Insurers, managing general agents (MGAs), and insurtech firms have unveiled a number of senior appointments and role changes across underwriting, governance, and data teams as organisations continue to strengthen leadership capabilities.
Allianz Commercial reshapes property leadership
Allianz Commercial has confirmed two senior leadership changes within its large-corporate property division, appointing Danny Stock as regional head of property for the UK and South Africa, while current incumbent Tim McGain will transition to the global chief underwriting officer (CUO) property team. Both changes take effect immediately.
Stock brings more than two decades of experience in property underwriting, having previously held positions at RSA Insurance Group, Brit Insurance, and Lloyd’s of London-based Charringtons. For over ten years, he has led Allianz’s UK large-corporate property portfolio. In his expanded role, he will oversee the performance and strategic development of the large-corporate property book across both the UK and South Africa.
McGain, who has served as regional head of property since 2018, will now take on a global CUO property role. In this position, he will contribute to shaping and executing Allianz Commercial’s global property underwriting strategy while supporting technical alignment across regions. Based in London, he will report to Mike Martin, global head of property at Allianz Commercial.
The appointments come as Allianz continues integrating its large-corporate and mid-corporate businesses under the Allianz Commercial brand, with a focus on delivering globally consistent yet locally tailored property solutions for major clients.
Devonshire Underwriting expands into Southern Europe
Transactional risk MGA Devonshire Underwriting has made its first overseas leadership hire, appointing Liria Martinez-Salmon as managing director and head of Southern Europe.
Martinez-Salmon joins from RiskPoint, where she served as head of M&A for the Mediterranean region. She brings significant experience underwriting complex cross-border transactions across Spain, France, and Italy, alongside established relationships with brokers, law firms, and private equity sponsors throughout the region.
In her new role, Martinez-Salmon will lead Devonshire’s strategy and underwriting operations across Southern Europe, with responsibility for Spain, France, Italy, and Portugal.
The appointment follows Devonshire’s European expansion in 2024 after receiving approval from Lloyd’s of London to write transactional risk business across EU markets. Since then, the MGA has reported strong growth in European transactional liability placements, with Southern Europe becoming one of its most active regions.
ThingCo strengthens operations and data capability
Telematics insurtech ThingCo has added two new hires as it scales its operational and data capabilities following a £2 million capital investment from BHL (UK) Holdings in 2025.
Adam Lough joins as telematics operations manager, reporting to head of operations Alex Brockman. His role will focus on enhancing and future-proofing operational processes across the business. Lough previously spent more than four years in telematics positions with InsureTheBox and Aioi Nissay Dowa Europe.
The company has also appointed Elliot Hurley as a data analyst within the data analytics and data science team, reporting to head of data analytics Carlo Conner-Hill. Hurley will focus on delivering insights designed to help insurer clients develop risk management and intervention strategies aimed at improving loss ratios.
OAK Global appoints chief people and communications officer
Specialty underwriting platform OAK Global has appointed Kaylee Darkins as chief people and communications officer, effective March 9.
Darkins brings 18 years of human resources experience and joins from AXA XL, where she served as chief human resources officer for the UK and HR business partner to the global chief client office.
In her new role, Darkins will lead OAK Global’s people strategy as well as internal and external communications. She will also oversee the firm’s sustainability initiatives, reflecting increasing regulatory and investor attention on culture, conduct, and ESG practices across specialty underwriting platforms.
