Everest Group has announced the appointment of Laura Hay as an independent, non-executive member of its board of directors.
Hay, who retired in 2023, brings more than 30 years of experience across insurance, financial services, and advisory roles. She most recently served as global head of insurance at KPMG LLP, where she was the first woman to hold the role at a Big Four accounting firm. In that position, she led a network of 10,000 professionals across 90 countries, overseeing KPMG’s fastest-growing financial services segment.
During her three decades with KPMG, Hay held senior leadership roles spanning audit, advisory, and actuarial services, while also serving on the firm’s Corporate and Foundation Boards.
She currently sits on the boards of MetLife, Inc. and the Girl Scouts of Greater New York. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in mathematics and statistics, Hay is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.
Her appointment underscores a wider industry trend of bolstering board expertise in advisory, audit, and actuarial disciplines. With insurers facing heightened regulatory and rating agency scrutiny, such expertise is increasingly critical for effective oversight of risk management, accounting standards, and capital adequacy.
For Everest, Hay’s actuarial background and broad financial services experience are expected to further strengthen its governance framework, particularly as the company continues to expand its presence in property, casualty, and specialty reinsurance.
The move also reflects the sector’s broader focus on diversifying board skills to address emerging challenges, including climate-related risks, accounting reforms, and evolving capital requirements.
