Specialty insurer and reinsurer SiriusPoint has appointed John Sakakeeny as chief underwriting officer (CUO) of North American property and casualty insurance, effective February 2, 2026.
In his new role, Sakakeeny will provide strategic leadership to SiriusPoint’s North American insurance business’s underwriting and program management teams, drive profitable growth and strengthen technology underwriting capabilities.
He will report to Patrick Charles, head of North America insurance, and Anthony Shapella, group chief underwriting officer.
Sakakeeny has twenty years of industry experience. Most recently, he served as vice president and director of large and medium commercial casualty products at The Hartford.
Charles commented on the appointment: “John’s exceptional technical expertise and proven leadership will be critical as we continue to strengthen our underwriting capabilities in North America and deliver profitable growth.
“In this role, John will serve as the steward of the technical authority for property and casualty products and will serve as the key liaison to the Group Chief Underwriting Office on strategic capital allocation.”
“This is a new position created by SiriusPoint with a focus on helping develop deeper underwriting talent in the North American insurance sector,” said Anthony Shapella, SiriusPoint Group Chief Operating Officer.
“After a significant growth and build phase over the past two years, SiriusPoint has reached a level of scale that requires dedicated leadership to support product development and strengthen MGA oversight.”
Sakakeeny added: “I join SiriusPoint at an exciting time and a pivotal point in the company’s history. I look forward to working closely with the North America team and the Group Chief Underwriting Office to help drive growth, enhance our capabilities and deliver impactful solutions to our customers and partners.”