Executives On The Move at AXA XL, Markel and Buckle

January 5, 2021

An AIG veteran has joined AXA XL as an executive based in New York. Markel Corp. hired a new executive focused on diversity and inclusion. Buckle hired a former Farmers and USAA executive to its Insurance division.

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An AIG veteran has joined AXA XL as an executive based in New York.

Jason Hawkins has the title of Senior Vice President, Regional Head of Professional in New York. He’ll focus on managing AXA XL’s regional D&O business, working closely with brokers and clients throughout New York and its surrounding area.

Hawkins joins AXA XL from AIG, where he recently served as Head of Retail Distribution. Prior to joining AIG, he was Managing Director of Marsh’s FINPRO Group, where he addressed the professional liability insurance needs of commercial businesses, particularly private equity firms, hedge fund, investment portfolio, financial institutions among other financial services. Hawkins brings more than three decades of D&O underwriting management and brokerage experience to AXA XL’s Professional team.

AXA XL’s Professional team provides directors & 0fficers, professional, employment practices, pension liability, crime & fraud, and financial bond insurance to public companies.

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Trevor Gandy joined Markel Corp. as Managing Director, Talent, Diversity and Inclusion.

This is a new position at Markel, in which Gandy will be tasked with further shaping the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy for its global workforce. He will work closely with the company’s human resources leadership team and its global Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee on the continued development of employee awareness programs, training and education opportunities, recruitment outreach programs, and strategic partnerships. Gandy reports to Sue Davies, Chief Human Resources Officer.

Gandy has 25 years of management experience in the areas of diversity and inclusion (D&I), human resources, talent acquisition, and leadership development. He has been a consultant for Markel’s D&I initiatives since 2020. Before joining Markel, he was the Founder and President of TrĂ©Gan Consulting, where he helped companies promote and leverage the business value of D&I.

He also previously served as Principal, Diversity and Inclusion at Amazon and Chief Diversity Officer at Chubb Insurance.

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The InsurTech Buckle hired a former Farmers and USAA executive to lead the company’s Insurance division.

Buckle Founder and CEO Marty Young

Sharon Fernandez was most recently President of Farmers Business Insurance and worked for the insurer for 13 years. Before that, Fernandez was at USAA for 18 years in various executive roles. In her new position, she will report to Buckle Co-Founder and CEO Marty Young.

Buckle, based in New Jersey, launched as a managing general agent in 2019 with an initial rideshare insurance policy combining personal and commercial coverage. It now also sells auto insurance to the commercial auto market for clients in areas such as part-time rideshare and delivery drivers, full-time taxicab and limousine drivers.

Sources: AXA XL, Markel and Buckle