Accredited Insurance Holdings Inc. has announced a series of senior appointments aimed at expanding its leadership team across the UK and Europe.
The hires are part of the firm’s investment in underwriting and operational capability as it expands its presence in key markets.
New executives include new chief underwriting officer Laure Kearns, head of reinsurance Jon Wood, and new chief operating officer Steve Pennington.
Kearns will join in July as CUO for the UK. She brings a wealth of experience from her most recent role at Greenlight Re, where she served as Active Underwriter. Prior to that, she held various positions in performance management at Lloyd’s and worked at Newline Group, LV, and Allianz. Her appointment is expected to reinforce Accredited’s focus on technical strength and disciplined underwriting.
Wood will step into the role of head of reinsurance in June. With over 25 years in the industry, Wood has held reinsurance broking roles at Willis Re, Guy Carpenter, and Aon, and most recently served as head of origination at CatX. His background positions him to lead Accredited’s reinsurance strategy across the region.
In May, Steve Pennington will take on the role of COO, having previously worked at SCOR. Joining alongside him is Sachin Patel, who will become Chief Actuary after his tenure at Premia Managing Agency Limited. Earlier this year, the company also welcomed Rey Cruz, who joined from Argenta, as UK chief financial officer.
Stuart McMurdo, CEO for the UK and Europe, said the appointments reflect Accredited’s ambition to become a premier program insurance partner. “These senior hires will significantly strengthen our UK and European team,” he said. “Underwriting excellence is a central part of our value proposition and these appointments bring deep technical expertise, continuing to make us a partner of choice. We are building an outstanding team and are excited about what we can achieve as we continue to attract high-calibre talent to Accredited.”
William Spiegel, group CEO, noted the company’s rapid expansion since becoming an independent business in mid-2024. “We’ve grown to over 80 team members across our UK and European operations,” Spiegel said. “This growth underscores our significant ambitions in these markets and our belief in their long-term potential.”
The appointments come as Accredited continues to expand its capabilities to support partners across specialty and program insurance segments in Europe.
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