Orvia Underwriting announces a series of senior leadership appointments as the company accelerates the build-out of its pan-European MGA platform, launched in January 2026. The appointments reinforce Orvia’s underwriting, distribution, technology and operational capabilities as it scales across multiple European markets and business lines.
Paul Nolan has been appointed Chief Underwriting Officer, responsible for underwriting strategy, portfolio performance, governance, and carrier partnerships. Paul brings extensive experience across a 20 year career with Insurer and Lloyd’s Syndicates, building high-performing underwriting teams and managing large and diverse portfolios of business. His expertise will further enhance Orvia’s underwriting discipline and risk framework.
Werner Richter has been appointed Managing Director, Germany, overseeing the
company’s German operations and growth across Germany and more broadly. Orvia
Frankfurt and Hamburg based teams include expertise spanning trade credit and surety, cyber, intellectual property, fidelity, crime, and marine cargo. Werner previously served as Country Manager for CooperGay SAS’s German operations for six years before its transition and rebrand to Orvia earlier this year.
Orvia has also welcomed four new strategic leadership hires to support its next phase of growth:
- Ivan Mullan, Chief Technology Officer*, will lead Orvia’s technology strategy and
continued development of the company’s technology platform across Europe. Ivan
brings deep cross-sector experience across underwriting, broking and technology
leadership roles. - Caolán O’Callaghan, Chief Actuary & Head of Portfolio Management, will focus on
building Orvia’s holistic pricing discipline and portfolio management capability to
support the company’s growth. Caolán joins from Zurich Insurance Group, where he
held a variety of senior actuarial and financial positions in different international
markets. - Sharna Bullen, Director of Change Management & Operations, will lead change execution, M&A integration and operational enhancement across Orvia’s pan-European business. She brings a proven track record in operational transformation from senior roles at Carroll & Partners and more latterly, Ardonagh‘s Specialty platform.
- Francesco Dal Piaz, Chief Distribution Officer, will drive Orvia’s pan-European
distribution strategy focusing on deepening our broker and carrier partnerships.
Francesco brings extensive experience across underwriting and delegated authority
models spanning commercial, personal and affinity lines, with a deep knowledge of
Continental European insurance markets.
Conor Geraghty, CEO of Orvia, stated: “Our strategy is centered on leveraging people and expertise to scale our business and specialisms. These appointments represent a significant investment in our leadership team and core capabilities, which are essential for achieving our objective of delivering sustainable and profitable growth across the London and European markets.
Attracting and retaining top talent remains fundamental to the value we provide to our carrier partners and brokers. These appointments will contribute significantly to Orvia’s continued growth and momentum.”
- Subject to regulatory approval.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
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NOTES TO EDITORS
ORVIA UNDERWRITING
Launched in January 2026, Orvia Underwriting is The Ardonagh Group’s new pan-European MGA platform.
Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Orvia creates a single platform combining a number of Ardonagh-owned MGAs across the London and European markets, with a combined portfolio in excess of €250m GWP across 20 product lines. These include Financial Lines, High Net Worth and Fine Art & Jewellery, Property and Casualty and Specialty.
Our approach is built on partnership: connecting brokers and insurance capacity through our underwriting expertise and service excellence.