XL Catlin is building up its insurance operations in the Western US, announcing new regional leadership and adding multinational and primary casualty underwriting expertise in California.
Based in San Francisco and responsible for driving XL Catlin’s growth throughout the region, Mike Soper joins as Western Regional Leader of XL Catlin’s Broker and Client Management team. Also in San Francisco, Mark Restrepo joins as Underwriting Director for Global Risk Management and in Los Angeles, Lizette Junor joins XL Catlin as Underwriting Director of Multinational Casualty Programs.
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis recently reported that California's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was $2.5 trillion in 2015, up 4.1 percent from a year earlier. California saw more economic growth than the United States as a whole, which was up 2.4 percent. Other western states are seeing similar growth opportunities.
According to Joe Tocco, Chief Executive, XL Catlin’s Americas region, “That’s why we’re expanding our regional teams in tandem to help businesses protect their operations, employees and profitability as they take advantage of these continued growth opportunities. Mike will play a significant role being a key liaison for our broker partners and providing them swift access to our multiline capabilities not only throughout the US but across the globe. Under Mike’s leadership, our regional product line leaders, including Lizette and Mark, are looking forward to new business opportunities where their expertise can help keep clients’ growth aspirations moving forward.”
According to Ken Riegler, President, Casualty, North America, “XL Catlin’s strength in the casualty insurance market lies in our ability to help companies address some of their most complex general liability, commercial auto and worker’s comp needs in the US as well as more than 200 countries. That ability is only enhanced by having top industry talent like Mark and Lizette join our western regional team.”
With more than two decades of broker management and business development experience, Mr. Soper joins XL Catlin from Zurich North America where he most recently served as regional vice president of distribution for the company’s western region. In his new XL Catlin role, he will work with brokers throughout the region to easily access XL Catlin’s risk management services and multiline property, casualty, specialty and professional insurance products.
In her new role, Ms. Junor will address clients’ multinational casualty insurance needs, tapping into XL Catlin’s global insurance network. She recently serviced as director and western region manager for AON Global Risk Client Network.
Previously managing account executive for Zurich North America’s Construction Casualty business, Mr. Restrepo will apply his 40 years of insurance industry experience to help large US-based companies create primary casualty insurance programs including general liability, workers comp, and commercial auto insurance needs.