Liberty Mutual’s CEO Long Elected Chairman as Kelly Retires

Boston-headquartered insurance giant Liberty Mutual Insurance said its board of directors elected CEO David Long, 52, as chairman of Liberty Mutual Insurance, effective June 28, 2013.

Long will succeed Edmund “Ted” Kelly, 67, who is retiring as chairman and director at the end of June. Long will continue to be president and CEO in addition to taking on the chairman post.

Kelly has been serving Liberty Mutual in various leadership roles for more than two decades. He first joined Liberty Mutual in 1992 as president and chief operating officer, and was elected CEO in 1998.

Kelly was elected chairman of Liberty Mutual in 2000. He retired from the company in June 2011 and continued as chairman of the board. Under Kelly’s watch, the company expanded its businesses by acquiring Safeco Insurance and continued to enhance its global operations.

Long has served in various leadership positions at Liberty Mutual over his 28-year career with the company. He began his career at the company in 1985 and has held positions of increasing responsibility in the company’s commercial markets, underwriting and financial, mergers and acquisitions and International operations. Long became president in 2010 and CEO in 2011. He had also served as president of Liberty International and president of Liberty Mutual’s commercial markets division.