StarStone hires Validus CEO Ed Noonan and PartnerRe's Dick Sanford to drive 'profitable growth'

Enstar-owned global specialty insurer StarStone has made several appointments to its global leadership team including industry veterans Ed Noonan and Dick Sanford.

Noonan, formerly the chairman and CEO of Bermuda-based re/insurer Validus Group, has agreed to join StarStone as chairman.

Noonan brings more than 30 years of industry experience to StarStone. Under his leadership, Validus was acquired by AIG in 2018. Noonan was president and CEO of American Re from 1997 to 2002, and before that worked at Swiss Re.

Sanford, who will oversee StarStone’s global underwriting and reinsurance strategy as president, was previously the chairman and president of PartnerRe US, head of P&C North America.

Sanford has 35 years of insurance market experience and began his career as a casualty underwriter at AIG in 1984. He has since held senior roles at TIG Re/Odyssey America Reinsurance, Cologne Reinsurance Company of America, and PartnerRe.

Additionally, the company has promoted Chris Rash to CEO of StarStone International and deputy group CEO. He will lead StarStone’s international business, and operational strategy at group level.

Rash, who joined StarStone in August 2018, has over 20 years of industry experience, having held numerous financial and operational leadership positions, including 15 years at RSA, and as group CFO at MS Amlin.

In a joint statement, Enstar and Stone Point, said: “The experience that Ed and Dick bring to StarStone is considerable. Their appointments demonstrate our collective investment and commitment in realising StarStone’s ambitions, and we are very pleased to welcome them to the Group.”

John Hendrickson, group chief executive officer of StarStone, added: “This is a pivotal moment for StarStone. As we reposition StarStone to deliver profitable growth, Ed and Dick bring a wealth of knowledge. Their respective contribution, together with Chris’s financial and operational expertise, will prove invaluable as we continue to provide highly professional, bespoke specialty solutions to our clients, locally and globally.”

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