Lockton appoints Ashleigh Sears as Alternative Risk Solutions Practice Leader, charging her with the strategic direction of the brokerage's US alternative risk team. Sears leads a team of finance, accounting and credit specialists who design programmes aligned to clients' risk financing and insurance needs. The practice covers captive consulting, parametric insurance, structured risk solutions, fronting arrangements, alternative collateral strategies and other customised programme structures. She joins from Everest, where she was head of alternative risk and national accounts excess casualty. Before Everest, Sears was head of casualty at USQ Risk, overseeing the development and execution of structured and alternative risk transfer solutions in the casualty sector. Sears brings 17 years of casualty and alternative risk experience to Lockton, spanning underwriting and carrier leadership positions. Earlier in her career she held leadership roles at The Hartford, including Northeast division leader, and spent seven years at the firm's Navigators brand in roles including New England regional manager and senior underwriter. She began her career as a national accounts underwriter at ACE USA in 2009. Sears is based in Boston and reports to Devin Beresheim, US risk solutions leader at Lockton. "Lockton is committed to delivering highly specialised alternative risk solutions that meet the evolving needs of our clients," says Beresheim. "I'm pleased that Ashleigh has joined Lockton and I am confident she is the right person to lead the practice at this time and expand on the excellent work our team is already doing." Sears adds: "It's an exciting time to be joining Lockton and the Alternative Risk Solutions Practice. I look forward to working with this talented team and further building our expertise to deliver lasting solutions for clients." Lockton is the world's largest privately held and independent insurance brokerage.
