Markel Insurance has appointed Preeti Gureja as chief risk officer for its United States and Bermuda insurance operations, subject to regulatory approval.

In the role, Ms Gureja will lead the risk agenda across Markel’s US and Bermuda insurance businesses, with responsibility for embedding risk considerations into underwriting, reinsurance and capital decision-making. She will report to Henry Gardener, CRO of Markel Insurance.

Markel said the appointment reflects its focus on strengthening resilience while supporting disciplined, growth-oriented risk taking. Ms Gureja will be tasked with developing forward-looking risk analysis, clarifying risk appetites, enhancing portfolio steering and strengthening risk reporting and regulatory engagement across the two jurisdictions.

Ms Gureja brings extensive enterprise risk management experience from senior roles at Chubb and AIG. At Chubb, she served as senior vice-president for enterprise risk management, leading a global team and overseeing risk reporting to boards, senior management and regulators. Her work included emerging risks such as cyber, climate and geopolitical exposures.

Earlier in her career at AIG, she helped build the firm’s risk framework, including risk appetite setting, capital planning challenge and stress testing.

Ms Gureja holds an Master of Business Administration from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Delhi College of Engineering. She will be based in New York.

Mr Gardener said Ms Gureja brings a strong record of turning risk insight into better business decisions, adding that her experience across complex portfolios would support Markel’s engagement with regulators and its approach to risk-informed growth.

“Markel's entrepreneurial culture and long term orientation resonate strongly with my philosophy that risk should be both a safeguard and an enabler of growth,” said Ms Gureja.

“I’m excited to partner with colleagues to bring forward looking analysis, clear appetites and pragmatic challenge to the forefront of decision making. By sharpening our use of data and scenarios, and by aligning empowerment with accountability, we can support sustainable growth and build an even more resilient franchise across the US and Bermuda.”