OAK Global has placed James Irvine (pictured left) and Roland Morse (pictured right) in charge of Syndicates 2843 and 1440, assigning underwriting responsibility within its regulated structure in 2026.
The appointments, subject to regulatory approval, name Irvine as active underwriter for Syndicate 2843 and Morse as active underwriter for Syndicate 1440.
Irvine will serve as chief underwriting officer (CUO) of OAK Reinsurance alongside his syndicate role. Morse will serve as CUO of OAK Enterprise while overseeing Syndicate 1440. Both continue to report to Cathal Carr, founder, CEO, and group CUO of OAK Global.
“The expansion of their responsibilities will support our continued disciplined underwriting approach while enhancing the delivery of our value proposition to our clients and brokers. I am delighted to see them step up into the formal positions of active underwriter,” Carr said.
The structure aligns each syndicate with a defined business unit. OAK Reinsurance operates through Syndicate 2843 and focuses on primary reinsurance, while OAK Enterprise writes retrocession business through Syndicate 1440, targeting property and specialty classes, according to earlier company disclosures.
Irvine previously served as group chief underwriting officer for reinsurance at Lancashire Insurance Group from June 2021 to December 2024.
Morse spent more than two decades in reinsurance broking, working at Aon Benfield from September 2003 to January 2014 and at Guy Carpenter from January 2014 to June 2025. He joined OAK Global as managing director in June 2025 and became CUO of OAK Enterprise in November 2025.
The governance changes follow Lloyd’s approval for Syndicate 1440 to begin underwriting from January 1, 2026, establishing OAK Enterprise as the group’s second unit alongside OAK Reinsurance.
OAK Enterprise was designed to provide retrocession capacity and risk solutions within the Lloyd’s market, with a first-year target of about $75 million in gross written premium. The syndicate operates under a turnkey arrangement with Polo Managing Agency Ltd and has backing from capital providers including Bain Capital.
The addition of Syndicate 1440 places OAK Global in both primary reinsurance and retrocession segments, which are linked to reinsurance pricing cycles and capital demand.
“2026 is an important year for OAK Global as we build on our successful first year of underwriting in 2025. Continuing to enhance our regulated team structure is an important part of building a robust underwriting business, while giving well-deserved recognition and responsibility to our valued colleagues,” Carr added.
The appointments formalize underwriting authority at the syndicate level following OAK Global’s 2025 launch year. The reporting structure remains unchanged, with both executives accountable to Carr while holding direct responsibility for their respective syndicates.
