Nationwide E&S realigns brokerage and contract UW under Nelson as Jurgens exits

Nationwide E&S/Specialty has realigned its brokerage and contract underwriting units into a single organization under David Nelson as executive vice president, E&S wholesale, with company veteran Tom Jurgens exiting the business, The Insurer can reveal.

In a statement to this publication confirming the move, a company spokesperson said Nationwide E&S/Specialty president Russ Johnston had decided to consolidate the two planning units into one organisation led by Nelson.

They noted that the lines of business share several wholesale partners.

“This alignment will allow E&S/Specialty to holistically manage and leverage those relationships as well as serve wholesale brokers and contract agents in a more uniform way,” they continued.

The insurer communicated the change to distribution partners in an email from Johnston seen by this publication.

“At Nationwide E&S, we continue to look for ways to leverage our expertise across markets while providing key partners the high level of service you’ve come to expect,” Johnston stated in the memo.

“Our commitment to strengthening partnerships with you and your teams has not changed. With David’s leadership and the new talent within brokerage to help grow our casualty verticals, I am confident the momentum we started the year with will continue,” Johnston added.

As previously reported, at the start of the year Nationwide E&S had added two senior hires in John Posa and Ashley Moffatt to its casualty verticals in its brokerage unit.

Posa, who joined from Axis, has been tasked with leading primary and excess casualty construction, while Moffatt, formerly of Great American Risk Solutions, heads up the company’s primary casualty underwriting.

Nelson takes the helm of the combined E&S wholesale unit after leading the standalone contract underwriting business since 2015 as a senior vice president.

The executive is a 30-year veteran of Nationwide E&S, which was previously known as Scottsdale Insurance Company, and previously served as its CFO.

The standalone brokerage underwriting unit had been led by Jurgens. However, in its statement, Nationwide E&S confirmed Jurgens is leaving the business with the reorganisation.

“Tom has decided to pursue opportunities outside of Nationwide,” the company said.

“We thank him for his leadership and wish him the best in his future endeavours,” it added.

Jurgens has been at Nationwide for 29 years, and prior to his exit held the title of senior vice president, brokerage underwriting.