at the end of 2024.
Read the full stories here and here.
3. Gallagher promotes Australia, Asia chief to global specialty CEO role
Sarah Lyons, currently CEO of Gallagher’s Australia and Asia business, has been appointed as the new CEO of the insurance broker’s London-based specialty division, subject to regulatory approval. Lyons will take over from current specialty CEO Jonathan Turner, who is leaving the business.
Read the full story here.
4. Circles Group expands roles of Asia co-regional directors
Optio-backed specialty MGA Circles Group has given Julie Quach (pictured) and Kenneth Tan expanded roles of Asia co-regional directors in addition to their current roles, it has been exclusively confirmed to InsuranceAsia News (IAN). Hong Kong-based Quach is also in the process of being appointed as responsible officer for the special administrative region, pending regulatory approval, she told IAN. Meanwhile, Tan, who has also assumed the role of responsible officer for Singapore, will continue as head of regional development and financial lines manager.
Read the full story here.
5. Zurich promotes new APAC CUO
Zurich has promoted Alex Todd to chief underwriting officer for Asia Pacific. Singapore-based Todd had joined Zurich as head of short-tail lines for the firm’s Asia Pacific operations in August 2023 from Chubb, where he had been head of property since January 2021.
Read the full story here.
6. WTW hands names new lead fac broker in Asia
WTW has appointed Joule-Tobias Howard (pictured) to the new role of lead broker in the facultative business for Asia, effective from April 1. Singapore-based Howard will lead the most complex facultative deals across all lines of business in Asia and provide seamless access to the international markets in Asia, London and the Middle East for WTW’s insurer clients to meet their retro and fac requirements.
Read the full story here.
7. Markel continues marine expansion with Singapore hull, war lead hire
Specialty (re)insurer Markel has appointed Galvin Hu as marine hull and war lead in Singapore. Hu will be responsible for spearheading the team’s underwriting strategy in the region and working closely with the broader APAC underwriting team to leverage his deep technical expertise and market knowledge.
Read the full story here.
8. Swiss Re CorSo names new Asia head amid organisational shift
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions has unveiled a new organisational structure with the introduction of market units, which will see Robert Hunziker (pictured) appointed head of Asia. Singapore-based Hunziker will lead the Asia market unit, which comprises Greater China, Japan and Southeast Asia.
Read the full story here.
9. Munich Re appoints head of treaty P&C underwriting for Southeast Asia, India
Munich Re has appointed Hanh Nguyen as head of treaty P&C underwriting for Southeast Asia and India. Singapore-based Nguyen joined Munich Re from Swiss Re in October 2023 as regional property treaty manager as part of the Southeast Asian and Japan regional underwriting team, and she has been deputy head of treaty P&C underwriting for Southeast Asia and India since July.
Read the full story here.
Other moves you may have missed
Sompo Asia Pacific has appointed Kelly Koh, Victoria Soo, and Szeto Ophelia to its APAC commercial lines team, while HDI Global has appointed Brandt Connor to the newly created role of head of distribution across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
Kirsten Murray has also been appointed as senior property underwriter at HDI Global.
For more InsuranceAsia News (IAN) people moves at brokers, insurers, reinsurers, insurtech, specialty players, regulators, MGAs and loss adjusters across Asia Pacific’s fast-growing (re)insurance markets click here.
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