Ascot nabs ‘exceptional’ market leader from Marsh for top US role

Re/insurer  Ascot has hired an “exceptional talent” and market leader from Marsh for the post of chief underwriting officer (CUO) North America. The appointee brings over 20 years of industry experience, broad casualty sector knowledge and disciplined risk and portfolio management capabilities to the role.

Jesse Paulson (pictured) is expected to join Ascot in February 2023 upon fulfilling his current employment contractual obligations.

As CUO, North America, he will be responsible for the crafting and execution of Ascot’s North America underwriting strategy, with a focus on growth, diversification, and profitability across the specialty insurance platform.

Paulson will report to Elizabeth Johnson, who was promoted to chief operating officer (COO), North America in June last year and has continued to oversee the CUO role alongside her new duties.

Paulson will work closely with Matt Kramer, Ascot US CEO, and the entirety of the company’s North America leadership team, to support disciplined risk and portfolio management and operational excellence. He will also partner with the business to provide guidance, encourage innovation and collaboration, and drive exceptional underwriting performance.

Paulson joins Ascot from Marsh, where he spent the past four years as managing director, excess casualty leader. While there, he led Marsh’s National Excess Casualty practice and numerous industry verticals, played a critical role in setting the strategy for the US casualty practice, and coordinated Bermuda, UK and European operations for US casualty clients. Previously, he also spent time at General Electric Company as executive, insurance, where he was responsible for the strategic design and management of its worldwide casualty risk funding and risk transfer programmes, including the oversight of GE’s Electric Insurance Company commercial writings.

Jonathan Zaffino, group president of Ascot, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Jesse to Ascot as CUO of our U.S. insurance operations. His 20+ years of industry experience, broad casualty sector knowledge and thoughtful approach to risk are excellent additions to Ascot as we continue on our growth journey.”

“I also want to thank Elizabeth for her continued work as CUO since being promoted to COO in June 2022. She has significantly enhanced our overall underwriting governance frameworks and portfolio management capabilities. Adding Jesse to her team will further accelerate our underwriting sophistication across the U.S. platform. Elizabeth has been a highly valued partner of mine since joining Ascot. I look forward to working closely with her in the days ahead, in her broadened capacity as COO, as we continue on our mission to build out our specialty insurance capabilities.”

Johnson added: “Jesse is an exceptional talent, recognised market leader, and key addition to the Ascot team. His breadth of experience as a practitioner with a deep understanding of complex risk identification, assessment, and management, will be essential as we continue to strategically expand in North America.”

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