Amwins, the global distributor of specialty insurance products and services, has appointed Mark Bernacki to the newly created position of chief underwriting officer.

The company said that Mr Bernacki’s responsibilities will include a continued focus on building capacity and growing Amwins' alternative risk capabilities, with a particular focus on Bermuda and London, two key growth areas for the company.

Amwins said that he will be responsible for overseeing the underwriting performance of the company's $3 billion-plus delegated authority business, which will include continued investments in actuarial capabilities, claims, portfolio management and underwriting oversight.

Scott M. Purviance, chief executive officer of Amwins, said: "Mark is an exceptional individual who has served as an integral part of our leadership team.

"Focusing on underwriting integrity while driving value for our carrier partners and clients, Mark's skills and experience will prove invaluable as the company grows and executes our 150-year vision."

In addition to building upon Amwins' underwriting integrity and infrastructure, the company said, Mr Bernacki will focus on expanding global underwriting capacity, expanding key market relationships and developing new products and programmes.

He will continue to oversee operations for Amwins Special Risk Underwriters, Amwins' in-house underwriting facility offering capacity exclusively through Amwins brokers.

Mr Bernacki said: “It has been a privilege to be part of the Amwins team for the past two years, and I look forward to growing our underwriting capabilities while continuing to innovate with new products.

“At Amwins we fundamentally believe insurance is both a relationship and data-driven business; harnessing the best of these within our entrepreneurial culture will fuel success for our clients and capacity partners alike."

Amwins said that it is the largest independent wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products in the United States.

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company said that it operates through more than 155 offices globally and handles premium placements in excess of $23 billion annually.