Liberty Mutual names Rodriguez as Reinsurance CUO, hires Ottaviano as GRS CRO

U.S. primary insurer and global re/insurer Liberty Mutual has made two senior appointments in its Global Risk Solutions (GRS) division, promoting from within to Reinsurance CUO and hiring a new GRS CRO from Aspen.

Chantal Rodriguez becomes Liberty Mutual Reinsurance Chief Underwriting Officer from September 1st, and will report to both GRS President of Underwriting Matthew Moore and Liberty Mutual Reinsurance President Dieter Winkel.

She will be accountable for underwriting performance across Liberty Mutual Re’s broad set of flexible treaty reinsurance products, delivered through its 18 offices across the globe.

Rodriguez has worked at Liberty Mutual for 13 years, most recently as Liberty Specialty Markets Head of Enterprise Risk Management.

Her 17 year career has seen her shape and execute reinsurance strategies, as well as delivering robust and consistent underwriting risk assessment and appetite, while leading cross-functional international teams.

Before joining Liberty Mutual, Rodriguez worked as an actuarial consultant at WTW.

“Chantal’s proven underwriting, actuarial, and enterprise risk management leadership will drive outstanding underwriting performance across Liberty Mutual Reinsurance,” commented GRS President of Underwriting Matthew Moore. “She, together with the recently announced chief underwriting officers for GRS North America and Global Surety, will help us deliver holistic solutions to clients’ complex and emerging risks by bringing industry-leading products and risk expertise to every client interaction.”

Also taking on a position on September 1st, Crystal Ottaviano will join as GRS Chief Risk Officer, coming to Liberty Mutual from her most recent position at Aspen Insurance.

Ottaviano will report to GRS Chief Financial Officer Alison Erbig and is tasked with building differentiated global risk expertise capabilities to support a forward-thinking, risk-aware underwriting mindset to deliver value to Liberty’s partners and customers.

She has 25 years of risk management experience, gained at Aspen Insurance Group most recently as Group Chief Risk Officer. During her career, she has also held the roles of Chief Risk Officer of Swiss Reinsurance America and Head of Risk Management at Hiscox US.

“Given today’s tremendously complex and interconnected risk environment, a CRO’s key function in implementing and maintaining comprehensive risk frameworks and fostering a strong risk culture has never been more important,” said GRS Chief Financial Officer Alison Erbig. “Crystal plays a vital role in helping deliver superior underwriting performance by creating these frameworks to drive risk-informed decisions. I’m delighted to have her join my team and bring her tremendous risk leadership to GRS.”