Crawford & Company and Markel Insurance have announced senior appointments to their Australian claims operations, naming new leaders for their complex loss and professional and financial risks portfolios.
Crawford has promoted Joel Arbuthnot (pictured) to head of Global Technical Services (GTS). He will lead the GTS function, which handles major and complex losses.
“Joel has grown into a highly respected leader who brings balance, technical strength and a real passion for developing people. His appointment is well deserved and reflects the positive impact he has had on our GTS team. I have every confidence he will continue to build capability and deliver for our clients,” said Matt Donnelly, head of specialty at Crawford.
Having joined Crawford Australia in 2017, Arbuthnot most recently served as executive adjuster and GTS team leader in New South Wales. He said the promotion was an opportunity to continue building the team’s technical capability.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to step into this role. It is a privilege to lead such a skilled group of specialty professionals who are committed to excellence in handling major and complex losses. I look forward to working with the team as we continue to strengthen our technical capability and provide the highest standard of service to our clients,” Arbuthnot said.
Markel Insurance has appointed Mark Christen (pictured immediately above) as senior claims adjuster in its professional and financial risks (PFR) team, effective immediately. Based in Sydney, Christen will report to Lisa Mitchell, head of claims for Australia, and will lead PFR claims handling, including high-value and complex claims.
“We're delighted that Mark has chosen to join us at Markel. He has a breadth of experience in specialty product lines and his appointment reinforces our commitment to providing a customer-focused and value-adding specialist claims service which Markel is known for,” Mitchell said.
“Having a locally-based PFR claims specialist enhances the way underwriting and claims work together. When those teams are closely aligned, we gain sharper insight, make faster and more informed decisions, and deliver a smoother experience for brokers and customers. Mark’s expertise strengthens that connection and supports our ambition to offer a PFR proposition that’s both highly responsive and genuinely value-adding,” said Kym Beazleigh, head of professional and financial risks for Australia at Markel Insurance.
