Willis appoints Lars Sorensen as Life Sciences Industry Leader for North America
Willis, a WTW business, announced the appointment of Lars Sorensen as Life Sciences Industry Leader for North America.
Sorensen will lead Willis’ life sciences industry strategy and work with leaders and placement teams to advance Willis’ position as a trusted advisor in the life sciences sector. He will report to Mike Giacobbe, Chief Commercial Officer, Willis North America. Sorensen will also drive solution development and serve as a subject matter expert for clients.
“Lars’ deep life sciences expertise, global perspective and client focus will strengthen our ability to help clients navigate complex business challenges, address emerging risks and achieve their objectives,” said Mike Giacobbe, Chief Commercial Officer, Willis North America. “His appointment reflects our continued investment in specialty talent and our commitment to delivering differentiated advice and solutions to clients.”
Sorensen brings more than 30 years of experience to Willis, most recently serving as Life Sciences Industry Vertical Leader, EMEA/UK at Aon. He has built and led high-performing teams, developed long-standing client relationships and driven growth across multiple markets, with expertise spanning industry, broking and liability.
Everest Appoints Lisa Davis to Lead North America Wholesale & Specialty Business
Everest Group, Ltd., a global underwriting leader providing world-class reinsurance and specialty insurance solutions, announced the appointment of Lisa Davis as Head of North America, Wholesale & Specialty.
Ms. Davis will lead Everest’s North America Wholesale & Specialty business, overseeing underwriting strategy, distribution, and portfolio management across the region. She will report to Jason Keen, EVP and CEO of Global Wholesale & Specialty, and serve as a key member of his leadership team.
“Along with her extensive experience, Lisa brings a combination of underwriting discipline, operational leadership, and strong relationships that are critical in this environment,” said Jason Keen. “Her ability to build profitable specialty businesses, lead high-performing teams, and deepen broker relationships will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our North America platform, deliver disciplined, profitable growth, and execute our long-term strategy.”
Ms. Davis brings more than 35 years of experience building and scaling specialty insurance businesses across wholesale markets, with deep expertise in underwriting leadership, portfolio management, and distribution strategy. Most recently, she led the build-out and expansion of Canopius’ U.S. business, delivering sustained profitable growth while significantly scaling the platform. Prior to that, she served as President and Chief Operating Officer for North America at Sompo America and held leadership roles at Zurich North America and St. Paul Companies.
WTW appoints Health & Benefits leader for North America
WTW, a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company, announced the appointment of Sheila Nordquist as Health and Benefits (H&B) leader for North America within its Health, Wealth & Career segment, effective January 12. Nordquist will work to develop and drive the growth strategy for the business in the region.
“We’re pleased to appoint Sheila as our North America leader,” said Anne Pullum, global leader, H&B. “With an innovative outlook on the market and a deep understanding of our business, she is well-positioned to drive growth while remaining dedicated to clients’ needs. Her focus on turning priorities into action will help us deliver the breakthroughs that matter.”
Nordquist joined the company in 2013 as a client advocate responsible for new business development. Since then, she’s held several leadership roles across the H&B business including North Central market leader and U.S. Growth co-leader. Most recently she served as the Midwest H&B region leader.
AIG Announces New North America Commercial Insurance Leadership Team
American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) announced the retirement of Don Bailey, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, North America Commercial Insurance, who will step down at year-end to focus on his health, and announced a new leadership structure for North America.
Mr. Bailey’s retirement concludes a distinguished career in the insurance industry spanning nearly 40 years. Mr. Bailey has played a critical leadership role in repositioning the Company’s North America Commercial business in the marketplace as part of AIG’s strategic repositioning. During his tenure, AIG revitalized its North America broker and client relationships and implemented a successful distribution strategy which achieved record levels of client retention and new business.
AIG’s new North America leadership structure will take effect on January 1, 2026, and the following leaders will report to John Neal, the incoming President of AIG:
– Allison Cooper will be promoted to Co-President, Retail, North America Commercial- Barbara Luck, will be promoted to Co-President, Retail, North America Commercial- Lou Levinson, will be promoted to President, Wholesale, North America Commercial
Peter Zaffino, Chairman & CEO of AIG, said, “Don Bailey has made a tremendous impact on AIG during his tenure. He revitalized AIG’s distribution and client relationships and galvanized our North America team as we instilled underwriting excellence and established leadership in the marketplace. I am particularly grateful to Don for his deep commitment to AIG and for serving as a trusted partner to me and our Executive Leadership Team. I have worked with Don for many years and his tenure at AIG was his most impactful work, and I am grateful for all that he contributed. I am pleased that Allison, Barbara and Lou will assume new leadership roles and work closely with John Neal as we continue to deliver expertise, value and service to our clients and partners in North America.”
Mr. Bailey commented, “Joining AIG at a pivotal moment in its turnaround and having the opportunity to work closely with Peter Zaffino again is the capstone of my career. It has been an honor to lead the incredibly talented and committed team of colleagues across North America. I am confident that Allison, Barbara and Lou serving on John Neal’s leadership team will build on AIG’s significant momentum in the marketplace.”
Chubb Announced Key Leadership Appointments in Surety’s Global and North America Businesses
Chubb Limited (NYSE: CB) has announced that Steve Haney, Vice President, Chubb Group and currently Division President of North America Surety and Chief Underwriting Officer of Global Surety, has been promoted to President and Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) of Global Surety. Steve will be succeeded by Teresa Black, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of North America Surety, who has been promoted to Division President of North America Surety. Both appointments are effective immediately.
In this new role, Steve will have executive operating responsibilities for strategy, underwriting, and Profit and Loss (P&L) across Chubb’s Global Surety business. He will report to Juan Luis Ortega, Executive Vice President, Chubb Group and President of North America Insurance, and Paul McNamee, Executive Vice President, Chubb Group and President of Overseas General Insurance.
“Steve’s depth of experience in global surety sets him apart as a driving force in the industry, making him uniquely qualified to shape our strategy and deliver exceptional value to clients,” said Ortega.
McNamee added, “With Steve’s strategic insight and proven ability to implement innovative solutions, he is well-equipped to lead continued growth and strengthen our global surety capabilities.”
Teresa’s new role will have executive oversight and P&L responsibility in North America. She will report to both Steve Haney and Scott Meyer, Senior Vice President, Chubb Group and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of North America Insurance.
“With Teresa’s exceptional and diverse underwriting expertise, over a decade of proven leadership including serving as Chief Operating Officer in our Surety business, and her distinguished career in multiple facets of this business including financial lines and regional operations, she embodies the qualities needed to drive continued success for us and our clients,” said Meyer.
Steve has nearly 30 years of underwriting experience and previously served as Executive Vice President for ACE’s Surety business worldwide (now Chubb). Steve joined the company in 1997 as a surety underwriter and has served in positions of increasing responsibility in underwriting and product development.
Teresa has 28 years of insurance industry experience and most recently held the role of COO, North America Surety. She has over two decades of experience with Chubb, and previously served as Senior Vice President of Distribution Management, Vice President and National Segment Leader for New York, and Assistant Vice President of Chubb’s Financial Lines business.
WTW’s ICT appoints new Head of Personal and Commercial Lines Business Development in North America
WTW, a global advisory, broking and solutions company, has announced the appointment of Dale Porfilio as Senior Director and Head of Personal and Commercial Lines Business Development to its Insurance Consulting & Technology (ICT) business.
Porfilio most recently served as Chief Insurance Officer at the Insurance Information Institute and President of the Insurance Research Council. In these roles, he led the research and education activities of the Triple-I and IRC. Prior to this, Porfilio was Senior Vice President and Corporate Chief Actuary for Genworth Financial, where he oversaw the actuarial practice for all product lines and countries. Porfilio is also a fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and member of the American Academy of Actuaries.
Based in Chicago, Porfilio will be responsible for driving growth, market share and profitability in both personal and commercial insurance sectors. Key aspects of the role include building strong client relationships and identifying ways in which WTW’s technology and consulting services can help those clients drive better business and customer outcomes.
Laura Doddington, Head of Personal and Commercial Lines, North America, Insurance Consulting & Technology, WTW, said: “We are delighted that Dale has joined our team. He brings a proven track record and an outstanding reputation in the insurance industry. His deep knowledge of the specialist risks unique to the North American market, along with his understanding of the innovative solutions our clients are seeking, will be invaluable during this time of rapidly accelerating change.”
Dale Porfilio said: “I am excited to take on this role and look forward to working with one of the industry’s most talented insurance and technology teams. We are well placed to build on our strong track record in personal and commercial lines by harnessing WTW’s vast capability, unparalleled bench strength and cutting-edge technology capabilities. Our collaborative solutions will help our clients quickly adapt and transform their operations to take advantage of emerging opportunities for profitable growth.”
WTW appoints Deputy Regional Leader to North America
Willis, a WTW business announced the appointmenDavid Lofstromt of as Deputy Regional Leader, New England within Corporate Risk and Broking (CRB) in North America.
Lofstrom’s new position includes working closely with the full New England team to identify new opportunities while also helping to accelerate growth throughout the region. Additionally, he will focus on delivering enhanced value to clients by collaborating with various Industry Vertical Division (IVD) leaders and subject matter experts, while strengthening WTW’s position as an industry leader.
Based in Boston and reporting directly to Ionel Rizea, Chief Commercial Officer for CRB North America, Lofstrom brings more than thirty years of industry experience. Lofstrom joins Willis from Gallagher, where he most recently served as Area President in the Greater Boston region. He was responsible for branch performance, including sales, carrier and partner management, business development, M&A sourcing and integration and reinforcing the company’s culture in the New England area.
Ionel Rizea commented, “I am thrilled to welcome Dave to the team. His experience – particularly in the sales and business development space, complements our growth strategy for North America. His background in both brokerage and [client] risk management aligns closely with our CRB objective of providing innovative solutions to clients. I look forward to working with Dave.”
Chubb Appoints Seth Gillston Head of Global Casualty for North America Major Accounts
Chubb has announced the appointment of Seth Gillston as Executive Vice President, Head of Global Casualty for Major Accounts in North America. Seth will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Chubb Global Casualty business unit, which provides domestic casualty insurance coverage offerings and service solutions to large national and multinational companies.
In addition, he will lead all strategies around production, product development and management, and profit and loss performance. Seth will be based in New York City and report to Matt Merna, Senior Vice President, Chubb Group and Division President, North America Major Accounts. Seth succeeds Lou Capparelli, who will now serve as Chairman of Global Casualty.
“Seth’s extensive experience and deep understanding of our clients’ needs will be invaluable as he drives the strategic direction of the Global Casualty business,” said Merna. “Together, Seth and Lou will work closely to enhance our capabilities and service offerings, aligning our global casualty strategies with the needs of our distribution partners and clients, further strengthening our position as a leading provider of casualty solutions.”
Gillston has nearly 30 years of insurance industry experience. He joined Chubb in 2000 and has held leadership roles in M&A and Private Equity, Global Casualty, Real Estate & Hospitality Practice, Alternative Risk Solutions group and North America Industry Practices.
Capparelli joined Chubb in 2002 and has led the Global Casualty business unit since 2017. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President of Chubb’s Global Casualty Field Operations.
Willis appoints Pat Donnelly as Head of Risk & Broking, North America
Willis, a WTW business, (NASDAQ: WTW), announced the appointment of Pat Donnelly as the new Head of Risk & Broking (R&B), North America, reporting to Lucy Clarke, President, R&B.
Donnelly, a highly respected and accomplished leader in the insurance and risk management industry, brings a wealth of experience having held various leadership roles at Marsh, JLT and Aon.
Most recently, he has served as President, Specialty & Global Placement at Marsh. Donnelly joined Marsh as part of the acquisition of JLT. His other Marsh experience includes President, Marsh U.S. and Canada, overseeing the company’s insurance broking and risk advisory businesses across North America.
Earlier in his career, Donnelly was the CEO of JLT Specialty in North America, where he successfully built the company’s U.S. retail business. His extensive background also includes a significant tenure at Aon, where he held the position of Chief Broking Officer for U.S. Retail.
Lucy Clarke, President, Risk & Broking, commented: “We are so excited to welcome Pat as the new Head of Risk & Broking for North America. Pat is one of the leading figures in our industry globally, widely respected as a committed, inspirational and thoughtful leader by clients, carriers and colleagues. His experience makes him the perfect fit for this critical role.
“His leadership will be instrumental in driving growth, continuing and strengthening our specialist approach and ensuring that we deliver exceptional service and value to our clients.”
Donnelly will be based in Chicago and is expected to join WTW in the second quarter of 2025.
Chubb Appoints Tim Benson to Lead North America Multinational Business Unit
Chubb has announced the appointment of Tim Benson as Executive Vice President, Multinational Insurance Leader, effective October 30. He will oversee strategy, product and business development, underwriting operations, and profit and loss performance across large, middle, and small businesses, as well as wholesale accounts, for Chubb’s multinational book of business. Tim and the Multinational team will coordinate closely with Chubb’s Global Services group in the execution and delivery of North America multinational programs around the world.
He will continue to be based in Philadelphia and will report to Matthew Merna, Division President, North America Major Accounts.
“Chubb’s ability to offer solutions for commercial customers with international exposures is a key differentiator in the market. Tim’s extensive industry experience and long tenure with our organization will be an invaluable asset to Chubb’s Multinational Insurance business unit as it continues to grow and evolve,” said Merna.
“Tim’s track record of success at Chubb and proven leadership skills are an ideal fit for his new role. We are excited to see him bring Chubb’s full scope of multinational capabilities to our clients and distribution partners,” added Ben Rockwell, Division President, Chubb Middle Market.
Tim succeeds Laura Vest, who is retiring from the company after 20 years.”We are extremely grateful for Laura’s years of service and the invaluable leadership she has provided during her tenure at Chubb,” Merna said. “She has been a trusted partner and played an important role in our multinational operations as well as within our Dallas regional office. We wish her all the best in her retirement.”
Tim has more than 20 years of insurance industry experience. He most recently served as Executive Vice President & Chief Revenue Officer for Chubb’s middle market division. Before that, he held various roles of escalating responsibility across the organization’s Field Distribution and Data Analytics teams. Tim has historic experience with Chubb’s multinational team – from 2011 through 2019, he led the Middle Market and Small Commercial underwriting team focused on U.S. multinationals’ international risks. Additionally, he led Chubb’s Global Services organization. He joined Chubb in 2005 as part of the corporate finance department.