Bernie de Haldevang is joining Sompo Canopius as global head of specialty. He will be responsible for developing the group’s political risk lines and reinvigorating its accident and health and casualty lines, as it looks to diversify its book.

De Haldevang has more than three decades of experience in the insurance industry, focusing on credit and political risk, war, terrorism, political violence and kidnap for ransom. Most recently, he spent over eight years at Aspen, where he was head of financial and professional lines, a member of the insurance executive committee and sat on the Lloyd’s political risk business panel.

Beginning in 1983 as a political risk broker at Hogg Robinson Group, his career has included board, senior management and executive committee positions at Berry Palmer & Lyle, Wellington Underwriting, Atrium Underwriters and at the African Trade Insurance Agency, which he founded for the World Bank as chief executive and head of mission.

Mike Duffy, group chief underwriting officer, comments on the appointment: “We are enjoying a renewed sense of purpose for Sompo Canopius, despite the worst market we’ve seen in 20 years. We’d like to be known for doing the products that we write in a more meaningful and less passive way; so we’ve simplified our business to give us space to breathe and focus more on what’s happening in our markets. We’re also hiring the smartest people possible to add to those already here. Bernie ticks every box and we look forward to welcoming him to the team.”

Sompo Canopius is a global specialty (re)insurer which is wholly-owned by Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance, one of the top three Japanese insurers with a 28% market share in Japan. Sompo Canopius has underwriting operations in the UK, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bermuda, the US and Singapore.