Starr Companies made a new executive appointment in Seattle. Startup Lemonade hired a chief compliance officer/general counsel. Catastrophe modeling firm RMS brought on a new executive from AXIS Capital.

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Starr Companies appointed Leslie Conti to be branch manager of its new Seattle office.

Conti, a 40-year insurance industry veteran, will be responsible for strategic growth and financial performance as well as broker/client relationships for the Pacific Northwest. Her underwriting responsibilities will include excess casualty and excess construction.

Before Starr, Conti was a branch manager and held various management roles for several international insurance carriers. She focused on areas including excess and primary casualty, casualty surplus lines, international property and casualty and risk management.

Starr provides property, casualty and accident & health insurance products, plus a number of specialty coverages in areas including aviation, marine, energy and excess casualty insurance.

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Insurance startup Lemonade hired William (Bill) Latza as its chief compliance officer and general counsel.

Latza previously had been a partner for 25 years at the law firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, where he specialized in insurance law.

Latza has served as Lemonade’s external counsel since its 2005 founding, and is credited with helping get Lemonade licensed in New York State.

Lemonade handles homeowners and renters insurance, and relies on technology and behavioral economics to make the insurance process easier and simpler, with zero paperwork.

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Catastrophe modeling firm RMS has a new member of its executive team.

Michael Steel has been named Global Head of Solutions, and he will also chair RMS’s Europe Leadership Council. As well, Steel will be the point man for overall regional leadership in the RMS London and Zurich Offices.

Steel has more than 25 years experience in insurance industry-related risk and capital management. Previously, he was group chief risk officer at AXIS Capital, which he joined in 2008 after 12 years at Benfield (now Aon Benfield).

Sources: Starr Companies, Lemonade, RMS