Ardonagh Specialty Taps Gallagher Re’s Rance as Head of Specialty at Inver Re London; SiriusPoint Bolsters Energy and Marine Offering With 2 Key Hires *Centurion Insurance AFS*

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Ardonagh Specialty’s Inver Re and Bermuda-based SiriusPoint.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Ardonagh Specialty Taps Gallagher Re’s Rance as Head of Specialty at Inver Re London

Inver Re, Ardonagh Specialty’s reinsurance broking business, has appointed Steven Rance to the newly created position of head of Specialty London.

Rance will be based in London and his speciality remit will include credit, marine, cyber, parametrics, motor, and group solutions. He will report to Inver Re London CEO Jonathan Prinn.

Rance joins from Gallagher Re where he was managing partner and head of Global Mortgage. Prior to that, he spent 10 years as head of Global Mortgage at JLT. In his 35-year career, he has also held the roles of European managing director for US mortgage insurer, Radian, and MD for Structured Transactions at mortgage insurance specialist Genworth.

“In addition to setting up the Specialty division, I am also looking forward to realising the opportunities for Inver Re in the credit space which will help support home ownership, house building and, in turn, the wider growth of our credit business,” Rance said.

“In the past, Steven has headed up the UK’s first government-backed mortgage insurance program and led the development of mortgage insurance schemes for housebuilders,” Prinn commented. “The skill he brings to Inver Re will hugely support our growth journey as we cement ourselves as a reinsurance broker that truly offers something different to the market.”

London-based Ardonagh Specialty is the holding company for independent brokers Bishopsgate, Price Forbes and Inver Re. Combined, it has 1400 colleagues globally and manages over $7 billion in gross written premium.

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SiriusPoint Bolsters Energy and Marine Offering With 2 Key Hires

SiriusPoint Ltd., the Bermuda-based specialty insurer and reinsurer, announced the appointments of Chris Fenn as head of Marine, London, and John Hopper as head of Energy.

The appointments sharpen the company’s focus on the strategic growth of its marine and energy business lines, and strengthen its teams across the international business, including Lloyd’s Syndicate 1945.

Fenn, who brings over 25 years’ experience in marine and energy insurance to SiriusPoint, will be responsible for helping to shape the marine group’s strategy and developing SiriusPoint’s marine portfolio in London and internationally. He will be based in London and will report to Steve Smyth, head of Marine, International, and active underwriter for Syndicate 1945, subject to Lloyd’s approval. Smyth was appointed to SiriusPoint in September 2023.

With over 30 years’ experience in marine, offshore and renewable energy underwriting, Hopper will lead SiriusPoint’s Energy team, and will be responsible for maintaining and growing the London and international energy book. He will be based in London and will report to Robert Harman, general manager SiriusPoint London Branch, and CEO and managing director, Sirius International Managing Agency (SIMA).

Victoria Hopgood has also been announced as senior underwriter, Energy, another appointment which will help bolster SiriusPoint’s Energy team. Hopgood joins SiriusPoint from Liberty Specialty Markets.

Prior to joining SiriusPoint, Fenn worked at Markel International for 14 years from 2008, firstly as senior liability underwriter, Marine and Energy, then managing director, Marine, and finally divisional managing director, Marine. He also spent two years working in reinsurance for various classes of business at Sirius International in 1995.

Before joining SiriusPoint, Hopper worked as a senior underwriter for the Natural Resources & Sustainable Energies team at QBE Europe from April 2023. Hopper was also head of Energy at AmTrust’s Lloyd’s Syndicate 1861 from 2014 to 2019.

“We have been building our marine and energy businesses via London and Lloyd’s Syndicate 1945, and internationally through our MGA partnerships,” commented Rob Gibbs, president & CEO, SiriusPoint International. “Marine and energy are vital components of SiriusPoint’s strategy to be a high-performing underwriter and to our overall business. We are excited to welcome best-in-class underwriting talent and market experience to the company to help support our ambitious growth plans.”

Topics
Excess Surplus
A.J. Gallagher
London