Pembroke, Bermuda - March 26, 2014, Pembroke, Bermuda - AXIS Capital Holdings Limited announced that John W. Gressier, currently the chief executive officer of AXIS Insurance, will become AXIS Capital’s new chief operating officer, effective April 1, 2014.
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Mr. Gressier has retained management responsibility for AXIS Capital’s international insurance operations since early 2002, shortly after the Company’s founding, and all insurance operations since 2007.
Mr. Gressier has more than 27 years of experience in the insurance industry.
Prior to joining AXIS Capital, he served as an underwriter at Charman Underwriting Agencies from 1989 until 1998, when ACE Limited acquired that entity.
At ACE, Mr. Gressier served as Deputy Underwriter of Syndicates 488/2488, Director of ACE Global Markets Underwriting Limited, Director of Marine and Specialty Lines for Syndicate 2488 and a member of ACE Global Markets Executive Underwriting Committee.
In February 2001, he was appointed Joint Active Underwriter of Syndicate 2488 and director of the ACE Agency Board, where he served until joining AXIS in 2002.
Mr. Gressier will assume the responsibilities of retiring Chief Operating Officer Dennis B. Reding.
Dennis B. Reding has served as Chief Operating Officer of AXIS Capital since January 2007.
Prior to this appointment, Mr. Reding served as Chairman of AXIS Insurance since January 2005 and, from January 2003 until December 2004, he served as Chief Executive Officer of AXIS U.S. Insurance.
Mr. Reding has 44 years of industry experience.
Mr. Reding was President and Chief Executive Officer of Westchester Specialty Group from 1992 to 1998. He then served as President and Chief Executive Officer of ACE USA, Inc. from 1998 to 2001 and President of ACE INA Holdings, Inc. from 2001 to 2002. Mr. Reding was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Combined Specialty Group, Inc., an Aon subsidiary, in 2002.
Peter Wilson, currently President of U.S. Insurance at AXIS Insurance, will succeed Mr. Gressier as Chief Executive Officer of AXIS Insurance, with overall responsibility for the general management and business results of AXIS Capital’s global property and casualty insurance operations.
Mr. Wilson joined AXIS Capital in May 2013 as President of U.S. Insurance.
Prior to this, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer for CNA Specialty, a unit of CNA Financial Corporation, which is focused on professional and management liability, healthcare, surety and other specialized insurance products and services.
During his more than 20 years with CNA Financial Corporation, Mr. Wilson served in a number of leadership positions and had management responsibility for a diverse group of business units operating both in the U.S. and internationally. ■