London, February 28, 2024 – Fusion Specialty (Fusion), a leading MGA platform within Pop Group Holdings (POP), is pleased to announce the appointment of Steven Harwood as Managing Partner, M&A, Fusion Asia Pacific (APAC). In his role, Steven will spearhead the Fusion M&A Team in the APAC region, overseeing operations from New Zealand to India.
A seasoned professional with over 26 years of expertise in transactional liability risks, Steven brings a wealth of experience to Fusion. As an ex-Royal Navy officer, London-based reinsurance broker and English-qualified lawyer, Steven has a diverse background that uniquely positions him for success in the specialty insurance sector. Fusion will look to leverage Steven’s extensive knowledge and skills to strengthen its presence in the Asia Pacific region. This strategic move aligns with Fusion’s commitment to providing innovative solutions and expanding its footprint in the specialty M&A insurance sector.
Steven is regarded as one of the most experienced underwriters in APAC, having around 11 years’ experience spanning not only Warranty and Indemnity (W&I) but also Tax Indemnity – largely indirect tax matters involving India, Singapore, UAE, Mauritius and Netherlands but also Japanese, Australian and Korean tax risks. He is also a market authority on contingent liability risks, including litigation buy-out risks, and is the go-to underwriter for Asian brokers expanding into this area.
Steven joins Fusion having previously established and led two thriving transactional liability teams in APAC where he was responsible for all transactional liability products including W&I, tax, and contingent liabilities. During that time, he underwrote the first tax indemnity policy placed in the Japanese market and led a very large litigation buy-out tower relating to a Japanese litigation risk. He also worked on a number of contingent liability risks, including one relating to the liquidation of the Singapore arm of a very high-profile US company. He has also held key positions at Ironshore Group’s Pembroke Syndicate at Lloyd’s Japan and in the M&A practice of Herbert Smith Freehills’ Tokyo office.
Commenting on the appointment, Katherine Simmonds, CEO, Fusion International, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Steven to the company. His extensive background, coupled with a proven track record in navigating complex transactional liability risks, makes him the ideal leader for our M&A team in the Asia Pacific region. Steven’s arrival aligns with our commitment to excellence and innovation, and we are confident that his expertise will significantly contribute to our growth in the dynamic M&A insurance sector across the region.”
Steven added: “I am delighted to join Fusion at a time of exciting opportunities in the M&A insurance landscape. Fusion’s commitment to excellence and innovation resonates with my own professional values, and I am eager to lead the M&A team in APAC. The dynamic markets in the region present unique challenges, and I am keen to leverage my experience to drive Fusion’s success, contribute to the company’s strategic objectives, and further solidify our position as a market leader in the transactional liability insurance sector.”
For media inquiries, please contact:
Sandpiper Communications:
Louise Humphreys-Australia
+61 417428434
Lee Jingyi-Asia
+65 9648 9977
About Fusion Specialty
Established in 2018, Fusion Specialty is the leading specialist underwriting agency (MGA) focussed on providing innovative, tech-driven and sustainable insurance solutions, primarily to the small and medium-sized business market. Fusion has underwritten more SME M&A deals than any other insurer across the APAC region since 2019. Backed by large global insurance partners, Fusion has rapidly expanded globally with offices in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the UK, Germany, Spain and the USA. Fusion Specialty is the first M&A insurance MGA with a local presence in each key M&A market, globally; and through its partnership with io.insure, the first to deliver tech-driven M&A insurance products, and has since added Financial Lines products to the platform.
About POP Holdings
POP Group Holdings is an owner of/investor in M&A and specialist, data & technology-enabled insurance businesses. POP is building a unique specialist insurance ecosystem that transforms the insurance experience for customers, through partnerships, products, services and technology.
