Markel strengthens US and Bermuda platform with Preeti Gureja hire

Markel Insurance, the insurance arm of Markel Group, has appointed Preeti Gureja (pictured) as chief risk officer, tasking the former Chubb and AIG executive with overseeing the risk agenda across its US and Bermuda insurance operations.

Gureja will focus on supporting underwriting, reinsurance and capital decisions. Gureja brings enterprise risk management experience from senior roles at Chubb and AIG.

At Chubb, she served as senior vice president, enterprise risk management, leading a global team. She led risk reporting to boards, executive management and regulators, and advanced industry thinking on emerging risks, including cyber, climate and geopolitical exposures.

At AIG, she helped build the firm’s risk framework, overseeing risk appetite, capital planning challenge and stress testing.

This appointment, subject to any required regulatory approvals, underscores Markel’s commitment to embedding risk in decision making and strengthening resilience while enabling purposeful, growth oriented risk taking aligned with Markel’s values.

Based in New York, Gureja will report to Henry Gardener, chief risk officer, Markel Insurance.

Gardener said: “Preeti is a proven enterprise risk leader who combines analytical rigor with practical judgement. She has a strong track record of turning risk insight into better decisions, whether through clear risk appetites, robust scenario work or disciplined reporting.

“As we continue to embed risk in the way our businesses plan and price, scale our risk intelligence, and strengthen regulatory dialogue, Preeti’s experience across complex portfolios and evolving risk landscapes will help us take the right risks, in the right way, for the right reasons. I’m delighted to welcome her to Markel.”

Gureja said: “Mark’s entrepreneurial culture and long term orientation resonate strongly with my philosophy that risk should be both a safeguard and an enabler of growth. I’m excited to partner with colleagues to bring forward looking analysis, clear appetites and pragmatic challenge to the forefront of decision making. By sharpening our use of data and scenarios, and by aligning empowerment with accountability, we can support sustainable growth and build an even more resilient franchise across the US and Bermuda.”

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