Markel Insurance, the insurance arm of Markel Group Inc., has bifurcated the operations of its US and Bermuda operations, previously known as Markel Specialty, into US Wholesale and Specialty, and Programs and Solutions.
Simultaneously, the insurer has made changes to its senior leadership, effective immediately.
The US Wholesale and Specialty segment will be responsible for all US specialty insurance business that flows through the company’s core wholesale and retail channels. With this, Markel ensures it has a team focused exclusively on its core US specialty insurance business.
Wendy Houser will lead the division as President. She has been with Markel for 16 years, serving as Chief Wholesale Officer for Markel Specialty for the last two years and previously as Chief Territory Officer. She is also on the board of the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA).
The Programs and Solutions segment will include Markel’s personal lines, Bermuda, surety, worker’s compensation, small commercial general package, programs, and alliances and Insurtech businesses. Through this stand-alone division, the company will increase its focus on and investment in these businesses.
Alex Martin, formerly President of Markel Specialty, will lead this division as President. He has been with Markel for 19 years, holding leadership positions in operations, underwriting, business development, strategy, and finance.
The leadership changes follow the appointment of Simon Wilson as Chief Executive Officer of Markel Insurance in March, and are part of a long-term strategy to simplify and grow the business by giving local teams a greater degree of empowerment and accountability.
Wilson stated, “The best way to profitably grow a specialized and diversified business like ours is to equip and empower our local experts to serve the needs of the customers that they know best. These changes are an initial step to ensure that we have the divisional structure and leaders in place to do just that.”
Andrew McMellin has been appointed President, International, succeeding Wilson. McMellin has over 35 years of specialty insurance experience and has led Markel’s International Wholesale division since joining the company in early 2022. During his tenure, the International Wholesale team increased gross written premium by 43% and underwriting profit by 214%.
Additionally, Glenn Harris has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer. He has been with Markel for 15 years in a range of business development roles, most recently as Managing Executive, Global Distribution Strategies and Business Development.
Lastly, Henry Gardener has been appointed Chief Risk Officer. In this role, Gardener will establish a risk culture that matches the insurer’s business ambition. He has been with Markel for 11 years, most recently serving as Senior Managing Director of Legal and Chief Risk Officer, International.
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