The Hartford has appointed Ryan Nally as the head of energy for its middle and large business organization, a move that signals a strategic push into both traditional oil and gas and the burgeoning renewables sector. Nally, who has more than 20 years of experience in energy underwriting, will oversee the strategy, financial performance, and underwriting of the company’s national energy portfolio from his base in Greenwood Village, Colorado.
In the insurance world, experienced energy underwriters are notoriously difficult to find. By poaching a senior leader from a direct competitor, The Hartford is positioning itself to scale its appetite for complex risks at a time when the energy sector is split between legacy fossil fuels and the transition to green power.
The Hartford targets transition energy risks
Nally joins The Hartford from Travelers, where he served as assistant vice president and field practice lead for oil and gas. His background spans power, utilities, and renewables, mirroring the current energy sector. He also holds the Energy Risk and Insurance Specialist (ERIS) certification from the International Risk Management Institute, a credential that proves the role is technical.
Reporting to David DeSilva, the head of construction and energy, Nally is tasked with more than just managing a portfolio. He is expected to cultivate broker relationships and mentor the next generation of underwriters.
Virtus scales commercial client services
While The Hartford focuses on the underwriting side, Virtus is strengthening its brokerage infrastructure. On October 19, the consultancy and brokerage firm appointed Eric Montgomery as senior vice president, commercial. Montgomery will lead the commercial property and casualty client service teams, bringing a resume that includes a decade at WTW and a recent stint as senior vice president and West region commercial client service director at Risk Strategies.
“We see a significant opportunity for a brokerage that combines deep industry knowledge with the resources to handle complex risk,” said Andrew Gray, founder and chief executive of Virtus.
Radian Group explores P&C expansion
These three moves—The Hartford’s talent grab in energy, Virtus’s infrastructure build-out, and Radian’s strategic expansion—point to a broader theme in the insurance market: a fierce competition for “specialty” expertise.
