Liberty Specialty Markets, Direct Commercial Limited, Arch Insurance, and QBE have each announced senior underwriting appointments as they target portfolio expansion and broker-facing growth in key segments.
Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM), part of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, has named Rob Groenen (pictured above, left) as head of portfolio solutions, Europe, with immediate effect.
He is based in the Netherlands, continues to report to Pierre-Edouard Fraigneau, president and chief underwriting officer for Europe, and retains his responsibilities as general manager for the Benelux and Nordics.
The portfolio solutions role at LSM is newly created and brings together affinity and programme business and digital operations under a single operating model. The unit is designed to give brokers and clients central access to Liberty’s product and underwriting capabilities.
Groenen will oversee the delegated and digital business plan across Europe, including end-to-end performance and relationship management in Liberty’s European markets. The portfolio solutions structure forms part of the carrier’s “Invest in Europe 2030” strategy and is intended to support brokers and clients through a more integrated offering.
Groenen joined Liberty in 2007 as country manager in the Netherlands and has since led the expansion of its portfolio and footprint across Benelux and the Nordics. His remit has included developing multiclass offerings in those territories and building out regional platforms.
Last month, the company also tapped Oliver Delvos as head of cyber and technology errors and omissions for Europe as his predecessor Jelmer Andela transitioned to the role of global commercial director for cyber at Liberty Mutual.
Arch Insurance has also expanded its European management liability platform with the appointment of Ernesto Medina Gomez (pictured above, right) as head of executive assurance for Europe at Arch Insurance (EU) dac, effective immediately.
Based in Madrid, he is responsible for underwriting strategy, product development and distribution of executive assurance solutions across Continental Europe.
The role is newly created and includes a particular focus on Iberia, while Medina Gomez will work with Julien Martins, head of executive assurance for France, on business across France and the Benelux region.
He previously served as a senior executive assurance underwriter at Arch Insurance International in London, and has held senior underwriting positions at Probitas, Zurich and The Hartford, mainly in directors and officers and financial institutions lines for large European accounts.
Gomez’s appointment follows a regional expansion for the company as it three senior underwriting appointments within its motor fleet and motor trade teams for Arch Insurance UK.
In the UK, motor insurer Direct Commercial Limited (DCL) has appointed Steve Knights (pictured immediately above) as London Market new business underwriter, effective December 9. He will be based at DCL’s Lime Street office and sit within the firm’s New Business team.
Knights joins from Aioi Nissay Dowa Europe and brings experience in underwriting and broker engagement across the London and wholesale markets. At DCL, he will focus on underwriting new wholesale and London-market risks, working with brokers on pricing, terms and placements aligned to the company’s risk appetite.
DCL said the hire is aimed at building out its wholesale proposition alongside its existing retail operations. Knights is expected to support growth of the wholesale portfolio and to work with the New Business team to facilitate placements and service delivery for brokers across both channels.
QBE has appointed Sharon Smallridge (pictured immediately above) as portfolio manager for its UK casualty team, expanding its senior leadership in the London market.
Smallridge will lead QBE’s London major client portfolio for UK casualty and will be based in the insurer’s London office. Her appointment takes effect immediately.
She joins from AIG, where she held a series of senior positions over the past 12 years, most recently serving as general liability manager. Overall, Smallridge brings more than 35 years of experience in insurance across claims and underwriting.
The move marks the second senior hire for QBE’s UK casualty team in 2025. In June, the firm announced that Adrian Browne would become director of underwriting for UK casualty following the planned retirement of Anna Bennett at the end of 2025.
