USAA hired a new chief strategy officer. Snapsheet promoted a veteran executive to the role of president and chief operating officer. The Hartford made one of its executives its new Life Science Portfolio Manager within its International Casualty team.

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USAA hired Ameesh Vakharia as executive vice president and chief strategy officer, reporting to USAA Chief Executive Officer Wayne Peacock.

Vakharia is charged with helping strengthen the association’s strategic capabilities and positioning it for a strong second century of serving the financial needs of the military and their families.

Previously, Vakharia spent the last 10 years with Truist Bank, where he held strategy, product management and omnichannel leadership roles and served on the bank’s operating council. Most recently, he served as executive vice president of retail strategy, products and omnichannel experiences where he oversaw retail strategy and transformation, retail platforms and client engagement, contact centers, enterprise complaints, retail analytics, small business, and personal deposits product management.

Before Truist, Vakharia was an associate principal at McKinsey & Company where he was a leader in the North American Financial Service Practice advising senior executives on key issues within strategy, sales/distribution, operation and corporate finance.

Vakharia will be based at USAA’s new Charlotte, North Carolina offices, which are slated to open later in 2021 and ultimately house 750 employees.

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Andy Cohen has been promoted to president and chief operating officer at Snapsheet, an InsurTech startup with a claims management platform.

In this expanded role, Cohen will lead go-to-market activities for Snapsheet Cloud products (Claims, Payments and Appraisals) and Snapsheet Appraisal Services. Additionally, Cohen will continue managing the execution of Snapsheet’s end-to-end customer outcomes, service and experience.

Cohen is a 20 year insurance industry veteran with experience in driving growth, financial improvement and strategic leadership, working with carriers, InsurTechs, TPAs, self-insureds and MGAs. Before joining Snapsheet, Cohen served in strategic and operational leadership roles as Vice President of Worldwide Field Operations at CNA Insurance and as VP of Strategic Initiatives at Travelers Insurance.

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The Hartford has added Marcos Perez as the new Life Science Portfolio Manager within its International Casualty team.

Perez brings more than 20 years of U.S.-centric and global experience in supporting brokers, with international experience through multiple distribution channels including Lloyd’s Syndicate 1221, The Hartford’s multinational network and UK company

As the Life Science Portfolio Manager within The Hartford’s International Casualty team, Perez is responsible for the underwriting and strategic delivery of Life Science risk management plans for customers around the world. He will develop The Hartford’s capabilities in the London market by providing clients with operations/product exposures both within and outside the USA with tailored underwriting solutions.

Perez previously served as the Multinational Life Science Leader for The Hartford, actively involved in the development of new product offerings and the creation and implementation of underwriting guidelines within life sciences in the USA and through Lloyd’s syndicate. Before joining the Hartford (formerly Navigators) back in 2012, Marcos held various underwriting roles at Berkley Life Science, CNA and Chubb.

Sources: USAA, Snapsheet and The Hartford