People Moves: Ascot Makes Executive Leader Moves, Organizational Updates

Ascot Group Limited, a global specialty (re)insurance company, made several executive leadership appointments and organizational updates.

Mark “Sarge” Pepper has been appointed president, global underwriting, effective October 1. In this expanded executive role, Pepper will lead Ascot’s efforts to elevate its underwriting capabilities and position the company for long-term success. He will work closely with Jonathan Zaffino, group chief executive officer and president, and Ascot’s segment CEOs to develop growth strategies, pursue business development opportunities and strengthen coordination across the company’s UK, U.S. and Bermuda businesses. Pepper has nearly four decades of industry experience and joined Ascot at its inception in 2001 to lead the company’s treaty reinsurance team. He currently serves as Ascot Group chief underwriting officer, a role he has held since 2009.

Alongside Pepper’s appointment, Ascot is evolving its organizational structure around two distinct areas of focus, each with dedicated leadership.

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Elizabeth Johnson has been appointed president, specialty insurance and reinsurance, effective October 1. In this role, she will oversee a newly created division encompassing all of Ascot’s global insurance and reinsurance underwriting operations, including Global Specialty, Bermuda Specialty/Leadline Capital Partners and U.S. Specialty. Johnson joined Ascot in 2020 as chief underwriting officer, North America, was appointed chief operating officer, North America, in 2022 and was named group chief operating officer in 2024. Before joining Ascot, she was a managing director at Nationwide and spent nearly two decades at AIG, where she held senior underwriting and management roles, including global head of excess casualty.

Christopher “Chris” Flatt will join Ascot as president, consumer solutions. Ascot is forming this new division to focus on consumer lines, and Flatt will lead the development of this business. Flatt will become a member of the Global Executive Committee, reporting to Jonathan Zaffino. He will join Ascot in early November. Flatt brings more than 30 years of experience across underwriting, risk management and reinsurance. Most recently, he served as global chief underwriting officer at AIG and as a member of the company’s executive leadership team. He previously led AIG North America Alternative Channels. Before joining AIG in 2017, Chris spent more than 15 years in leadership roles at Marsh McLennan and held senior underwriting positions at GE Capital and ITT Hartford.