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Executive Changes
Nationwide Names Jim Fowler Chief Information Officer

Other changes include Willis Towers Watson extending the contract of its CEO and a new COO of insurance operations at Markel.
Jim Fowler

Jim Fowler

Nationwide has named Jim Fowler as chief information officer. Fowler succeeds Mike Keller, who announced his retirement plans earlier this year. Fowler will be responsible for the firm's technology strategy and IT capabilities. He will also lead the prioritization and delivery of strategic business transformation programs, which support Nationwide's financial responsibility to individuals and businesses. Fowler recently served as chief information officer for General Electric. While there, he led the company's global information technology strategy, services and operations. He also oversaw the digital transformation program across the GE enterprise.

“Jim's strategic, transformational and people leadership skills, strong alignment with the Nationwide culture and his extensive IT background will be valuable to Nationwide as we continue to leverage technology to serve the evolving needs of our members,” Steve Rasmussen, Nationwide's chief executive officer, said in a statement.

Fowler had been with General Electric since 2000 and served in various IT leadership positions. He served as chief information officer for GE Capital, GE Power and Water, GE Intelligent Platforms and GE Aviation. Fowler also served as chief technology officer for architecture and design at GE Infrastructure. Preceding this, he held various IT positions with NCR and Accenture.

—Theodore Apt

Distribution

WTW Board Extends Contract of CEO

John Haley

John Haley

Willis Towers Watson's board of directors has extended the contract of its chief executive officer, John Haley, through Jan. 1, 2021.

Haley joined the firm in 1977 and was promoted to CEO in 1998. Under his tenure, the company went public in 2000 and completed three successful mergers, in 2005, 2010 and 2016, which created Willis Towers Watson.

Sunup Names President, COO

Sunup Insurance Services has named Jim Westerman president and chief operating officer.

Westerman recently left the Farmers Insurance Group of Cos. after 35 years. He began his career with Farmers in personal lines underwriting in 1983. He was also state executive director for Oklahoma, senior vice president sales in the home office, and SVP field operations for the Eastern zone and later the Pacific zone before taking on the title of head of commercial sales at Farmers.

Ardonagh Names CFO and Risk Officer

Ardonagh Group appointed Diane Cougill as chief financial officer and Sarah Dalgarno as chief risk officer.

Cougill replaces Mark Mugge, who was formerly the CFO. Cougill was previously CFO and insurance director of the motoring and financial services group RAC.

Dalgarno was appointed strategic risk director of Towergate Group in May 2016 and headed a legacy resolution unit. Prior to Ardonagh, she worked at Arthur J. Gallagher, where she spent nine years, recently as CRO.

Lloyd's Broker Endeavour to Appoint CEO

Lloyd's broker and delegated authority specialist Endeavour Insurance Services said it will appoint veteran casualty broker Karen Allen to be its chief executive officer as it embarks on a structural evolution.

Allen, who will assume her duties in October 2018, comes to Endeavour from specialist broker Howden UK Group Ltd., where she is director for international. Allen has been a Lloyd's broker for nearly two decades.

Allen will also become Endeavour's group managing director, with authority over the combined broking activities of SSL Endeavour, which was created by the merger between Endeavour and marine broker SSL Insurance Group.

Life/Health

Prudential Names Head of National Accounts

Jessica Gillespie

Jessica Gillespie

Prudential Group Insurance has promoted Jessica Gillespie to head of national accounts. Her previous title was vice president of strategic partnerships and distribution excellence.

She has nearly 20 years of experience in the insurance industry and held various leadership titles since joining Prudential in 2006. Preceding her employment at Prudential, Gillespie held leadership positions at Cigna.

Joseph Corbelli has been named vice president, strategic partnerships, succeeding Gillespie in light of her recent appointment.

MetLife Appoints EVP and Treasurer

MetLife Inc. has named Ed Spehar executive vice president and treasurer. He will be based in MetLife's New York City office. He succeeds John McCallion, who was named executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Spehar was senior vice president and chief financial officer for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, a role he will continue to fulfill until a successor is named. Preceding this, he was senior vice president and head of investor relations.

Prior to his employment at MetLife, Spehar spent 23 years as an equity research analyst. In 2012, he made the transition from Bank of America Merrill Lynch to MetLife.

Property/Casualty

Zurich NA Names Manna to New Role

Zurich North America named Deirdre Manna as head of government and industry affairs.

She leads Zurich's engagement with elected officials at the state and federal level on public policy issues that may impact its business and its customers and is based in Schaumburg, Illinois.

She replaces Laura L. Favinger, who left Zurich North America to join the Insurance Information Institute.

Manna joins Zurich from the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, where she was political engagement and regulatory affairs vice president. Manna is a former state insurance regulator, having served as acting director of the Illinois Division of Insurance. She had also been assistant vice president of the American Insurance Association.

Markel Names COO of Insurance Operations

Markel Corp. named Robert Cox to the newly created position of president and chief operating officer, insurance operations.

Markel also announced the promotions of Brad Kiscaden to president and chief administrative officer and Bryan Sanders to president, U.S. Insurance. All leadership changes will be effective Sept. 5.

Cox was previously executive vice president and COO at Chubb.

Kiscaden has been executive vice president and chief actuarial officer since 2012. He joined Markel in 1986 and held a variety of leadership positions.

Sanders has been president of the Markel Assurance division since 2017.

CM Regent Names Tribble VP-CAO

John Tribble

John Tribble

CM Regent Insurance Co., a subsidiary of Church Mutual Insurance Co., has named John Tribble vice president and chief administration officer.

Tribble joined Church Mutual in January 2016 as a territory manager. In January 2017, he was promoted to director of diversity and inclusion, and later that year appointed to his present position. Tribble holds the title of assistant vice president and chief diversity officer with Church Mutual. He will continue to serve in this capacity until a successor is named.

Validus Specialty Names COO

Validus Specialty Underwriting Services Inc. has named Bob Eells senior vice president and chief operating officer of Validus Specialty, Western World and Crop Risk Services.

Eells has more than 30 years of experience in commercial insurance operations. Prior to joining Validus, he held senior roles at XL Catlin.

Plymouth Rock Appoints Group CEO

Plymouth Rock Assurance Corp. has named Mary Boyd president and chief executive officer of its independent agency group.

Boyd succeeds Chris Olie, who will assist with the transition before retiring from his full-time role with Plymouth. Preceding this appointment, Boyd was employed by Hartford Insurance Co., where she held senior leadership positions and oversaw the firm's personal lines agency and personal lines direct channels.



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