AXIS hires Swiss Re, Hiscox senior underwriters to expand cyber portfolio

AXIS Insurance, the specialty insurance business segment of Bermuda-based AXIS Capital Holdings, has hired three experienced underwriters from Swiss Re, Hiscox and NAS Insurance to its US cyber and technology team.

Peter Smith will join AXIS as underwriting manager, US cyber and technology, and Emma Werth and Jessica Currier will join as senior underwriters.

Smith will specialise in middle market underwriting and strategic development across cyber and technology errors & omissions (E&O), focusing on analyzing, reviewing and monitoring new and renewal accounts of all programmes. He has more than 12 years’ specialty insurance experience and joins AXIS from Swiss Re where he was a vice president and senior underwriter in cyber and technology E&O. Prior to that, he was a senior underwriter for specialty E&O at Zurich North America, and claims assistant vice president at Marsh & McClennan where he focused on property and casualty and E&O.

Currier joins AXIS from Hiscox and will focus on media E&O. She brings experience from both the carrier and broker perspectives, having started her career at Risk Strategies on its entertainment business with a focus on film & TV and broadway shows. She then joined Hiscox as a senior underwriter, handling media for regional and large programme accounts.

Werth will focus on cyber and technology underwriting, having spent the previous two years underwriting cyber and technology at NAS Insurance Services and later Tokio Marine HHC following its acquisition of NAS. Prior to that, she worked at Zurich North America as an associate underwriter for middle market property and casualty with an emphasis on large business casualty.

“AXIS Insurance’s Global Cyber and Technology business continues its strategic positioning with the hiring of three talented and experienced underwriters who will help our clients address the full scope of the cyber threat landscape,” said Dan Trueman, AXIS Insurance global head of cyber and technology. “Peter’s diverse background in E&O, which includes experience as both a broker and an underwriter, provides him with a unique insight into the strategic needs of clients and innovation within the sector. The additions of Emma and Jessica as Senior Underwriters will help ensure we continue to provide our clients with strong technical underwriting and risk expertise.”