16 January 2024news

HDI unveils multiple executive appointments

HDI Global SE UK & Ireland (HDI) has appointed Kate Sutcliffe (pictured) as director of property, UK & Ireland, effective 15 January 2024, replacing Jon Bartlett who retired at the end of 2023. She will report to Antonia Osborne, director of underwriting, UK & Ireland.

With over 20 years’ experience of underwriting, Sutcliffe joins HDI from Sompo International where she was head of UK retail property, London. She previously held roles at Swiss Re and AIG, and is a subject matter expert on commercial property underwriting on behalf of the CII.

According to the firm, in her new role Sutcliffe will continue to drive HDI’s property business forward, with a focus on developing propositions that meet the diverse needs of the firm’s property clients. This includes UK and Ireland corporations with multinational operations that benefit from HDI’s leading International Programmes proposition.    

“I am delighted to welcome Kate to HDI as our Director of Property, UK & Ireland,” said Osborne. “Kate brings a wealth of expertise to our business, and I am confident she will play a significant role at HDI as we drive towards our growth and profitability targets, while supporting clients with expert advice and specialist propositions.  

I also want to thank Jon for his hard work and dedication throughout his years at HDI and wish him all the very best in his retirement.”

HDI Global SE also said that it will appoint Alex Tarantino (pictured) as managing director of HDI Global SE Singapore, as Graham Silton announces his retirement in mid-2024 following over four decades in the insurance industry. Andrew Cochrane will lead liability in Australasia following Tarantino’s departure.

Silton joined HDI Global SE Australia in May 2015 and grew the property portfolio in Australia before being appointed as managing director for Singapore in 2017. According to the company Silton has played a pivotal role in transforming the reputation of the Singapore branch office and developing a strong following in the market place, contributing also to the positive overall result of the German based industrial insurer, HDI Global. Following four decades in the insurance industry as a leader and expert property underwriter with international experience, Silton will retire at the end of June 2024.

Tarantino, currently regional underwriting manager liability and cyber Asia Pacific, will continue in his current role until he moves to Singapore as managing director Singapore and Asia Pacific liability head from 1 July 2024. With over twenty years of international underwriting experience across the UK, Canada and Australia, Tarantino joined HDI Global SE in 2019. 

Andrew Cochrane, currently liability underwriting manager, Northern Region will become underwriting manager liability Australasia in the Sydney office from January 2024. Cochrane’s career began in London in 2002 as an international liability broker focused on Australia, Canada, Africa and Latin America business before moving to Australia in 2015 to pursue liability underwriting opportunities. In 2019, Cochrane joined HDI Global where he has been instrumental along with Tarantino in growing the liability book and establishing HDI as one of the leading Liability markets in Australia.

David Hullin, board member of HDI Global responsible for the international markets, said: “We’re delighted to see this transition of strong leadership from Graham Silton who has built a dedicated team and business for our Singapore office, on to Alex Tarantino who we entrust to continue to grow our brand and become a leading corporate insurer in the region.”

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More on this story

Actuarial & underwriting
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21 March 2023   The veteran executive worked for Chubb for more than a decade.
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31 January 2023   Former Amazon construction risk head Jason Tyng joins the firm.