Ascot Group, a Bermuda-based global specialty insurer and reinsurer – hired former executives from Marsh and Nationwide in leadership roles.

Marsh veteran Andy Stirk is Ascot’s new Chief Commercial Officer, and Nationwide alumn Elizabeth Johnson is Ascot’s new North America Chief Underwriting Officer.

As Chief Commercial Officer, Stirk will oversee distribution, marketing and sales strategy across Ascot’s North American businesses. He will work closely with the leadership team to develop and launch a comprehensive distribution strategy across Ascot’s Bermuda, U.S. insurance and MGU platforms.

In addition, Stirk will be responsible for client and broker development strategy, enhancing relationships Ascot holds with key trading partners and insureds, and developing new distribution avenues and business opportunities. He will report to Jonathan Zaffino, Group President.

Stirk was previously at Marsh, where as Managing Director he oversaw execution of the North American growth strategy for Marsh and McLennan’s FINPRO Risk Practice, a highly specialized team of professionals with expertise in Directors’ and Officers’ Liability (D&O), Cyber/E&O insurance and other Financial Lines products including Transactional Risk insurance. Stirk also has experience developing global client portfolios and leading high-impact sales teams throughout his two-decade career spent at Marsh and Aon.

Meanwhile, as North America Chief Underwriting Officer, Johnson will work with the North America executive leadership team to formulate and execute Ascot’s underwriting strategy across its Bermuda, U.S. insurance and MGU businesses. Her scope of responsibilities includes all matters of underwriting governance frameworks and performance monitoring across the various business units.

Johnson will also serve as “a key cultural pillar, tasked to lead, inspire and motivate a diverse team of underwriting professionals,” Ascot said. Based in Ascot’s New York office, she will report directly to Zaffino.

Before ascot, Johnson was at Nationwide where she held the position of Managing Director. Before that, she spent nearly two decades at AIG in a number of senior underwriting and management roles, including Head of Excess Casualty, North America and Global Head of Excess Casualty.

Source: Ascot