Nationwide names property underwriting officer, plans expansion

Nationwide E&S/Specialty Brokerage said Friday it has promoted Mike Denton to the newly created position of chief property underwriting officer-brokerage, and will be managing a new distribution model and expand its national footprint.

Mr. Denton will lead the unit’s brokerage property team in conjunction with regional executive Greg Roblek, said the statement. Both executives are based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The company said the combined leadership team will manage a new distribution model and expand its national footprint as part of its growth strategy.

It said while its property focus will initially be on layered and shared space over time it expects to expand its footprint beyond this specialized segment of the market.

It said also it is seeking to add to its team at both the underwriting and leadership levels in the property, casualty and excess areas.

The statement said E&S/specialty now participates in the transportation, casualty/excess, property and public entity brokerage segments.

Scottsdale, Arizona-based Nationwide Excess and Surplus was the third-largest, U.S.-based surplus lines insurer in 2018, according to Business Insurance’s ranking, with an estimated $1.79 billion in nonadmitted direct premiums.