Synpulse, a financial service consultancy, has promoted Marcel Loetscher to Senior Partner and Joel Smith to Partner within its Commercial Insurance, Reinsurance, ILS and Delegated Authority (CRID) practice.
These appointments come at a time where insurers and reinsurers are reassessing their operating models due to mounting cost pressure and the need for greater efficiency.
At the same time, rapid advances in technology, particularly in agentic AI, offers new opportunities to transform underwriting, claims, and finance.
Based in New York, Loetscher has been with Synpulse for almost 16 years. He was instrumental in establishing the firm’s U.S. presence, having opened the New York office in 2012.
The executive also heads Synpulse’s global commercial insurance and reinsurance practice, guiding strategy and delivery across the U.S., Canada and global markets.
By leveraging agentic AI, Loetscher delivers practical and measurable impact, enabling clients to modernise their operations and effectively navigate the increasingly complex risk environment, which is significantly influenced by factors like climate volatility, wildfires, and social inflation.
Marcel commented: “I am honored to step into this role alongside an exceptional team at a pivotal moment for our clients. Together we will harness agentic AI and deep industry expertise to build stronger, future-ready insurance and reinsurance operations.”
Smith, based in Zurich, has been appointed partner after nearly ten years at Synpulse. Over the course of his career, he has supported major reinsurers and ILS fund managers through significant operational and technology transformations and has played an important role in shaping CRID’s global capabilities.
Companies are broadly reassessing operating models due to strategic, market cycle, and technology factors, leading to a greater focus on efficiency, productivity, and delivering sustained value.
Concurrently, Generative AI offers revolutionary new ways to execute core processes, signalling one of the most exciting industry shifts in decades, Synpulse noted.
Commenting on his appointment, Joel said: “I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity. This is a fascinating time to be working within the space of reinsurance and transformation, with technology and evolving operating models creating entirely new possibilities for our clients.
“I look forward to continuing to build capabilities with our teams, supporting our clients as they make their operations fit-for-future, and contributing to Synpulse’s growth story in this anniversary year.”
Konrad Niggli, CEO and Managing Partner of Synpulse, said: “These promotions reflect the strength of our people and the ambition that defines Synpulse. Marcel and Joel have shown exceptional leadership in helping our clients navigate an industry undergoing profound change, while advancing the capabilities and culture that set Synpulse apart.
“Their appointments reinforce our commitment to combining deep industry expertise with the potential of agentic AI to help commercial insurers and reinsurers to build the future with confidence.”
