AXA XL Insurance Names Maria Duhart Americas Specialty Niche Leader

AXA XL Insurance has promoted Maria Duhart to lead the company's specialty niche insurance business in the Americas. Ms. Duhart moves into the role of chief underwriting officer for specialty niche from her previous role as head of AXA XL's commercial bonds business.

In her new position, Ms. Duhart reports to Donna Nadeau, chief underwriting officer for the Americas. She assumes multiline underwriting management responsibility of AXA XL's collective specialty niche insurance lines in the Americas, including political risk; trade credit and commercial bonds; war, terrorism, and political violence; fine art and specie; leisure and entertainment; and structured risk solutions.

"Since joining us in 2017, Maria has led our commercial bond business, impressively growing this business and building a talented underwriting team," Ms. Nadeau said in a statement. "With more than 20 years of insurance, business strategy, and finance experience, Maria is well prepared for her new responsibilities, already having a strong grasp of our specialty lines businesses and the respect of our brokers, reinsurers, and colleagues."

Before joining AXA XL, Ms. Duhart served as head of commercial surety at Nationwide. She also previously held the roles of regional commercial surety manager, assistant vice president—surety, and senior surety underwriting specialist at Chubb. She is a graduate of the Catholic University of Argentina and holds a master of business administration from New York University.