Debbie Walker is set to retire as head of captives division and senior deputy commissioner of the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI), effective 31 March, after 30 years at the department. During her time in the role, Walker was responsible for managing the state’s captive insurance company regulatory programme, including the licensing and regulation of captive insurers. Since enacting the Captive Insurance Act in late 2013, NCDOI has licensed or conditionally licensed 395 captive insurers and more than 870 cells and series. Before this, she served as chief financial analyst at the NCDOI, where she oversaw the financial solvency and compliance regulation of insurance companies licensed in North Carolina. A statement by insurance commissioner Mike Causey says: “The outstanding customer service and business-friendly yet prudent regulatory approach of the department make North Carolina a place captive insurers want to call home. [I intend] for these benefits to remain in place for the captive industry going forward.” With this in mind, senior deputy commissioner of the company services group Jackie Obusek will assume senior leadership responsibilities for NCDOI’s captive insurer regulatory programme while retaining her existing duties. In the statement, Causey also notes the intention to name a deputy commissioner to be directly in charge of the captive regulatory programme by 31 March.
