Markel Insurance has announced two key leadership appointments within its marine and energy liability underwriting team based in London. The company has appointed Josephine Stroud as head of energy liability and Jenny McFarlane as senior underwriter for marine and energy liability, signaling a strategic strengthening of its underwriting capabilities in the London Market.

These high-profile appointments follow the recent establishment of Markel’s new marine transportation business within its London Market operations. This newly integrated business unit brings together several specialized lines of coverage, including hull and hull war, marine energy and cargo (MECO), marine and energy liabilities (M&E), and transport and logistics, creating a unified approach to serving the complex risk management needs of global maritime and energy clients.

In her new role as head of energy liability, Stroud will assume responsibility for underwriting multi-line, cross-class facilities. Operating within this capacity, she will work closely alongside Rhys O’Neill, who serves as head of marine liability. Together, their leadership is expected to drive sophisticated risk assessments and support the formulation and execution of advanced risk mitigation strategies for clients navigating a rapidly changing risk landscape.

Stroud brings more than 18 years of extensive industry experience in liability broking and underwriting to Markel. Prior to joining the firm, she built a distinguished career with prominent global institutions, including Willis Towers Watson and, most recently, AXA XL. During her tenure at AXA XL, Stroud held significant responsibilities encompassing underwriting, risk assessment, and precise pricing models tailored for corporate clients operating across both the traditional oil and gas sector and the evolving energy transition space. Her deep familiarity with the structural shifts occurring within the global energy market positions her well to lead Markel’s energy liability portfolio through its next phase of growth.

Complementing Stroud’s appointment, Jenny McFarlane joins Markel as senior underwriter for marine and energy liability, bringing more than eight years of specialized experience in M&E liability. McFarlane moves to Markel from Tokio Marine HCC International, where she honed her expertise in complex liability underwriting.

In her new position at Markel, McFarlane will focus on supporting the strategic development and continued evolution of the company’s M&E product offering. Her core objectives will include helping to develop innovative policy wordings, driving proactive broker engagement, and identifying valuable growth opportunities within competitive international markets. Both Stroud and McFarlane will report directly to the M&E liability team, which operates under the wider marine transportation business led by Grant Smith.

The formation of the marine transportation business and the subsequent addition of seasoned talent like Stroud and McFarlane underscore Markel’s ongoing commitment to delivering specialized, responsive underwriting solutions in London. By consolidating its marine and transportation capabilities under a single operational umbrella, the firm aims to streamline broker interactions and provide comprehensive, cross-disciplinary coverage options. As the energy sector continues to adapt to environmental, technological, and regulatory transformations, Markel’s reinforced underwriting team is poised to address the emerging liabilities and sophisticated demands associated with modern energy and marine operations.