Markel Taps Johnson From Travelers as Senior U/W, Transport and Logistics; Specialty MGA UK Hires 2 Energy Underwriters

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Markel and Specialty MGA UK.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Markel Taps Johnson From Travelers as Senior U/W, Transport and Logistics

Markel, the insurance operation within Markel Group Inc., announced that Dean Johnson has been appointed to the role of senior underwriter, Transport and Logistics, effective immediately.

Based in London, Johnson will be focused on driving the profitable expansion of the transport and logistics portfolio by underwriting liability and property package policies for the ports, terminals and marine trades industries, as well as cargo liabilities and marine professional indemnity, globally. He will work closely with the team to continue supporting broker partners, spearhead the development of innovative products, and identify new opportunities to scale further profitable growth.

He reports directly to Grant Smith, director of Marine and Energy Liability, Transport and Logistics, who took on a dual role heading up the organisation’s Transport and Logistics team earlier this year.

Johnson joins Markel from Travelers Syndicate Management, where he spent 14 years, most recently as underwriter in Ports and Terminals. In his previous position, he held full underwriting authority to write new and renewal business, product development, and broker expansion, both in London and internationally. Prior to this, Johnson worked for Ropner Insurance Services, where he was Marine Hull and Liability Placing Broker. With extensive experience across claims, placing, and underwriting, he brings a well-rounded perspective and cross-functional expertise to his new role.

“I’m delighted to welcome Dean to the team at a pivotal time for the transport and logistics sector. Evolving global trade patterns, regulatory shifts, and increasing risk complexity are reshaping the market, making deep expertise and strategic underwriting more important than ever,” commented Smith.

“Dean’s extensive knowledge of marine insurance clauses, market wordings, and risk analytics—combined with his strong broker relationships in London and internationally—will be instrumental as we expand our International Specialty division in London.”

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Specialty MGA UK Hires 2 Energy Underwriters

Specialty MGA UK, the London-based managing general agent, has expanded its energy team with a pair of new underwriters.

Alex Rowe and Savita Patel, who have been hired as senior underwriters for Energy, bring experience of working in Africa, the Middle East, North America and Europe.

With Rowe and Patel joining Specialty MGA, the expansion of the energy offering will allow the MGA to offer more expertise to the market, and drive new business as the team utilizes its global network of brokers. The new underwriters will be supported by moves to open up additional capacity for clients, allowing them to grow specialty’s energy book sustainably.

Rowe joins Specialty MGA UK from Travelers, and specializes in upstream and midstream energy. With more than 25 years of experience in the market, he brings a global network of clients and brokers, with a particular focus on the US, Europe and Africa.

Patel has more than 25 years’ experience of managing a global portfolio of business, across downstream energy, mining, onshore power, and renewables. She joins from Ocean Re, where she served as head of Energy, and previously spent a decade as an energy underwriter at Swiss Re. Additionally, she has experience as an energy risk consultant in Africa.

Specialty MGA UK focuses on providing additional capacity for specialty lines of businesses and hard-to-place risks. Specialty MGA UK provides all line services across all territories and is backed by rated securities, with more securities currently being added to the panel of reinsurers. The MGA writes lines of business that include but are not limited to property, construction, energy, marine, construction, aviation, financial lines, accident & health and surety.

Topics
Excess Surplus
Underwriting
Insurance Wholesale
Trucking