CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, announced that Todd Pugh has been promoted to executive vice president and chief information officer, overseeing all aspects of the company’s information technology (IT) division. He has served in this role on an interim basis since November 2022.
As a member of the organization’s executive leadership team, Pugh leads CSAA Insurance Group’s technology organization, responsible for consumer- and agent-facing digital experiences, data and analytics platforms, core application systems (policy, claims, financial and human resources), information security and foundational infrastructure.
Pugh joined CSAA in July 2019 as vice president, Commercial Lines IT Delivery, responsible for leading and building technology capabilities for CSAA’s commercial insurance business. He has 25 years of experience in the insurance industry with companies including Liberty Mutual and Safeco. He has held leadership roles in underwriting, field operations, product management and technology, including delivering enterprise systems focused on enhancing the customer experience and improving distribution.
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Japhet Boutin has been appointed SVP, head of Technical Claims for Zurich North America, effective Sept. 15. She will succeed John Shane, who has accepted a position with the Zurich Group as global head of Casualty Claims.
Boutin will play a key role in managing and overseeing the technical aspects of insurance claims within Zurich North America and report to Keith Daly, chief claims officer for Zurich North America.
Boutin has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, both as an attorney and a claims professional. She joined Zurich North America in 2009 as senior coverage counsel, providing internal legal and coverage counsel to the Claims and Underwriting departments. She was promoted to her current role as VP, Director Financial Lines Claims in 2016.
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Kemper Corporation announced the appointment of Bradley T. Camden, its senior vice president and treasurer, as interim chief financial officer, effective immediately.
Camden will report to Joseph P. Lacher Jr., Kemper’s president, CEO and chairman, and replaces James J. McKinney, who will serve as a senior advisor to the company to support a smooth transition.
Kemper said it is initiating a formal search process to select a permanent CFO.
Camden joined Kemper in 2020 as treasurer and has led many of the company’s critical strategic initiatives, including formation of Kemper Bermuda Ltd. and the Kemper Reciprocal exchange, as well as the company’s capital market management and ALM and risk management initiatives. Prior to Kemper, he spent 15 years at Northern Trust Asset Management, where he served in a number of finance leadership roles including head of Long Duration Fixed Income, head of Active and Quantitative Strategies, director of Fixed Income Strategy, among others.
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Colonial Surety Company has appointed Kevin Grzelak as chief financial officer.
In his new role, Grzelak will be responsible for assembling a financial team and formulating a comprehensive strategy for exploring potential acquisitions and partnerships. He will also lead the company’s strategic expansion initiatives, including capital restructuring designed to support long-term and short-term goals.
Grzelak, an insurance industry veteran with over two decades of expertise, previously held the role of CFO – U.S. Insurance and Holding Companies at SiriusPoint, where he helped to prepare the company for its transition to public status.
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MS Amlin announced the appointment of Jessie Burrows as chief financial officer.
She will report to CEO Andrew Carrier and will assume her role at the beginning of 2024, subject to regulatory approval.
Burrows will work alongside retiring CFO Phil Green throughout the first quarter of 2024 as the two oversee the closure and submission of the 2023 year-end financial and regulatory reporting requirements.
Burrows brings over 25 years of experience across the financial services sector to MS Amlin, most recently as managing director – Customer Sales, Service and Claims at Direct Line Group. Prior to DLG, she held a variety of increasingly senior roles at Aviva, including head of investor relations, audit director for Aviva Global Asset Management, chief accounting officer, and FP&A Director for Aviva’s UK & Ireland General Insurance business.