AXA XL, the property and casualty division of global insurance company AXA Group, has announced the promotion of Matthew Stitham to chief underwriting officer (CUO), Americas Casualty.
Stitham succeeds Donnacha Smyth, who will transition to the role of global chief underwriting officer of AXA XL Casualty in November 2025, responsible for overseeing the global casualty underwriting business.
Based in San Francisco, Stitham will report to Donna Nadeau, head of large commercial practices.
He joined AXA XL in 2007 and has since demonstrated strong leadership and expertise in casualty underwriting, playing a key role in the company’s continued growth in the casualty market. Most recently, he served as Western Excess Incident Chief and Excess Casualty Incident Chief.
Earlier in his career, Stitham held positions at Zurich and Travelers.
Nadeau commented, “Matt’s extensive experience, strategic vision and deep understanding of the casualty market will be a tremendous asset to our clients and our organization in his new role. Under his guidance, we are confident that our casualty underwriting capabilities will continue to grow as we serve our clients as a trusted partner.”
“In today’s uncertain environment, marked by rising claims severity, social inflation and emerging liability risks, having an experienced professional like Matt is critical. His expertise can help our clients guard against catastrophic claims, comply with ever-changing policy requirements and proactively manage risk across a variety of casualty areas from automotive to employment practices, supporting their financial stability and maintaining stakeholder trust during uncertain times.”
