Insurance moves: Skyline Public, Marsh, Smart Choice, HDI and Verisk

The useful part

Hansen joined Skyline in 2024 after founding JWH Solutions, a public adjusting and risk management consulting firm that worked closely with Skyline before the two merged. He has worked on property claims collectively exceeding $400 million in first-party losses and litigation, and spent more than 15 years as a US Army Special Forces officer. Jeffrey Major, Skyline's founder and president, said Hansen's expanded role strengthens the firm's capabilities across its full client base.

How it works

• Brokers co-placing or referring complex healthcare accounts to Marsh should expect the same data-driven approach Cromwell referenced to continue under her leadership.
• Andrew Caldwell, Smart Choice's CEO, said the hire is meant to give the network's own agents usable AI resources rather than just another platform to manage.
• Minton framed his approach as a direct response to how AI has been marketed to agents so far.
• I would rather build infrastructure that sits underneath the workflows agents already use, so the maintenance and administrative work is accelerated, and they spend their time growing the book instead,"...
• A marketing and communications hire arriving directly under the chief commercial officer, rather than reporting separately, signals HDI intends to coordinate its broker-facing messaging closely with its...

What to take from it

Marsh names a new US healthcare industry practice leader Marsh has appointed Linda Jones (pictured, center) as US healthcare industry practice leader for Marsh Risk, effective immediately. Jones has advised health systems, hospitals, managed care organizations and other provider groups on risk management for 40 years, joining Marsh in 2018 and most recently serving as US healthcare growth and innovation leader. Steve Kauderer, president of Verisk Claims Solutions, said Alling's combination of casualty claims expertise and software-building experience positions him to accelerate the business's strategy.

Example or evidence

• HDI Global adds a CMO as its US leadership buildout continues HDI Global US has named John Flannery chief marketing and communications officer, reporting to chief commercial officer Uwe Schoberth.
• Schoberth said Flannery's track record building strong brands would help ensure brokers, clients and industry stakeholders clearly understand HDI's value proposition as the company expands in the US.
• This appointment continues a leadership buildout Insurance Business has tracked closely at HDI Global US this year, part of the carrier's four-year Xcelerate29 strategy to make the US its primary...
• Smart Choice hires an AI strategy lead built around agency infrastructure Smart Choice, a network of independent insurance agents, has hired Nate Minton (pictured, right) as vice president of AI strategy...

Details worth keeping

Skyline Public, Marsh, Smart Choice, HDI and Verisk They include a new VP of AI strategy and a new CMO INSURANCE NEWS By Josh Recamara 15 Sep 2026 Share Several insurance organizations announced leadership changes and appointments this week, spanning brokerage, public adjusting, technology and specialty underwriting. She succeeds Gisele Norris, who moves into the role of global commercial industry leader at Marsh, continuing to drive industry collaboration and best-practice sharing across the firm. Jones pointed to the specific pressures reshaping healthcare risk.

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