Optio hires former PartnerRe and Hiscox executive

Former PartnerRe and Hiscox executive Marc Van der Veer has been appointed managing director, Europe, of specialty MGA Optio Group.

Optio said he will be responsible for originating and orchestrating further European acquisitions as a core part of Optio’s plans for global expansion.

Optio recently bought Netherlands and Brussels based MGA Den Hartigh Beheer & Exploitatie B.V., Luxembourg-based MGA Circles Group and Italian MGA Heca.

Van der Veer joins Optio from MGM Holdings, and before that Nexus Group, where he was chief executive officer, European Ventures. He joined Nexus in 2019 from the Ardonagh Group, where he was CEO, International for specialty MGA Geo Underwriting. He also previously served as general manager of PartnerRe Wholesale, chief underwriting officer of Torus and managing director of Hiscox Europe.

Deepak Soni, CEO of Optio Group, said: “I am delighted to announce Marc’s appointment to the newly created position of managing director, Europe. Marc’s long-held track record of senior roles speak to his calibre as a highly effective and respected leader both in London and Europe. 

"His considerable talents will be a great asset as we look to acquire more high-quality, speciality businesses and entrepreneurial teams in the UK and Europe, as a core part of our ambitious plans for further profitable growth.”

Did you get value from this story? Sign up to our free daily newsletters and get stories like this sent straight to your inbox.