Carrick Group Limited, a Bermuda-based international non-life legacy insurer, has announced the appointment of Alex Smith as Chief Operating Officer (COO), succeeding Phil Hernon.
Hernon has been with Carrick since its founding in 2019 and previously served as both COO and Chief Commercial Officer. He will continue as Chief Commercial Officer, effective 1 November 2026.
Smith has worked in the insurance industry since 1997. He joined Carrick in October 2025 as Senior Vice President, Operations.
Previously, he held senior leadership roles at several companies, including Liberty Special Markets, Brit, Swiss Re, Pen Underwriting and PoloWorks.
Hernon commented, “As Carrick continues to grow and evolve, the time is right for me to hand over the COO responsibilities to someone who also has a deep understanding of our business, culture, people, and underwriting philosophy.
“Alex has been with Carrick for over a year, but long before his arrival he was identified as the natural successor to me in this role.
“I am delighted to be passing the COO responsibilities to someone who is exceptionally capable, knowledgeable and committed. This transition will allow me to focus fully on my role as Chief Commercial Officer, strengthening relationships across the global market and supporting Carrick’s next phase of growth. I do so with complete confidence, knowing that the operational leadership of the business is in very capable hands.”
Smith said, “I am very pleased and honoured to take on the role of Chief Operating Officer and I’m grateful to Phil for his support and guidance, both before and since I joined Carrick. My priority as COO is to maintain the strong operational foundation that Phil has built, and to ensure that we continue to onboard and integrate new transactions efficiently as the business grows. I look forward to working closely with Tom, Phil, and the rest of the team in the next stage of Carrick’s development.”
Tom Nichols, Chief Executive Officer of Carrick Group, added, “As a result of Phil’s hard work, talent and industry network, Carrick is well-positioned for future success. Separating out the COO and Chief Commercial Officer roles allows Carrick to focus on new opportunities as the company expands. Alex has demonstrated that he is ready and capable to lead the operations team as COO as Carrick continues to grow through exciting opportunities.”
