People Moves: AXA XL New Heads of E&S Property, Middle-Market; Aon Chief Innovation Hire

AXA XL promotes Chris Lee to Head of E&S property; Mathew Waters to Lead Middle Market

AXA XL has promoted Christopher Lee to lead its excess & surplus property insurance business. Based in New York, he reports to Michele Sansone, chief underwriting officer for AXA XL’s property business in the Americas.

“Especially given current insurance market conditions and pricing, more businesses are turning to E&S insurers, like AXA XL, to address property risks that other insurers may shy away from. We’ve built a strong market reputation for addressing complex property risks because of E&S underwriting talent like Chris,” said Sansone. “Under his leadership, we’ll continue to take a lead in the E&S market and provide access to customized and creative insurance programs for our clients’ most challenging property risks.”

In his new role, Lee assumes underwriting management responsibility of AXA XL’s book of E&S property business. He joined AXA XL in 2013 as an equipment breakdown and commercial property underwriter before moving into E&S underwriting in 2018. Lee began his insurance career as an EB underwriter with Zurich North America.

AXA XL also appointed Matthew Waters as head of U.S. Middle Market to lead an initiative to expand its reach in the U.S. commercial insurance market.

Based in Boston, he reports to Joe Tocco, AXA XL’s CEO of the Americas.

Waters joins AXA XL from Liberty Mutual, bringing more than 20 years of middle-market underwriting management experience and demonstrated leadership across various and diverse property/casualty segments including Construction and Energy. He most recently served as EVP, general manager for Liberty’s Middle Market business. In addition to his management responsibilities, he also served as an executive sponsor for several employee resource groups, including Men as Allies.

Rachel Perry a Chief Innovation Officer at Aon

Aon appointed Rachel Perry to chief innovation officer for commercial risk in North America. In this new role, Perry will use her proven leadership skills and expertise to work across commercial risk to accelerate innovation and better address unmet client needs.

Rachel has over 25 years of insurance experience and has been part of Aon since 2012. She currently serves as market leader for Atlanta, responsible for strategy, financial performance, growth, client retention, and delivering client solutions across Commercial Risk, Health, Wealth and Human Capital Solutions. She is passionate about talent development and a strong champion of diversity, equity and inclusion within the insurance industry.

Topics InsurTech Commercial Lines Business Insurance Excess Surplus Property Aon AXA XL