RAA elects Hamilton, Markel and Odyssey leaders to board

The Reinsurance Association of America (RAA) has elected Hamilton Re's chief executive officer Kathleen Reardon as the chairman of its board of directors.

Reardon succeeds John Welch, chief executive of domestic markets at re/insurer AXA XL.

Additionally, the association has elected Jed Rhoads, president and chief underwriting officer of Markel Global Reinsurance, as vice chairman, and Brian Young, president and CEO of Odyssey Group Holdings, as secretary-treasurer.

Reardon was appointed chief executive officer of Hamilton Re in 2014. She has approximately 25 years of re/insurance industry experience. Prior to Hamilton, she served as SVP, chief underwriting officer international for ACE (now Chubb) Tempest Re Bermuda.

Reardon sits on the board of directors for Blue Marble Microinsurance; is co-founder and board member of Women in Reinsurance in Bermuda, having served as chair from 2014-2019.

Rhoads is the president and CUO of Markel Global Reinsurance, leading the company's treaty and facultative reinsurance business with teams focused on property, casualty, specialty, and public entity risk solutions from offices in the US, Bermuda, and the UK. Rhoads joined Markel in 2013, having held senior positions with Harbor Point Re, Chubb Re Bermuda, Overseas Partners Limited Bermuda (OPL), Stockton Re Limited Bermuda, and Sedgwick Re, Philadelphia.

Young is president and CEO of Odyssey Group Holdings. He has 32 years of industry experience, having held several senior underwriting and management roles including the oversight of Odyssey’s Canadian, Latin American, London and Lloyd’s operations. Prior to joining Odyssey Group, Young spent eight years at Transatlantic Reinsurance in both New York and London, working in the actuarial and treaty underwriting departments.