Beazley poaches AXIS exec in ‘bold move’ to accelerate growth plans

An industry veteran with over 30 years of underwriting leadership experience is moving from AXIS Capital to London-listed specialist insurer  Beazley as its new chief underwriting officer (CUO).

The company's chief executive Adrian Cox described it as a “bold move” for an underwriting firm headquartered in London to appoint a CUO based in New York, stating that the appointment signals its commitment to the US market and future growth plans.

Bob Quane (pictured), CUO of AXIS' insurance business, will take up the top underwriting role at Beazley in October. He will also join Beazley’s executive committee, and help the insurer accelerate its future plans in both the established and growth markets.

Quane’s three decades of underwriting leadership experience includes 22 years of working at AIG, where he held various senior roles including head of global personal lines, global accident and health and global commercial property. He joined AXIS in 2019 as head of underwriting and portfolio optimisation, before being promoted to CUO the next year.

Beazley CEO Cox said: “Bob brings exceptional depth and breadth of experience across multiple commercial and consumer lines, and his successful track record of delivering portfolio growth is impressive. His extensive global experience will be invaluable as we continue to develop our business in both our established and growth markets.”

“Having been CUO myself, I realise how vital having the right person with the right skills and experience in this role is, which is why I’m delighted that Bob is joining Beazley,” added Cox.

David Roberts, chairman of Beazley, praised Quane’s skills and experience, which he believes are an “excellent fit” to help the company meet its strategic ambitions.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tim Turner and Bethany Greenwood for stepping into the roles of interim CUO long and short tail, in April. They have done an amazing job holding the fort, whilst we looked to fill the CUO position made vacant when Adrian become CEO,” he added.

Quane commented: “The opportunities for an entrepreneurial, specialist underwriting firm like Beazley are considerable. The firm is renowned for its specialty products and services, and with clients wanting more responsive products and tailored services it is well-placed to benefit from the current market conditions. I’m looking forward to playing my part in the future success of the business.”

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