Lloyds administrator Argenta Syndicate Management Ltd has announced the appointment of Simon Saunders as head of marine reinsurance, effective July 2026.
In his new role, Saunders will be responsible for underwriting Argenta’s marine reinsurance treaty portfolio, strengthening the business’s position in international markets and building on its established broker relationships.
He will report to Heath Callan, Argenta’s head of energy and marine, and will work closely with Stephen Haynes, current head of marine reinsurance, to ensure a smooth transition ahead of Haynes’ planned retirement in January 2027.
Saunders has over 25 years of reinsurance underwriting experience in the maritime, energy, aviation and specialty treaty sectors.
Prior to joining Argenta, he worked as a senior marine underwriter at Swiss Re, focusing on treaty arrangements and portfolio evaluations in the London market.
Prior to this, Saunders held a number of senior leadership roles at Barbican Syndicate 1955 (later Arch), including Head of Reinsurance, Head of Marine Division and Head of Short Tail Insurance, where he oversaw a globally diversified portfolio across multiple specialty categories.
Earlier in his career, he was a partner at JLT Re and held roles at Aon and Agnew Higgins Pickering.
Callan said: “Simon’s extensive knowledge of the foreign market treaty business and many years of senior underwriting experience make him ideally suited to this role. He will work closely with the team to ensure the continuity of our treaty portfolio while bringing additional depth and experience to this important area of ​​the business.”
Ian Burford, director of underwriting at Argenta, added: “We are delighted to welcome Simon to Argenta. He brings a wealth of technical expertise and international experience, as well as a strong track record in portfolio management. His appointment further strengthens our underwriting capabilities in the treaty market.”
