A flurry of late‑summer hires and internal promotions—from Hiscox’s new Group Head of Technical Claims to Bridge Specialty’s Asia CEO and Chubb’s surety re‑shaping—signals insurers are bolstering technical underwriting, regional reach and scaled distribution as they reposition founders into strategic roles ahead of 2026.
The insurance sector’s late‑summer job market is proving busy, with established carriers, specialist underwriters and MGAs refreshing leadership lines as they chase growth, geographic expansion and new product opportunities. The appointments range from newly created technical roles to regional chief executives and internal promotions that shift founders into strategic oversight — a signal that firms are balancing direct underwriting muscle with broader distribution and product bets ahead of 2026.
Hiscox has created a Group Head of Technical Claims role and named Matthew Budd to the post, a move the company says will strengthen its capacity to handle complex, high‑value losses as it expands internationally. According to a Hiscox press release, Budd — who joined from AIG and has previously held senior claims positions at Talbot Underwriting and XL London Market — brings 36 years’ claims experience and will be based in London reporting to Group Claims Director Steve Parry. The appointment, announced on 14 August 2025, is presented by the insurer as part of efforts to bolster technical claims capability and support its growth ambitions.
In regional broking, Howden has added a well‑known sporting figure to its South Wales team, appointing former Wales and British & Irish Lions player Dafydd James as Business Executive. Speaking on his appointment in the Insurance Edge report, Dafydd said he was “thrilled to be joining Howden’s team in South Wales” and cited the firm’s local presence combined with a global footprint as key attractions. Howden said James will cover South Wales, the South West and the group’s global offices, supporting risk strategy across cyber liability, marine engineering, aviation and renewables.
Bridge Specialty International has strengthened its Asian leadership with the appointment of Abhishek Chhajer as chief executive for its regional platforms. Bridge Specialty’s announcement states Chhajer took up the role on 1 August 2025 and will run Acorn International Network in Singapore and act as a director of Capstone Insurance Brokers in Hong Kong from his Singapore base. The company highlighted his 25 years in banking and insurance and said the move underlines Bridge Specialty’s strategy to deepen its specialty presence across Asia; co‑founder David Ong will step into a chairman role while remaining active in the business.
PIB Group’s Acquinex business has also been the focus of senior reshaping as it seeks to capitalise on recent market momentum. Reinsurance News reports that Josh Cowen joined as CEO on 18 August 2025 from Chubb, where he led international transactional risk, and that co‑founders Chris Jackson and Chris Thompson will move into new group roles — Jackson overseeing Specialty MGA strategy and Thompson leading product development across PIB’s MGA businesses. The changes are being framed as part of a wider push to scale Acquinex and integrate it into PIB’s specialist portfolio, alongside hires for Heads of UK W&I and Title.
Davies, the professional services and technology firm serving insurance and regulated markets, promoted Richard Barke to lead its Insurance Solutions division in a move the firm said will strengthen its operational leadership and technology investment. Announced in mid‑August, Davies described Barke — formerly CFO at the Davies‑owned Asta and with prior experience at AIG, Aspen and KPMG — as charged with shaping the division’s growth strategy and supporting underwriting, outsourced operations and compliance services to syndicates, MGAs and insurers.
Chubb has reconfigured its surety leadership with two internal promotions aimed at aligning global strategy and North American execution. The company announced on 11 August 2025 that Steve Haney was elevated to President and Chief Underwriting Officer of Global Surety, with executive responsibility for strategy, underwriting and P&L across the franchise. Teresa Black was promoted to Division President of North America Surety to succeed Haney and will oversee North American operations and the region’s P&L. Chubb framed the appointments as moves to strengthen global surety capability while maintaining disciplined underwriting and client focus.
Finally, Blenheim Underwriting has scheduled a high‑profile casualty hire for the start of next year, naming Alex Stratton‑Thomsett as Casualty Underwriter with effect from 8 January 2026. Reinsurance News and the Insurance Edge report that Stratton‑Thomsett, who brings some 25 years’ casualty market experience including a lead US casualty role at MS Amlin, will work alongside senior casualty underwriter David Barber to expand the MGA’s casualty account. Barber was quoted as saying the appointment “marks a significant step forward in the expansion of our casualty MGA book” and framed it as confirmation that Blenheim’s independent model continues to attract established underwriting talent.
Taken together, these moves underline a dual theme across the sector: firms are hiring deep technical and regional expertise to support product and geographic expansion, while also repositioning senior founders and executives into roles that prioritise group strategy and scalable distribution ahead of the new year.
📌 Reference Map:
Reference Map:
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative presents recent appointments and strategic moves within the insurance sector, with specific dates provided for each event. The earliest known publication date for similar content is 14 August 2025, aligning with the Hiscox appointment. The report includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The inclusion of a press release from Hiscox indicates a high freshness score. However, the presence of recycled content and the update of older material suggest a moderate freshness score.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative includes direct quotes from various individuals, such as Steve Parry of Hiscox and Dafydd James of Howden. The earliest known usage of these quotes is in the respective press releases dated 14 August 2025 and 18 August 2025. The identical wording of these quotes in earlier material suggests potential reuse. The lack of online matches for some quotes raises the possibility of original or exclusive content. The presence of reused quotes from press releases indicates a moderate originality score.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from reputable organisations, including Hiscox, Howden, and Bridge Specialty International, all of which have verifiable online presences. The use of direct quotes from these organisations’ press releases and the inclusion of a reference map with links to original sources enhance the reliability of the information. The presence of verifiable entities and direct quotes from reputable organisations indicates a high reliability score.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative presents plausible claims about recent appointments and strategic moves within the insurance sector, with specific dates and details provided. The inclusion of direct quotes from individuals involved in these appointments adds credibility. The lack of supporting detail from other reputable outlets for some claims raises questions about the comprehensiveness of the coverage. The presence of direct quotes and specific details indicates a high plausibility score.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative presents recent developments in the insurance sector, supported by direct quotes from reputable organisations and verifiable entities. While some content appears recycled, the inclusion of updated data and original quotes enhances the freshness and originality. The plausibility of the claims is supported by specific details and direct quotes, indicating a high level of credibility.
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