Insurance moves: Axa XL makes regional appointments

S&P Global Market Intelligence presents a daily roundup of management and board changes in the insurance industry. This feature excludes C-level leadership changes and stories previously covered by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Life and health

WoodmenLife has appointed Shawn Bengtson executive vice president and chief risk officer, effective July 1.

Bengtson most recently led WoodmenLife's investment division as vice president.

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Midwest Holding Inc. named Daniel Maloney principal accounting officer to succeed Debra Havranek, who retired June 30.

Maloney joined the company in May as executive vice president of accounting and finance.

Property and casualty

Ascot Group Ltd. launched a new U.S. marine insurance structure under the leadership of Tom Nasso, holding the role of executive vice president.

The division will combine Ascot's U.S. ocean marine portfolio and U.S. inland marine capabilities into a newly aligned underwriting unit. Nasso joined Ascot in 2018 with two decades in the industry spanning brokerage and underwriting leadership positions at various specialty insurance organizations.

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First American Financial Corp. announced that Christopher Leavell ceased to serve as COO of subsidiary First American Title Insurance Co., effective July 6.

Leavell will continue to be an employee of the company until Dec. 31.

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Axa XL announced a number of regional appointments.

Axa XL Reinsurance has appointed Peter Kiernan as head of U.S. property, Bermuda reinsurance, effective July 1. Kiernan replaces Simon Penney, who will take up a new global role as head of underwriting analytics.

Kiernan joined Allianz Risk Transfer in Bermuda in March 2020 as head of North American reinsurance before joining Axa XL Reinsurance to take up his current role.

Also, AXA XL Insurance promoted Blanca Pfretzschner to head of distribution in Iberia and appointed Anique Erkens head of distribution for Benelux. Erkens appointment is effective Sept. 1.

Pfretzschner joined Axa XL Iberia in 2021 as head of client management from Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE, where she was head of market management and communications. Erkens joined Axa XL's middle office team in Amsterdam as manager of middle office and credit control for the Benelux region in 2013.