The insurance industry has seen notable leadership changes this week, as WTW appointed Scott Van Slyck and Kate Gingras to senior technology roles, Liberty Mutual added Gordon Watson to its board, Zurich Cover-More named Jeff Rutledge as its incoming CEO, and the Big “I” selected Kasey Connors as executive director of its Agents Council for Technology.
Liberty Mutual Insurance has elected Gordon Watson (pictured, left) to its board of directors. Watson was formerly chair and CEO of AXA Asia & Africa, overseeing operations in 18 countries. He also held leadership roles at AIA, AIG Life, and Alico.
“His extensive background in the insurance industry and dedication to promoting holistic health and leadership development in the workplace will bring invaluable insights as we navigate the evolving market landscape,” said CEO Tim Sweeney.
Watson is an advocate for mental health and serves on the board of OneMind. He also helped develop the Mental Health at Work Index with Columbia University.
Jeff Rutledge (pictured, right) will become CEO of Zurich Cover-More on July 1, 2025, succeeding retiring CEO David Fike. Rutledge, who joined the company in December 2024, previously led AIG Travel for over 18 years and brings 25 years of travel insurance experience.
“Jeff is a proven leader with deep industry expertise,” said Zurich Global Ventures CEO Cara Morton.
Zurich also named Emily Yoo as head of operations and transformation. Yoo will oversee the integration of Travel Guard and manage operations, claims, and technology functions.
WTW has expanded its Insurance Consulting and Technology division with two senior appointments. Scott Van Slyck joined as senior director of technology sales, bringing over 20 years of experience from firms including: Semsee, Bolttech, and InsurePay. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Van Slyck will lead Americas sales efforts and report to Giovanni Smyth and Charlie Samolczyk.
“Scott has consistently delivered successful programs and revenue growth,” Smyth said.
Kate Gingras was named director of strategy execution. She brings two decades of global experience in enterprise software and insurance operations.
The Big “I” has appointed Kasey Connors as executive director of its Agents Council for Technology (ACT). Connors joined the organization in 2017 and most recently served as vice president of marketing operations for Trusted Choice.
ACT brings together agents, carriers, and vendors to address tech challenges in the industry. Connors was instrumental in developing the Trusted Choice Hard Market Toolkit and AI Toolkit.
“Under her leadership, ACT is well-positioned to execute its mission—to unite the independent agency system in support of agents embracing technology to meet their strategic goals,” said Big “I” president and CEO Charles Symington.
Connors succeeds Chris Cline and holds an MBA, a certified association executive designation and a professional certified marketer credential.
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