Advisen – April 8, 2020 – QBE has named Axa XL executive Jason Harris as its new chief executive for its international operations, with Mr Harris expected to take up the position before the end of the year.
Mr Harris, who will be based in QBE’s London office, replaces outgoing executive Richard Pryce, who will retire early in 2021.
QBE group CEO Pat Regan said Mr Harris’s global commercial lines experience would serve him well when overseeing the insurers international operations.
Jason has a very strong background in people leadership, business performance and underwriting, Mr Regan said.
I am confident that Jason will continue to build the technical expertise and customer focus we are known for. I am excited to have Jason as part of our team. Mr Harris will join QBE in the fourth quarter of 2020 from insurance giant Axa XL, where he was chief executive for the global property and casualty division. Prior to joining Axa in 2012, Mr Harris worked at AIG/Chartis Insurance in several senior roles including leading its UK property business.
Mr Pryce is expected to retire from QBE in the first quarter of 2021. He leaves the insurer just over a year after he took on the international CEO role. He was QBE chief executive of European operations from 2013 until the end of 2018.
(Richard) has been a huge source of advice and wise counsel to me. I will miss him greatly and wish him the very best in his retirement, Mr Regan said.
News of Mr Harris’s appointment comes just over a week after QBE withdrew its 2020 financial targets due to the uncertainty about the economic and financial impact of the COVID-19 virus.
Premium rate momentum in the first quarter was in line with the strong trends reported in the second half of 2019, QBE said, while capital position and liquidity are strong.
These are extraordinarily difficult times for all of our stakeholders: our customers, our broker partners, our staff, our shareholders and the community at large.
Despite the obvious and extreme disruption to normal business practices, our priority is to maintain the health and wellbeing of our staff and continue to support our customers in this time of need, Mr Regan said. QBE shares closed up 0.1 per cent at $8.85.
