Canopius boosts APAC leadership in key insurance lines

Appointments signal shift to segmented product oversight strategy

Canopius boosts APAC leadership in key insurance lines

Insurance News

By Roxanne Libatique

Specialty (re)insurer Canopius has named Brodie English (pictured left) and Rob Barnum (pictured right) to newly defined leadership roles as it restructures its operations in Australia, New Zealand, and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

Both appointments are effective from June 1 and mark a shift toward more segmented product oversight across the business.

Brodie English to head casualty in ANZ

English stepped into the role of head of casualty for Australia and New Zealand after three years with Canopius.

His responsibilities include managing the casualty underwriting strategy, refining service delivery to clients, and contributing to the company’s regional growth plans.

English brings more than 15 years of industry experience, including prior roles at AXA XL and Tokio Marine.

At Canopius, English has been involved in underwriting large and complex accounts, guiding less experienced underwriters, and leading a new underwriting system rollout.

His new role will see him focused on evolving market expectations and aligning the ANZ casualty portfolio with global standards.

Barnum leads financial lines in Asia-Pacific

Barnum, who joined Canopius in 2024, has been appointed head of financial lines for the Asia-Pacific region.

He brings over a decade of experience in financial lines underwriting, previously holding senior positions at XL Catlin and AXIS Capital, where he managed professional indemnity and cyber portfolios.

In his new role, Barnum will oversee the financial lines strategy across APAC, with a focus on expanding market share and delivering long-term value for clients and distribution partners.

His appointment reflects a broader effort by Canopius to build out its presence in the financial lines space across the region.

Broader strategic realignment

These leadership changes are part of a regional restructuring that introduces dedicated oversight for the casualty and financial lines portfolios in ANZ.

The company is aligning its ANZ model with similar structures in other markets to improve operational consistency and responsiveness.

Soon Keen (SK) Lee, CEO for APAC and Middle East & North Africa (MENA), said the appointments mark an important step in the evolution of the (re)insurer’s APAC business.

“Brodie and Rob bring an exceptional blend of technical expertise, market insight, and leadership experience and are ideally placed to lead our casualty and financial lines portfolios. With the new structure now in place, I’m confident they will help us deliver even greater value to clients and further strengthen our relationships with partners across the region,” she said.

Ziolkowski to lead ANZ business

In a separate move, Canopius announced in April that Andrew Ziolkowski will become head of Australia and New Zealand, effective Oct. 25.

Ziolkowski has held senior roles at QBE Insurance and the NSW Self Insurance Corporation and brings nearly three decades of insurance industry experience.

He will oversee all ANZ business operations, reporting directly to Lee. His role includes regulatory compliance, strategic planning, and key client relationship management.

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