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Welcome to Program Manager

Conference & Awards 2023

In May 2022, Program Manager hosted its inaugural Conference and Awards in the heart of New York, gathering a full house of leading executives in the US program insurance sector – an area of the non-life (re)insurance industry that has seen remarkable growth in the last decade, attracting capital and top talent.

Following its tremendous success, we are thrilled to announce that the highly popular one-day event returns in 2023, taking place on 17 May in an even larger capacity, this time at the iconic Gotham Hall in Midtown Manhattan.

The format of the day will once again consist of an informative morning conference, as well as an evening champagne reception and dinner-style awards ceremony, attracting over 400 guests from the US and overseas.

It will represent a fantastic occasion to celebrate another year of excellence and be inspired by distinctive talent within the market, while leaving with a better understanding of where the program sector is heading through 2023.

Join us in recognising and showcasing the best in the sector and gain invaluable insight from the key players in the game.

About the conference

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The Program Manager 2023 Conference will encompass a half-day event with a stellar line up of leading industry speakers, attracting 400 market professionals from the US and overseas.

In addition to our three industry leader keynotes, the event will also include three panel discussions that will address some of the most pressing issues of the day within this dynamic area of the non-life (re)insurance industry:

  • The future of the MGA and program sector
  • Capacity is king: navigating a hard reinsurance market
  • The consolidation game: shifting M&A dynamics and the MGA space

Keynote Speakers

Jerome Breslin

President and CEO, Clear Blue Insurance Group

    George Bucur

    Managing Director, Co-Head - Specialty Practice, MarshBerry

      Daniel Case

      Executive Vice President, Program Services, State National Companies

        Pete Chandler

        CEO, BMS Re

          Bob Diamond

          Bob Diamond

          Founding Partner and CEO, Atlas Merchant Capital

            Michael Halsband

            Partner, McDermott Will & Emery LLP

              Simon Hedley

              Chief Executive Officer, Acrisure Re

                Dan Hickey

                Dan Hickey

                President, Amtrust Specialty

                  Bob Kimmel

                  Bob Kimmel

                  CEO, K2 Insurance Services

                    Erik Matson

                    CEO of MS Transverse

                      Matthew Mosher

                      President & CEO, AM Best Rating Services

                        Steven Nigro

                        Managing Partner
                        TAG Financial Institutions Group

                          Denise Olson

                          Head of Programs, Zurich North America

                            Steven Pacholick

                            Steven Pacholick

                            Chief Program Officer, Starwind

                              Bob Petrilli

                              Robert "Bob" Petrilli

                              President, Amwins Underwriting

                                Matthew Power

                                Matthew Power

                                President, One80 Intermediaries

                                  Erika Shalette

                                  Erika Shalette

                                  Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Amynta Group

                                    Tracey Sharis

                                    President, GRS North America Programs Liberty Mutual Insurance | Ironshore

                                      Miles Wuller

                                      President and CEO, Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers

                                        Panel discussions

                                        The future of the MGA and program sector

                                        Our C-suite panel will discuss secular and cyclical growth drivers and whether momentum can be sustained; evolving carrier-MGA relationships and the emergence of hybrid models; talent migration and finding the next generation; the next frontier for fronting carriers; meeting demand through innovation; emerging specialty niches; technology as an enabler; and more.

                                        Confirmed speakers for this session:

                                        • Simon Hedley, Chief Executive Officer, Acrisure Re
                                        • Erik Matson, CEO of MS Transverse
                                        • Matthew Mosher, President & CEO, AM Best Rating Services
                                        • Denise Olson, Head of Programs, Zurich North America
                                        • Bob Petrilli, President, Amwins Underwriting
                                         

                                        Capacity is king: navigating a hard reinsurance market

                                        Availability and access to capacity is arguably the biggest concern in the sector today. Our panel will look at the challenges of a hard reinsurance market; the property cat capacity crunch; new and alternative sources of capital; differentiated submissions in a crowded market; the fronting solution; panel diversification; and more.

                                        Confirmed speakers for this session:

                                        • Jerome Breslin, President and CEO, Clear Blue Insurance Group
                                        • Daniel Case, Executive Vice President, Program Services, State National Companies
                                        • Dan Hickey, President, Amtrust Specialty
                                        • Steven Pacholick, Chief Program Officer, Starwind
                                        • Tracey Sharis, President, GRS North America Programs Liberty Mutual Insurance | Ironshore
                                         

                                        The consolidation game: shifting M&A dynamics and the MGA space

                                        Higher interest rates have led to elevated financing costs for deal-making in the US distribution sector. Our panel will discuss how the broader landscape has changed for buyers and sellers; drivers of consolidation in the MGA space that could make it the exception; the rise of the platform consolidator; the crowded fronting segment; insurtech capital raising and M&A; and more.

                                        Confirmed speakers for this session:

                                        • Michael Halsband, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery LLP (Moderator)
                                        • George Bucur, Managing Director, Co-Head – Specialty Practice, MarshBerry
                                        • Steven Nigro, Founder and Managing Partner, TAG Financial Institutions Group, LLC
                                        • Erika Shalette, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Amynta Group
                                        • Matthew Power, President, One80 Intermediaries
                                        • Miles Wuller, President and CEO, Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers

                                        Conference timings:

                                        8:00-9:00 | Continental breakfast & networking

                                        9:00-9:05 | Welcome from Program Manager

                                        9:05-9:30 | Keynote: Bob Kimmel, CEO, K2 Insurance Services

                                        9:30-9:55 | Keynote: Pete Chandler, CEO, BMS Re

                                        9:55-10:40 | Panel discussion: The future of the MGA and program sector

                                        10:40-11:10 | Coffee break

                                        11:10-11:55 | Panel discussion: Capacity is king: navigating a hard reinsurance market

                                        11:55-12:40 | Panel discussion: The consolidation game: shifting M&A dynamics and the MGA space

                                        12:40-13:00 | Keynote: Bob Diamond, Founding Partner and CEO, Atlas Merchant Capital

                                        13:00 | Conference close

                                        About the awards

                                        Image of trophies
                                         

                                        Following the morning conference, we’ll reconvene in the evening for the prestigious Program Manager Awards ceremony and dinner.

                                        This is an opportunity for you to shine and for us to recognise excellence in the market. It’ll also be a great environment for existing relationships to be nurtured and new ones to be formed.

                                        Confirmed members of the independent judging panel include John Colis, president and CEO, Euclid Insurance Services and president, TMPAA; Jeremy Hitzig, co-founder of Starfish Specialty Programs; and David Bull, North American editor, The Insurer.

                                        Further panelists will be announced in the upcoming weeks…

                                        How to enter

                                        Program Manager's 2023 Awards ceremony is open to anyone who thinks that they, their colleague(s), team, company or client deserve recognition for an outstanding contribution to the program manager sector in the last year.

                                        To submit a nomination, simply choose your category, write your entry and email it to Isabelle Brooker on isabelle.brooker@wbmediagroup.com indicating what category you are submitting for and the title of your submission. Entries can be accepted from the nominee, or you can nominate a candidate. Each entry should be a maximum of 500 words and lay out succinct evidence of achievement or an explanation as to why the achievement is significant.

                                        We will also consider testimonials from colleagues, clients and other market participants as part of the submission, as well as any materials providing evidence of performance or other factors in support of the entry.

                                        You can enter as many categories as you wish, where applicable, although only one entry per category per company can be accepted.

                                        Evidence within entries should be for initiatives that took place substantively in the last 12 months up to 7 April.

                                        All the information contained in the entries will be treated as confidential and will not be released without the permission of the entrant/nominee. Outstanding contributor of the year will be decided independently by the judging panel. Entries for this category will not be accepted.

                                        For any questions about entering the Program Manager Awards, please contact Isabelle Brooker isabelle.brooker@wbmediagroup.com. All entries must be submitted before Friday, 7 April 2023.

                                        Categories

                                        Individual MGA of the year

                                        Entries to this flagship Program Manager award category will be MGAs, MGUs and Program Administrators in the US P&C marketplace, including those operating on larger platforms as well as independent players. Candidates must demonstrate a strong track record of delivering for their (re)insurance capacity providers in 2022 as well bringing specialty solutions to their distribution partners. Judges will consider evidence of premium growth and underwriting performance metrics where they can be provided. The judging panel will also assess the impact of candidates on the sector through bringing new product, access to new markets for carrier partners, and providing a platform for entrepreneurial underwriting talent.

                                         

                                        MGA platform of the year

                                        This category is open to platforms that house multiple MGAs, MGUs and Program Administrators, including established underwriting divisions of large intermediaries, start-up MGA platforms and incubator or infrastructure as a service platforms. The judging panel will assess the track record of candidates during the evaluation period (2022) in bringing new programs/MGAs to market, delivering consistent product and capacity to distribution partners, and providing a home for entrepreneurial underwriting talent. Judges will assess speed to market, infrastructure efficiencies, and for those platforms that are part of large intermediaries will evaluate the strategic role they play in their respective organizations.

                                         

                                        Program insurer of the year

                                        This category is open to all insurance companies writing program business in the US P&C sector as a traditional carrier. Successful candidates will be those that can demonstrate their commitment to the sector, the strategic importance of program business within their portfolios, strong underwriting performance and the provision of outstanding service to their distribution partners in the past year. They will also be assessed on their ability to innovate and develop unique specialty solutions that are the cornerstone of the US programs sector.

                                         

                                        Fronting carrier of the year

                                        This category is open to pure fronting carriers and the growing number of hybrid fronting carriers operating in the sector. Candidates must demonstrate the value they bring to their reinsurance panels and MGA partners and must be able to clearly articulate what differentiates them in a crowded marketplace. They will be assessed on their ability to show that their growth and onboarding of programs is based on tight underwriting controls and due diligence, as well as the processes that provide their reinsurance partners with transparency around the performance of the programs they support. The winning candidate will be able to show that it is a long-term strategic partner that has the best interests of the health of the program sector at its core.

                                         

                                        Program insurtech of the year

                                        This category is open to insurtechs underwriting in the program sector that can demonstrate their use of new technology to bring product to the market. This can include the application of technological innovation to underwriting processes as well as distribution processes. Candidates must be able to show that the technology is at the core of their operating model and strategy and that its use is enabling programs to be written or distributed more efficiently and effectively, or to bring innovative new products to clients. They must also show traction and take-up in the market.

                                         

                                        Program launch of the year

                                        This category is open to any new program launched in 2022. Candidates will be expected to articulate the unmet need their new program is designed to meet, the specialty aspect of it, any innovation involved bringing it to market, support from insurance and reinsurance capacity providers and take-up in the market post-launch. The winner will be the candidate that can best demonstrate the positive impact their new program has had on the marketplace and the specialty expertise and innovation behind it.

                                         

                                        M&A advisor of the year

                                        After another year of active M&A, fundraising and start-up activity in the US programs space, this category will award the advisory firm that made the most impact on the sector. Candidates will be expected to highlight the transactions they have been involved in and their role in bringing a successful outcome for all parties. The judges will not only look at the quantity and size of deals, but also their significance to the marketplace.

                                         

                                        Reinsurance broker of the year

                                        Reinsurance brokers are key to the process of launching programs and keeping them going by structuring reinsurance support and advising on almost all facets of the business. The category is open to all reinsurance intermediaries active in the US programs sector. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate the role they have played in securing capacity and structuring deals for new and established programs. The judging panel will also assess the scope of the practices of reinsurance brokers with a presence in the space, their investment in services to support the sector and their involvement in bringing innovative product to the marketplace.

                                         

                                        Innovation in programs award

                                        This broad category is open to any participant in the US programs sector that can demonstrate they brought true innovation in 2022. Innovation could be in the form of product at the front end, providing infrastructure to rapidly launch programs, or new structures and sources of underwriting capacity from alternative capital providers. Candidates must articulate why their innovation was needed and the impact they expect it to have on the market. Judges will assess the level of innovation, the way it has been brought to market and the amount of traction it has gained in the market.

                                         

                                        Program Manager rising star of the year

                                        Talent is at the very core of the future success of the US programs sector. This category is intended to recognize the best up-and-coming talent at MGAs, MGUs, program administrators, program carriers and other participants in the sector that will form the next generation of leaders. Companies operating in the sector may nominate rising stars from within their organization or at counterparties and will be expected to detail the skills and achievements of their colleagues that warrant their inclusion in this category.

                                         

                                        Program Manager outstanding contributor (no submissions)

                                        The judging panel will grant this award to an individual they believe has made an outstanding contribution to the US programs sector in their career.

                                         

                                        Shortlist

                                        Individual MGA of the year

                                        • Arden Insurance Services
                                        • Balance Partners
                                        • Cover Whale
                                        • Euclid Fiduciary
                                        • SageSure
                                        • Starfish Specialty

                                        MGA platform of the year

                                        • Amwins Underwriting
                                        • Balance Partners
                                        • Dual North America
                                        • NFP
                                        • Ryan Specialty Underwriting
                                        • Starwind

                                        Program insurer of the year

                                        • AmTrust Specialty Programs
                                        • Munich Re Specialty Insurance
                                        • Zurich North America

                                        Fronting carrier of the year

                                        • Clear Blue
                                        • MS Transverse Insurance Group
                                        • Obsidian Insurance Holdings

                                        Program insurtech of the year

                                        • CHAMP
                                        • Corvus Insurance
                                        • Cover Whale
                                        • Joyn Insurance
                                        • Loadsure

                                        Program launch of the year

                                        • Dual Crisis Management
                                        • e3/Venture Excess
                                        • Emerald Underwriting Managers
                                        • K2 Parametric
                                        • One80 Charter Vessel Liability Program

                                        M&A advisor of the year

                                        • Howden Tiger Capital Markets & Advisory
                                        • MarshBerry
                                        • McDermott Will & Emery’s insurance transactions team

                                        Reinsurance broker of the year

                                        • Acrisure Re
                                        • BMS Re
                                        • Howden Tiger SabRE

                                        Innovation in programs

                                        • Counterpart
                                        • Cover Whale
                                        • Cowbell
                                        • Mission Underwriters
                                        • Venture/MultiStrat
                                        • Amwins Incubator

                                        Program Manager rising star of the year

                                        • Paulo Castro, AmTrust Specialty Programs
                                        • Travis Hedge, Vouch Insurance
                                        • Emelie Klehr, PERse
                                        • Jordan Marks, K2 Construction
                                        • Dan Palardy, Cowbell

                                        Outstanding contributor of the year

                                        The winner for this category has been chosen by the judging panel and will be announced at the ceremony on 17 May.

                                          Lifetime achiever

                                          The winner for this category has been chosen by the judging panel and will be announced at the ceremony on 17 May.

                                            2023 Winners

                                            Individual MGA of the year

                                            Balance Partners

                                            MGA platform of the year

                                            Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers

                                            Program insurer of the year

                                            Zurich North America

                                            Fronting carrier of the year

                                            Clear Blue

                                            Program insurtech of the year

                                            Cover Whale

                                            Program launch of the year

                                            One80 charter vessel liability program

                                            M&A advisor of the year

                                            MarshBerry

                                            Reinsurance broker of the year

                                            Howden Tiger SabRE

                                            Innovation in programs award

                                            Counterpart

                                            Program Manager rising star of the year

                                            Paulo Castro, AmTrust Specialty Programs

                                            Editor’s Choice

                                            Services to program management

                                            Ray Scotto

                                            Editor’s Choice

                                            Transaction of the year

                                            Starwind Specialty e3/Venture and Venture/MultiStrat Re

                                            Editor’s Choice

                                            Entrepreneurial innovator of the year

                                            Amwins Incubator

                                            Program Manager outstanding contributor

                                            Bob Kimmel

                                            Program Manager lifetime achiever

                                            Terry Ledbetter

                                            Judges

                                            Matt Beard

                                            President - Global Programs, Howden Tiger

                                              Image of David Bull

                                              David Bull

                                              North American editor, The Insurer

                                                Image of Todd Campbell

                                                Todd Campbell

                                                President and CEO, Builders Insurance Group

                                                  Tracey Carragher

                                                  Tracey Carragher

                                                  Founder, Managing Partner
                                                  TCH Holdings, LLC

                                                    Image of John Colis

                                                    John Colis

                                                    President and CEO, Euclid Insurance Services President, Target Markets Program Administrators Association

                                                      Kevin Donoghue

                                                      Kevin Donoghue

                                                      Managing director, Mystic Capital Advisors Group

                                                        Image of Jeremy Hitzig

                                                        Jeremy Hitzig

                                                        Co-founder, Starfish Specialty Programs

                                                          Matthew Mosher

                                                          President & CEO, AM Best Rating Services

                                                            Tracey Sharis

                                                            President, GRS North America Programs Liberty Mutual Insurance | Ironshore

                                                              Awards Timings:

                                                              17:30-19:00 | Champagne reception

                                                              19:00-21:30 | Three course meal & Awards ceremony

                                                              21:30- 23:00 | Drinks and networking

                                                              Venue

                                                              Gotham Hall 1356 Broadway, New York, NY 10018, United States

                                                              Headline sponsor

                                                              BMS.re

                                                              Sponsors

                                                              Acrisure Re logo
                                                              Image AMBest Logo
                                                              Image of Amtrust Logo
                                                              Amwins Logo
                                                              Clearblue logo
                                                              Image CRC Logo
                                                              Gallagher Re Logo
                                                              MarshBerry Logo
                                                              Image McDermott Logo
                                                              Image Rein4ce Logo
                                                              Image Ryan specialty logo
                                                              Image state national logo
                                                              TAG Logo

                                                              For all enquiries regarding the conference and awards ceremony, please contact Beatrice:

                                                              For all enquiries regarding sponsorship or to book a table at the Awards ceremony, please contact Spencer or Andy:

                                                              Image of Beatrice Boico

                                                              Beatrice Boico

                                                              Head of marketing and events

                                                              +44 (0) 77 4160 9311

                                                              beatrice.boico@wbmediagroup.com

                                                                Image of Spencer Halladey

                                                                Spencer Halladey

                                                                Commercial director

                                                                +44 (0) 77 4160 9085

                                                                spencer.halladey@wbmediagroup.com

                                                                  Image of Andy Stone

                                                                  Andy Stone

                                                                  Sales manager

                                                                  +44 (0) 77 4160 9204

                                                                  andy.stone@thomsonreuters.com