Roosevelt Road Specialty is pleased to announce the appointment of Brendan Cook as Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) of Property. A veteran in the insurance industry with 40 years of experience, Brendan brings a proven track record in property underwriting, reinsurance management, catastrophe strategy, and operational leadership.
Brendan joins Roosevelt Road Specialty from RB Jones, Inc. (formerly Global Excess Partners), where he served as Vice President & Managing Director. There, he led all facets of property underwriting and operations, overseeing multiple lines including middle market, large property, flood, builders’ risk, and terrorism. Under his leadership, Brendan successfully returned the firm to underwriting profitability within just 15 months, restructured underwriting guidelines, and negotiated international reinsurance agreements with both Lloyd’s syndicates and foreign markets.
Prior to that, Brendan held senior roles at QBE North America and Crum & Forster, where he built and led underwriting teams from the ground up, developed and implemented nationwide underwriting strategies, and spearheaded catastrophe risk management initiatives.
“Brendan’s extensive expertise in underwriting, catastrophe modeling, and operational oversight will be instrumental as Roosevelt Road Specialty continues to expand its property capabilities,” said Dan Hickey Jr., CEO of Roosevelt Road Specialty. “His leadership will enhance our underwriting discipline and position us to deliver even greater value to our clients and broker partners.”
In his new role, Brendan will lead Roosevelt Road Specialty’s property underwriting strategy, guiding risk selection, portfolio management, and underwriting innovation across the platform. His deep knowledge of both admitted and non-admitted markets, combined with his collaborative approach to client service, will further Roosevelt Road Specialty’s mission to provide customized, forward-thinking insurance solutions.
“We are confident that Brendan’s appointment will strengthen our commitment to excellence, enhance profitability, and drive continued growth across our property portfolio,” said Anthony Dietz, CUO of Roosevelt Road Specialty.
