Insurance Moves: Leadership and Expansion Updates at Southern Marine, AmTrust, Lincoln Financial, and Rokstone
United States – September 6, 2025 – The insurance industry continues to see significant leadership transitions and strategic expansions, with recent announcements from Southern Marine, AmTrust Financial Services, Lincoln Financial Group, and Rokstone highlighting key appointments and growth initiatives. These moves, reported on September 5, 2025, by Insurance Business America, reflect efforts to strengthen claims management, field operations, retirement services, and marine underwriting across North America. Below is a detailed look at the latest developments and their implications for the insurance sector.
Southern Marine: Bringing Claims In-House with New Leadership
Southern Marine, a program administrator under Starwind Specialty, has appointed Sharron West as its new head of claims, marking a strategic shift to manage claims internally rather than outsourcing to third-party administrators.. West brings over 45 years of marine cargo claims experience, having held roles as a Lloyd’s broker, claims adjuster at the Lloyd’s Claims Office, and principal adjuster for Marine Insurance.. Her expertise spans both the London and U.S. markets, positioning her to enhance Southern Marine’s integration of underwriting and claims processes.
This move aims to improve transparency and responsiveness for brokers and carrier partners, addressing a critical need in the marine insurance sector where timely claims handling is paramount.. A post on X noted, “Southern Marine’s in-house claims shift with Sharron West at the helm could streamline marine coverage—smart move for Starwind.”. By bringing claims in-house, Southern Marine seeks to differentiate itself in a competitive market, potentially reducing costs and improving service for policyholders in marine cargo and related lines.
AmTrust Financial Services: New Head of Field Operations
AmTrust Financial Services, a global specialty property and casualty insurer, has named Carl Canales as its new Executive Vice President and Head of Field Operations for North American Property & Casualty.. Canales, who joins from Liberty Mutual, brings over 20 years of experience in small commercial and middle-market lines, with a focus on distribution strategy, revenue growth, and broker relationship management.. His appointment follows AmTrust’s recognition as a top performer in claims for 2025 by Insurance Business America, based on broker votes, and a Celent Model Insurer Award for Digital Customer Experience..
Canales will oversee AmTrust’s commercial P&C products across the U.S., emphasizing innovation in key lines like workers’ compensation, business owners’ policies (BOP), and cyber insurance.. His leadership is expected to bolster AmTrust’s market position, particularly in small business insurance, where it already holds a significant share. Industry observers see this as a strategic hire to drive growth, with one X post stating, “Carl Canales at AmTrust is a big win—his Liberty Mutual experience should shake up their P&C distribution.”.
Lincoln Financial Group: New President of Retirement Plan Services
Lincoln Financial Group has appointed Jason Crane as Senior Vice President and President of Retirement Plan Services, succeeding Ralph Ferraro, who is retiring later in 2025.. Crane, previously with Ascensus and Transamerica, brings over 25 years of experience in retirement distribution and business development.. His role will focus on driving growth across all retirement market segments, aligning with Lincoln’s broader Workplace Solutions strategy.
This appointment comes at a pivotal time for Lincoln Financial, which recently closed a $28 billion reinsurance transaction with Fortitude Re in November 2023 to strengthen its balance sheet.. Crane’s expertise is expected to enhance Lincoln’s retirement offerings, a critical growth area as the U.S. faces an aging population and increasing demand for retirement planning. A post on X noted, “Jason Crane’s move to Lincoln Financial signals big ambitions for their retirement division—watch for expansion.”.
Rokstone: Expanding North American Marine Underwriting
Rokstone, an international specialty Managing General Agent (MGA) and part of the Aventum Group, has bolstered its North American Inland Marine division with the appointments of Adrianna Allman and Charles Turgeon as senior underwriters, based in Boston and San Francisco, respectively.. Both join from AIG, bringing expertise in inland marine trucking, a sector Rokstone describes as “vast and underserved.”.
These hires follow Rokstone’s earlier appointments of Michael Nukk as Head of Marine for North America, Alex Berisha as Head of Cargo, and Derek Vandermyde as Underwriting Manager for Marine, all in November 2023.. Rokstone aims to grow its North American marine portfolio to $100 million within five years, focusing on middle-market business.. CEO James Potter emphasized the strength of the team, noting the “tried and tested partnership” of Nukk and Berisha from their time at Liberty Mutual..
Rokstone’s expansion also includes a new marine insurance lead in the Asia Pacific, Rama Chandran, announced in June 2025, signaling a global push in marine underwriting.. The company’s focus on technology and streamlined underwriting processes positions it to capture market share in the underserved inland marine sector. An X post commented, “Rokstone’s marine team is stacking talent—Allman and Turgeon from AIG could make waves in North America.”.
Industry Implications
These moves reflect broader trends in the insurance industry, where companies are investing in experienced leadership to navigate complex markets and drive growth. Southern Marine’s in-house claims strategy addresses the need for efficiency and transparency in marine insurance, a sector prone to high-value claims.. AmTrust’s focus on field operations underscores the importance of distribution and broker relationships in P&C insurance, particularly for small businesses..
Lincoln Financial’s appointment aligns with the growing demand for retirement solutions, bolstered by its recent financial restructuring.. Rokstone’s aggressive hiring in marine underwriting highlights the untapped potential in specialty lines, where expertise and agility can yield significant returns.. Together, these developments signal a dynamic period of transformation, with companies positioning themselves to address evolving risks and customer needs.
Looking Ahead
As Southern Marine, AmTrust, Lincoln Financial, and Rokstone implement their leadership changes and expansion plans, the insurance industry will watch closely for outcomes. West’s claims expertise could set a new standard for marine insurance efficiency, while Canales’s distribution strategies may strengthen AmTrust’s P&C dominance. Crane’s leadership at Lincoln Financial is poised to capitalize on retirement market growth, and Rokstone’s marine team expansion could disrupt the North American specialty market.
These moves underscore the industry’s focus on talent, innovation, and specialization to navigate challenges like rising claim costs, regulatory pressures, and technological disruption. As one X user noted, “Big moves at Southern Marine, AmTrust, Lincoln, and Rokstone show insurance isn’t standing still—2025 is all about leadership and growth.”.
Sources: Insurance Business America, Rokstoneuw.com, Reinsurance News, LincolnFinancial.com, posts on X