QBE North America promotes Gransbury, Krauss

QBE North America has named Steve Gransbury head of a new specialty insurance unit and promoted Tara Krauss to head of its accident & health business, the New York-based unit of Australian insurer QBE Insurance Ltd. said in a statement Wednesday.

Based in Marblehead, Massachusetts, Mr. Gransbury will lead a newly aligned specialty unit that brings together its accident and health, aviation, and trade credit and surety practices, QBE said.

“Aligning our specialty businesses within a single unit furthers our commitment to growth in the specialty market,” Tom Fitzgerald, president of QBE specialty & commercial, said in a statement.

Mr. Gransbury, who joined QBE in 2009, previously led the accident & health practice and in his new role will report to Mr. Fitzgerald.

Ms. Krauss, who was previously senior vice president of underwriting operations for accident & health, will report to Mr. Gransbury and develop and execute strategic plans to accelerate growth. She is also based in Marblehead.