Markel International has promoted James Vlasveld to senior underwriter, professional and financial risks (PFR), and James Crawford to senior underwriter, casualty, in Australia.
Melbourne-based Vlasveld has been with the company since 2023. He most recently served as underwriter for professional and financial risks. He joined Markel from Chubb, where he worked for more than five years in financial lines underwriting roles across its major accounts division, global broker unit and independent broker unit.
Crawford joined Markel as a casualty underwriter in May 2024. He brings more than eight years of industry experience, including casualty underwriting roles with AIG and AXA XL. Crawford began his insurance career with Chubb, where he worked in operations support and casualty underwriting.
The promotions come as Markel builds out its Australian platform. The specialty insurer has had an onshore presence in the country since 2024 and now runs four offices, after it opened in Perth earlier this year. It has also added business lines, launching marine last year and fine art and specie in June.
Asia Pacific managing director Sucheng Chang told (Re)in Asia earlier this month that the Australian business should report close to A$100m (US$71.5m) in gross written premium by year-end. “Australia is one of the biggest insurance markets in APAC, and we have the aspiration to get a lot bigger than we are,” he said.
Australia is one leg of a wider regional push. Markel International president Andrew McMellin has set a target of growing the APAC book from about US$275m to US$500m over three to five years, lifting the region from 6-7% of international business to 10% by 2030.
