Joanne Richardson has taken over the helm at media insurer Mutual Insurance Company Ltd.

The Bermudian company announced that Ms Richardson became its chief executive officer at the start of this month.

“Joanne, given her extensive experience with media liability risks, is a perfect fit for Mutual,” said Rick Spurling, president and chairman of Mutual.

“She has both the qualifications and the leadership skills to take Mutual to the next level of insurance products and service.”

Ms Richardson said that the chance to take the helm of a leading media insurer in the insurance and reinsurance environment of Bermuda is the opportunity of a lifetime. “Mutual has over a half-century of experience underwriting media and enjoys an unsurpassed reputation,” Ms Richardson said. “With unprecedented changes in the industry come unprecedented opportunities. The time is perfect to set our next course.”

Ms Richardson was most recently partner at Hiscox Insurance Company in New York, and managing director of its Media and Entertainment practice.

She previously worked at Chubb as the national accounts underwriter for media liability, and at GE Capital, where she was an underwriting officer for media liability. She is a graduate of Rutgers College, Rutgers University, and is a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter.

Mutual provides media liability insurance to clients in the United States and some Caribbean countries.