People Moves: Marsh Promotes Duca to Global Head of Credit Specialties; Howden Names Agarwal CEO, Howden India, as Vashista Becomes Chairman

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Marsh and Howden.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Marsh Promotes Duca to Global Head of Credit Specialties

Marsh, the insurance broker and risk adviser, announced the appointment of Angela Duca as global head of Credit Specialties, Marsh Specialty. She succeeds Nick Robson, who has been named global chairman, Credit Specialties. The appointments are effective immediately and both will report to Pat Donnelly, president, Marsh Specialty and Global Placement.

Duca will join Marsh Specialty’s Global Executive Committee and work with the Credit Specialties global leadership team to support growth and deliver innovative solutions that allow clients to enhance their business resilience across the areas of political risk and structured credit, trade credit, and surety.

Duca joined Marsh in 2008 and has held a number of senior roles specializing in political risk and structured credit. For the past three years, she has served as chief administrative officer, Credit Specialties, and has been instrumental in the development and delivery of the team’s highly successful global growth strategy, digital evolution of client solutions, and numerous colleague initiatives.

Robson will continue to be based in London and support the practice in the role of global chairman, Credit Specialties, working with key clients and supporting Duca to deliver and implement key strategic initiatives including the development of colleagues throughout their career paths.

“Angela is an outstanding talent; under her leadership Credit Specialties will be well-positioned to support our clients in the management of their risks in ways that enhance their trade, investment and growth strategies, while increasing their resilience to future shocks,” commented Donnelly. “I would also like to recognize Nick for his exceptional contribution leading the Credit Specialties business and thank him for his continued dedication and commitment to our clients and colleagues.”

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Howden Names Agarwal CEO, Howden India, as Vashista Becomes Chairman

Howden, the London-based global insurance group, announced the appointment of Amit Agarwal as CEO, Howden India, effective Aug. 1. Agarwal takes over the reins from Praveen Vashista, the former CEO, who will now step up to the position of chairman.

Agarwal brings a wealth of experience and expertise in insurance brokerage. Agarwal joined Howden India in 2019 as a managing director and led its Liability & Specialty Risks practice. Prior to this, Agarwal held the role of director for four years in JLT’s Financial Lines and Credit & Political Risk team in Mumbai. He has also held roles with Marsh and UIB.

Howden said Agarwal’s appointment underlines its ambitious growth plans in India and aspiration to be a leading broker in one of the world’s fastest growing insurance markets by 2026.

Under Agarwal’s leadership, Howden India will continue its drive for innovation and the expansion of its product offering and will continue to embed local expertise in India for the benefit of its clients. It will execute on this strategy by attracting top industry talent through an empowered and employee-owned culture that allows its people to build a business for the long-term.

Howden India received its trading license in 2004 and now employs over 300 people operating across offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune and Hyderabad. As the sixth largest broker in the country, it specializes in key product lines including liability & specialty, agriculture, health & benefits, aviation, property & construction, and reinsurance.

In 2022, Howden announced it had obtained Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) approval to increase to 100% its stake in Howden India, reflecting the company’s commitment to build a leading broking business in the country that fosters long-term partnerships with clients and focuses on investing in people and data and technology.