The Hartford has announced the appointment of H Clay Bassett Jr (pictured above, right) as global chief underwriting officer and head of reinsurance, succeeding M Ross Fisher, who will retire at the end of 2024 after over two decades with the company.
Bassett, currently deputy global chief underwriting officer and head of Navigators Reinsurance, will report to The Hartford’s chief financial officer, Beth Costello.
Additionally, Michael Fish (pictured above, left) has been named head of group benefits, succeeding Jonathan Bennett, who will also retire at the end of 2024 after 25 years with the company.
Fish, currently chief operating officer for group benefits, will report directly to The Hartford’s chairman and CEO, Christopher Swift.
Bassett and Fish will complete their transitions to the new roles by Oct. 1.
“Mike and Clay are a testament to the exceptional bench of leadership talent at The Hartford,” Swift said. “These moves validate our focus on talent development and disciplined approach to succession planning. Promoting strong, experienced internal leaders allows us to continue with our strategic plans and positions us well for future growth.”
Bassett joined The Hartford in May 2019 with the company’s acquisition of The Navigators Group, Inc, where he had been chief underwriting officer since 2008. Prior to that, he served as chief underwriting officer for Folksamerica Reinsurance Company and held various underwriting management positions with Swiss Re, AIG, and National Reinsurance Corporation.
Fish joined The Hartford in 2004 and previously served as head of Group Benefits Product and Strategy. He also led the group benefits underwriting organization and was responsible for the integration following The Hartford’s 2017 acquisition of Aetna’s US group life and disability business. Prior to joining The Hartford, Fish worked for Unum Group in various leadership positions.
Swift recognized the contributions of Bennett and Fisher in their tenure with the company.
“In addition to group benefits, Jonathan has held senior positions in personal lines, small commercial, finance, corporate strategy and digital commerce. He is regarded as an influential and visionary leader who has helped mentor and develop talent across the enterprise. Ross has elevated underwriting across The Hartford and has been at the forefront of aligning the company’s underwriting discipline with its sustainability strategy. He also has been instrumental in using data-driven solutions to help the company broaden and deepen its risk appetite. In addition, he oversaw the integration following The Hartford’s acquisition of Navigators. Both leaders leave a strong legacy for the company to build on,” he said.
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