An ex-chief insurance regulator for Missouri will take over the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers starting in January 2018.

John Huff, the immediate past president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, is succeeding Brad Kading, who is retiring after leading ABIR for 12 years.

ABIR is a lobbying group for Bermuda’s international property/casualty insurers and reinsurers and also has operating subsidiaries in the United States and Europe. Its members employ nearly 53,000 people globally, including more than 26,000 in the U.S. alone and 1,600 in Bermuda, according to the trade association.

Kading is credited with helping to build ABIR into a powerful advocate for its members.

“He has helped us navigate through a number of political and regulatory challenges around the world,” Kevin O’Donnell, president and CEO of RenaissanceRe and the ABIR chair, said in prepared remarks. “We are grateful to [Kading] for his many contributions to the advancement of our organization and industry and wish him all the best as he begins this new chapter.”

O’Donnell said that Huff is a seasoned industry veteran who will bring valuable skills to ABIR.

“For over 25 years, [Huff] has been a leader and coalition-builder in our industry,” O’Donnell said. “He brings a deep understanding of the regulatory, legal, financial and operational challenges faced by insurance and reinsurance companies and the customers we serve.”

O’Donnell added that Huff’s “relationships, expertise and leadership skills will be extraordinarily valuable to our members.”

Huff, also in prepared remarks, said he looks forward “to working with the ABIR team and our members to continue our efforts to educate policymakers, industry stakeholders and others about our industry and to help foster future opportunities for our members and the clients and communities they in turn serve.”

Source: ABIR