Both QBE North America and CNA snagged ex-Chubb executives for key roles. Meanwhile, Chubb beefed up its transactional risk leadership team to help facilitate more M&A deals. Talbot Underwriting Ltd. appointed a new financial lines team in Australia.

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QBE North America lured a former Chubb executive to be its new senior vice president, underwriting counsel.

Carol A.N. Zacharias will handle leading product development for QBE NA’s Specialty Insurance and Standard Lines property/casualty business lines on a cross-commercial platform.

Her specific tasks will include driving continuous product innovation and new product development. She’ll also guide development of thought leadership and speak both internally and externally on topics including insurance coverage matters, new and emerging risks and the framing of key underwriting risk management issues for the insurance industry. Zacharias will be based in New York City.

Previously, Zacharias was executive vice president, deputy general counsel for Chubb Group (formed in a merger with ACE Group) for the company’s North American operations. She first joined the old Chubb in 2003, as senior vice president, underwriting counsel.

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CNA hired an ex-Chubb executive as its new assistant vice president, management liability zone leader for the Northern Zone.

In this new role, David Lim will give underwriting expertise for public and private company management liability book of business in CNA’s Northern Zone branches. He’ll report to Steve Wachtel, senior vice president and Northern Zone officer.

Lim was previously Chubb’s assistant vice president for the California region, where he managed an underwriting team, and was once the insurer’s senior multinational specialist and regional underwriting officer He launched his career at Travelers.

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Chubb has beefed up its transactional risk leadership team to help facilitate more M&A deals.

Edward Markovich, and Randy Hein will both be senior vice presidents, and each will handle underwriting, growth and profitability in North America. Markovich and Hein will report to Steven Goldman, executive vice president, financial lines, and be based in New York.

Richard Britain, vice president, will manage underwriting, growth and profitability in Asia and Europe. Britain will report to Tim O’Donnell, executive vice president, financial lines, and be based in London.

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Validus Holdings’ Talbot Underwriting Ltd. appointed David McKenzie and David Jones as class underwriters of its financial lines team in Australia.

Both will be tasked with growing a local presence for Talbot’s financial lines business in Australia and then growing the business.

McKenzie, a 25-year insurance and financial industry veteran, was most recently state manager of Queensland for Axis Specialty Australia. He also has previous experience from stints at Aon and Willis.

Jones, a 20-year industry veteran, most recently was state manager of Victoria at Axis Specialty Australia. As well, he has previous experience working for Chubb Insurance and other financial institutions.

Sources: QBE North America, CNA, Chubb and Talbot Underwriting/Validus Holdings.