Crawford & Company (Crawford) has promoted Matt Donnelly to the role of head of specialty loss adjusting in Australia.
Donnelly (pictured), who brings more than three decades of industry expertise, has been serving as the head of global technical services (GTS) within Crawford, where he managed large and complex property loss claims.
Donnelly’s career with Crawford began in 2004, and he held several roles, including operations manager for GTS.
After spending seven years in general manager roles at two companies focused on insurance services, he returned to Crawford in 2022 to lead GTS teams in Victoria and Tasmania. Earlier this year, he was appointed as national head of GTS.
In this new position, Donnelly will take on responsibility for overseeing a broader portfolio that extends beyond GTS. This includes claims related to commercial and liability sectors, construction, energy, marine, and forensic accounting services.
Commenting on his new leadership role, Donnelly has outlined his focus on listening closely to client challenges, aiming to collaborate on claims strategies that address their specific needs.
“To me, it’s not about us as a service provider coming along and telling clients what they need; it’s more about how we can work together constructively to develop claims strategies that are going to solve their pain points,” he said.
He also highlighted team development, aiming to keep a balance of experienced and emerging talent within all specialty service lines.
Jonathan Hubbard, president of Crawford Australia, said Donnelly’s experience and leadership make him a strong fit for the expanded role.
“We have internal targets when it comes to promoting from within, but of course we will only ever appoint from our own ranks where the candidate is the best person for the position; I’m totally confident Matt will be superb in this role,” he said.
He also underscored the company’s emphasis on talent development and retention, noting that it is crucial to maintain a skilled and diverse workforce.
“We continue to work hard on ensuring Crawford is home to a diverse and competent talent pool. This is important so clients have certainty over service even when there might be people movements internally or otherwise,” Hubbard said.
Donnelly will begin his new responsibilities on Nov. 1, replacing Craig McLeod, who will transition into the newly created role of head of quality & people development for Crawford’s loss adjusting businesses.
Early this month, Crawford appointed Milia Xystros as the new head of TPA for its Australian operations.
Xystros, who has more than 25 years of industry experience, previously served as executive manager of claims at Procare Group. Her career includes a decade of private legal practice and over 11 years at Insurance Australia Group (IAG), where she specialised in claims management, litigation, and compliance.
Crawford’s TPA business, which operates under the name Broadspire in other markets, has been in Australia for over a decade. The unit provides claims management services for insurers, corporations, and brokers, with a focus on risk management and operational efficiency.
In other moves, Crawford recently appointed Simon Chenery as executive adjuster within GTS in Brisbane, bringing 34 years of loss adjusting experience. It also appointed Rizwan Malik as senior marine surveyor/loss adjuster in Melbourne.
