QBE announces group chief exec

QBE Insurance has appointed Andrew Horton as its group chief executive officer. He'll take over from acting chief Richard Pryce, who has been in the role since Pat Regan's departure last September. Pryce will retire at the end of this year.

Horton comes from UK-based Beazley, a global specialist insurer. He's been in the role since 2008 and was previously the organisation's CFO. During his tenure he grew the business by around 10% per year. Before joining Beazley he spent 15 years in banking at ING, Nat West, and Lloyds Bank.

"Andrew is an inclusive and collaborative executive, who places a strong focus on risk, culture, and relationships," said QBE chair Mike Wilkins. "He is known for driving positive change and high performance and has built a well-respected business over a number of years. His deep understanding of the insurance landscape and the opportunities and challenges across each of our markets, see him well-placed to build QBE for the future."

"I am honoured to be appointed to lead QBE, a strong international insurer with an impressive global footprint and talented people," said Horton. "I look forward to joining the team and continuing to support QBE's customers, people, shareholders, and broader communities."