Ascot Group Limited, a global specialty re/insurance company, has appointed Mark Pepper as President, Global Underwriting, Elizabeth Johnson as President, Specialty Insurance and Reinsurance, and Christopher Flatt as President of Consumer Solutions.
These appointments are designed to advance the carrier’s strategy and position Ascot for its next phase of growth.
Both Pepper and Johnson’s appointments are effective October 1, while Flatt will join in early November.
In his 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 (CEO) and President, along with Ascot’s segment CEOs to develop growth strategies, pursue business development opportunities, and strengthen coordination across the company’s UK, US and Bermuda businesses.
Pepper’s remit will also include promoting product innovation and recruiting and retaining top underwriting talent in pursuit of Ascot’s longer-term goals.
He has nearly four decades of industry experience and joined Ascot at its inception in 2001 to lead the company’s Treaty Reinsurance team. Currently, he serves as Ascot’s Group Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO), a role he has held since 2009. Pepper will continue to report to Zaffino.
In her new role, Johnson will oversee a newly created division comprising the entirety of Ascot’s global insurance and reinsurance underwriting operations, including Global Specialty, Bermuda Specialty/Leadline Capital Partners, and US Specialty. She will also continue to report to Zaffino.
Johnson joined Ascot in 2020 as CUO, North America, and was appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO), North America, in 2022, later serving as Group COO in 2024. Before this, 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.
Flatt will join Ascot’s newly formed division to focus on consumer lines, where it sees significant opportunity to bring its distinguished underwriting and specialty risk capabilities to the market. He will lead the development of this business, which will offer insurance solutions across consumer-focused classes, including high-net-worth personal lines insurance. He will become a member of the Global Executive Committee, reporting to Zaffino.
Flatt has over three decades of experience across underwriting, risk management and reinsurance. Most recently, he served as Global CUO of AIG and as a member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team.
He has also previously led AIG North America Alternative Channels, with responsibilities spanning programs, captive solutions, and private client insurance. Before AIG, Flatt spent more than 15 years in leadership roles at broker Marsh and held senior underwriting positions at GE Capital, and ITT Hartford.
Zaffino commented, “Ascot is building on considerable momentum, with exceptional talent, strong businesses and exciting opportunities ahead. Sarge’s expanded enterprise-wide role will reinforce the underwriting leadership at the center of our strategy.
“Elizabeth and Chris are accomplished professionals whose complementary expertise and proven records of execution make them the right leaders for Specialty Insurance and Reinsurance and Consumer Solutions. Together, they will lead their respective areas forward while maintaining the consistency and trusted partnership that have distinguished Ascot in the market over the past 25 years.”
