AXIS underwriting head retires, sparks series of promotions

AXIS Global Markets’ head of underwriting is retiring after a 39-year career in insurance. His retirement has sparked a series of promotions within the company.

Alistair Robson, also chief underwriting officer of AXIS Managing Agency, has been with AXIS since 2011 having previously been at Beazley in the London Market for ten years. He will leave AXIS at the end of June.

Following his retirement, Rory MacGregor, currently head of non-marine, will become head of underwriting, global markets. Steve Cross, head of construction, is promoted to head of non-marine, global markets, while Anna Woolley, senior construction underwriter, is promoted to head of construction, global markets. The promotions take effect on July 1.

Robson joined Bermuda-based AXIS in 2011 as executive vice president and head of global property, also serving as the first active underwriter of Lloyd’s Syndicate 1686.

He was later promoted to chief underwriting officer of the international division and AXIS Managing Agency, before assuming his current role upon the formation of Global Markets in 2023.

“Alistair has been a driving force in establishing Global Markets as a powerful revenue generator for AXIS,” said Mark Gregory, head of AXIS Global Markets.

“Among Alistair’s considerable contributions to AXIS have been his integral role in the founding of Syndicate 1686 in 2014, the merger of the AXIS and Novae underwriting operations from 2017, putting in place a rigorous performance management regime, the regulatory approval of AXIS Managing Agency, and, more recently, the launch of AXIS Energy Transition Syndicate 2050.

“We thank Alistair for his leadership and contribution to AXIS and the wider industry, and congratulate Rory, Steve, and Anna on their well-deserved promotions.”

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