Specialist MGA announces two senior hires

International specialty reinsurance managing general agent (MGA) Rockstone has announced two new hires for its senior management team.

Markel’s Stuart Lee has been appointed chief actuary to lead and build the MGA’s inhouse reserving and pricing functions, while Probitas’ Mark Thomas will join as head of underwriting management.

Rocktone, which is owned by Aventum Group, stated it made the move as it “seeks to drive enhanced decision making and operational excellence across the business”.

Ian Anson, managing director at Rokstone, said the business’ “mantra is that of a virtual insurer with the fully developed infrastructure of a balance sheet insurer”.

“We’re dedicated to protecting the capital of our partner insurers, treating carriers’ outcomes like they’re our own and these senior appointments are evidence of our commitment in this regard,” he added.

“Both of these functions will ensure Rokstone remains the most robust of underwriting agencies for carriers to entrust their capital to and furthers our aim to become the most inspirational (re)insurance MGA in the world.”

Experience

Lee previously spent around 14 years within the actuarial function at Markel International, before announcing his departure from the business for a career break in June 2023.

Prior to Markel, he was an actuarial analyst at KPMG and an economic analyst at the Bank of England.

“I’m delighted to join Rokstone. It’s different, it has a great culture, a place with no elitism or ego and an ‘all for one, one for all’ culture,” Lee said.

“Its portfolio is broad and diverse, which is a challenge I relish and they value talent and expertise.”

Thomas, meanwhile, served as head of underwriting management at Probitas for over three years.

Prior to Probitas, he worked at StarStone Insurance for nearly six years, most recently as a deputy active underwriter at its Lloyd’s syndicate 1301, which was acquired by Inigo in March 2021.

Thomas also served as a marketing executive at Willis Towers Watson (WTW) and as a business development and marketing manager at Occam Underwriting.

“I’m excited to be part of the Rokstone team,” Thomas said.

“It’s a unique business and it needs a unique underwriting framework to match.

“I am working from a foundation of excellence, but as a problem solver and solution designer I know there is always a better way of doing things – something Rokstone lives by too.”