Santam Syndicate 1918, the Lloyd’s Group subsidiary of Santam Group, Africa’s largest non-life insurance company, has strengthened its underwriting team with the appointment of two experienced London market professionals.
The company has hired Neil Smith to build and lead its international automotive business, while Stephen Kiedish joins as a senior underwriter in the real estate division.
These appointments are part of Santam Syndicate 1918’s ongoing investment in specialist underwriting expertise as the company continues to expand its capabilities across a variety of business categories.
The company said the new hires also support its long-term growth plans by increasing its focus on technical underwriting expertise and sustainable profitable growth.
In his new role, Smith will oversee the development of Santam Syndicate’s 1918 international automotive portfolio, develop underwriting strategies, manage portfolio performance and identify disciplined expansion opportunities. He will also work closely with brokers and underwriters to strengthen the company’s presence in key international markets.
Kiedish has joined Santam Syndicate 1918’s real estate team, where he will be responsible for strengthening the company’s real estate underwriting capabilities while supporting the continued growth and diversification of its portfolio.
Sam Geddes, CEO of Santam Syndicate 1918, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Neil and Stephen to Syndicate. They bring exceptional technical capabilities, strong market reputations and extensive experience in their respective business categories. Their appointments significantly enhance the depth of our underwriting team and will be of great benefit to our clients, brokers and underwriters.”
Smith joined Santam Syndicate in 1918 and has more than 30 years of international auto underwriting experience. Throughout his career, he has specialized in building and managing profitable motor product portfolios across a range of international markets. Most recently, he served as Managing Director, International Automotive at Volante Global, where he led the development of the specialty automotive portfolio and commissioned underwriting solutions across multiple geographies.
Prior to joining Volante Global, Smith held senior underwriting positions at QBE Insurance, Ensign Motor Policies and Torch Motor Policies. He has extensive expertise in licensing business, portfolio management and underwriting complex and specialized automotive risks, according to Santam Syndicate 1918.
Kiedish joined Santam Syndicate 1918 with over twenty years of experience in the insurance industry. Prior to his new role, he served as Managing Director of Affinity Solutions at Volante Global Syndicate 1699, where he was responsible for developing and managing the group’s Affinity product portfolio.
Earlier in his career, Kiedish began his career at RSA and held senior underwriting positions at Sportscover, ProSight Syndicate 1110, AEGIS London Syndicate 1225 and QBE Europe.
