Insurance moves: Arch Insurance and Descartes Underwriting

Arch Insurance Australia and Descartes Underwriting have welcomed new appointments in Australia, adding leadership and business development roles as both companies expand their operations in the region.

Arch names PI underwriting manager

Arch Insurance Australia has appointed Carey Sturgiss (pictured left) as Southern Region professional indemnity (PI) underwriting manager, effective immediately.

Based in Melbourne, she will oversee underwriting activities across the southern region PI portfolio, covering Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. Sturgiss reports to Aisling Hegarty, head of PI.

She most recently served as a senior PI underwriter, bringing more than 25 years of insurance market experience. Before she joined Arch in 2025, she previously held underwriting roles at Chubb, CGU, Allianz and QBE.

“Carey has quickly built strong relationships with brokers across the southern region, bringing valuable technical insight, an analytical approach and a deep understanding of the local market. I am confident that Carey will continue to strengthen our relevance and presence in the southern region and support the ongoing growth of Arch’s PI business across Australia,” Hegarty said.

Descartes introduces business development associate

Descartes Underwriting has expanded its Australian operations with the appointment of Will Cripps (pictured right) as business development associate. Cripps brings agricultural sector experience to the Sydney-based team.

He previously worked as a field technician at Phytech, where he deployed IoT sensors across large-scale horticultural operations. Later, he moved into crop insurance with Crop Risk Underwriting.

Lynn Roehrig, head of business development for Australia and New Zealand, said the expansion reflects rising demand for protection against climate and emerging risks.

“Across Australia and New Zealand, many businesses operate in regions highly exposed to extreme weather and climate volatility, where traditional insurance capacity is increasingly constrained or cost prohibitive,” Roehrig said.

“Recognising the significant economic and social impact of these protection gaps, we are focused on delivering practical, data-driven parametric solutions adapted to each of the clients’ needs and sector that offer transparency, speed of payout and certainty when it matters most.”