Fortegra announces new appointments to bolster UK strategy

Global speciality insurer The Fortegra Group has appointed Edward Peña as its new chief financial officer.

A statement released today (16 August 2023) said Peña will take up the role later this month (28 August 2023) and succeed Mike Grasher.

Grasher, who joined Fortegra as chief financial officer in October 2015, will in turn move into the position of executive vice president of international business development.

In his new role, Grasher will work to build out Fortegra’s speciality insurance companies in the UK and the European Union.

He will continue to report to Fortegra’s chief executive Rick Kahlbaugh.

Kahlbaugh said that Grasher “knows our business, knows our strategy and is uniquely suited to spearhead this strategic initiative”.

“I am confident that he and the team in London will build Fortegra’s specialty insurance presence in strategic markets abroad, further accelerating our growth,” he added.

’Thrilled’

Meanwhile, Peña will bring more than two decades of insurance, finance and mergers and acquisition (M&A) expertise to the role of chief financial officer.

He will join Fortegra from Liberty Mutual, where he most recently served as chief financial officer of its global retail markets division.

Prior to Liberty Mutual, Peña was also vice president of financial and capital planning at ProSight Speciality Insurance.

He also held several roles at financial services firm J.P Morgan.

Kahlbaugh said Fortegra was ”thrilled” to have Peña join the team.

“The breadth and range of his talents and experience will serve to support the current and future trajectory of the company,” he added.

”Ed is immensely talented and I am eager to start working with him.”