H & M Intermediaries North America begins next phase of growth with appointment of Ed Ashby as CEO

H & M Intermediaries Group, the international underwriting agency, today announced the appointment of Ed Ashby as Chief Executive Officer, H & M Intermediaries North America, effective 23 March 2026. Ashby will lead the US business from New York, reporting to Richard Clapham, CEO, H & M Intermediaries Group.
 
Ashby joins from Axis, where he was Chief Commercial Officer. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at QBE, including Head of Global Distribution, North America and Head of Credit and Surety.  He brings 30 years of experience in the US market, having begun his career in the UK.

Clapham said: “Ed is a highly experienced commercial leader with a strong track record in building distribution-led businesses. He will focus on expanding our offering for our US broker network and their clients, strengthening our carrier partnerships, and creating additional capacity vehicles. With strong specialty underwriting expertise, under the leadership of Connie Germano, Jon Knouse, Andy Swindall and Brendan Keating, we have the talent and the tools to deliver the solutions our broker network and carrier partners are asking for, as we accelerate our growth ambitions in the US.”

David Howden, Group CEO, Howden added: “The US represents the single largest growth opportunity for H & M Intermediaries. Our ambition to accelerate our model in North America – attracting the very best underwriting talent and giving them a platform to drive innovative capacity and products to meet the needs of brokers and clients – matches the opportunity that this important market presents. Ed is the right person to lead H & M Intermediaries North America as we work hard to deliver that ambition.”

Ashby commented: “Joining a business with such a great culture and strong ambitions to serve the US broker community is an opportunity I could not pass on. H & M Intermediaries already has a significant broker network and a deep breadth of carrier relationships, and I can see tremendous opportunities in serving them with new products and developing innovative new capacity solutions. The market is crying out for it, and with the strength and relevance of H & M Intermediaries Group as a global platform at the center, it’s a winning formula.”

Clapham added: “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank John Johnson who has led H & M Intermediaries North America since 2021. Our US business has 500 people offering over 20 products to a network of more than 24,000 agents, and last year wrote USD1bn GWP. John will be working closely with Ed over the next few months to ensure a seamless transition of leadership and we wish John the very best.”

Download the PDF