Canopius snags QBE Insurance CUO to lead ‘transformational’ growth plans

Lloyd’s specialty re/insurer  Canopius has hired a new group chief underwriting officer from QBE Insurance as part of its  “transformational” three-year growth plan to cement its position in the global market.

Sam Harrison’s (pictured) appointment as group chief underwriting officer (GCUO) comes a year after it was revealed that former CUO Mike Duffy will retire after 16+ years at the company and more than 40-year insurance career.

Duffy has joined broker BMS Group as a strategic adviser to its UK specialty business, as well as Bermuda-based Aspen Insurance Holdings as a non-executive director earlier this year.

Harrison joins Canopius from QBE Insurance, where he served as GCUO since 2021. Having spent most of his near 30-year career at QBE, Harrison has become known as one of the most respected and experienced underwriting leaders in the global P&C and specialty insurance market.

As the GCUO of QBE, Harrison oversaw a large and diverse portfolio of underwriting businesses across 27 countries worldwide. He led business in the UK, Australia, US and Asia, underwriting c. $20 billion of Gross Written Premium. He held a variety of leadership roles at QBE and was previously the managing director of Insurance for QBE European Operations.

At Canopius, Harrison will lead its diverse portfolio of business across its three regional business units in London, the US & Bermuda and the Asia-Pacific region. Working as part of the group leadership team and alongside senior underwriting leaders, Harrison will be charged with spearheading Canopius’ ambitious underwriting plans, “focusing on areas where Canopius has, or can have, distinction or a competitive advantage”.

He will report to Canopius group chief executive officer Neil Robertson and will join the Canopius group leadership team.

Robertson said: “We are delighted to be able to welcome Sam to Canopius. Canopius is now underway with a transformational three-year growth plan that will see us cement our status as a leading global speciality P&C (re)insurer.”

Harrison said: “At Canopius, I see an opportunity to advance an underwriting philosophy, to develop a function that achieves ambitious underwriting targets year-on-year and to lead an enviable pool of global underwriting talent.

“I am very excited to begin working with a fantastic group of people within what I already seen is a positive and winning culture. I also look forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting down to work with the new and ambitious management team that has been built at Canopius.”

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