Pinion Insurance, a London-based specialty insurance carrier established in 2026, has appointed Robert Carlaw as Chief Technical Officer (CTO).
The appointment comes as the company continues to build its technology infrastructure, expand its underwriting capabilities and develop its proprietary Sarrus platform.
The appointment brings more than 20 years of software engineering and digital transformation experience to Pinion’s senior technology team. Carlaw has worked on data-driven solutions designed to support business objectives and improve technology operations.
He joins Pinion from SMS Solutions, where he held the position of Head of Architecture and Software Engineering, having previously occupied senior technology roles in technology-led and regulated sectors.
Pinion said the appointment reflects its approach to recruiting technology specialists with experience beyond the insurance industry. The company intends to draw on expertise from sectors where cloud-based infrastructure, automation, continuous software delivery and advanced data engineering are established components of business operations.
Laura Baird, Co-Founder and Group CTO of Pinion, commented: “There’s a big opportunity in insurance is to bring in people who have seen what great technology looks like outside the traditional insurance environment and give them the opportunity to rethink how an insurer should operate today.
“We are building Pinion differently from the outset. Technology and IT are not a standalone functions; they are fundamental to how we intend to underwrite, operate, and serve our partners. Attracting senior talent from more technology-advanced industries is an important part of bringing new thinking into insurance and accelerating the pace of innovation across the sector.”
Carlaw will be responsible for directing the ongoing development of Sarrus as Pinion grows its specialty insurance business. According to the company, the platform is designed to give partners daily visibility of their portfolios and access to audit-ready reporting. It enables managing general agents (MGAs) and reinsurance partners to obtain more timely data and insights to support portfolio oversight.
Pinion plans to continue investing in the platform to improve the exchange of data across the insurance market and support its operational requirements as the business expands. Carlaw’s role will focus on the technology underpinning these objectives, with Sarrus forming part of the company’s wider approach to data-driven underwriting and insurance operations.
Philip Vandoninck, Co-Founder and Group Chief Underwriting Officer at Pinion, added: “Robert brings a rare combination of deep technical expertise, leadership experience and a proven track record of delivering technology that supports real business outcomes. As we continue to develop our platform and expand the business, his experience will be invaluable in helping us turn our ambitions into reality.”
Carlaw joins Pinion following several senior appointments made by the company earlier in 2026. These included Gary S. Maier as US CEO, Kyle Selvig as US Chief Underwriting Officer and Chris Jones as Group Chief Financial Officer. The appointments reflect Pinion’s continued recruitment across its leadership team as it develops its business and technology operations.
Commenting on his appointment, Carlaw noted: “What attracted me to Pinion was the opportunity to apply technology to complex, real-world challenges and see its impact directly. The Insurance sector has significant scope for innovation, and Pinion has created an environment where technology is central to how the business operates and grows. I’m excited to join the team and help build what comes next.”
