I run dedicated Chief Underwriting Officer searches for PE-backed MGAs, fronting carriers, and specialty program platforms — Property CUO, Cyber CUO, and specialty casualty CUO. Contingent-first, no up-front retainer, and every placement carries a twelve-month guarantee.
Why this is a dedicated search, not a generalist insurance placement
A Chief Underwriting Officer mis-hire does not show up as a bad quarter of hiring. It shows up in loss ratio, combined ratio contribution, and rate adequacy for multiple quarters after the hire is made — and by the time a board sees it in the numbers, the search that should have happened three months earlier now has to happen under pressure, with a capacity partner already asking questions.
I recruit Chief Underwriting Officers for PE-backed MGA platforms, fronting carrier oversight functions, and specialty carrier program divisions — Property CUO, Cyber CUO, and specialty casualty CUO — where the seat holds delegated underwriting authority (DUA) and appetite, and where capacity partner confidence depends on who is named in that role.
Who hires for this seat
- PE-backed MGA / MGU platforms — often standing up a founding CUO after a raise, or replacing a founding underwriting leader who could not scale into a hard market.
- PE sponsors and operating partners — forcing a CUO search across a portfolio company before the next raise or exit timeline.
- Fronting carriers — building program-oversight functions that need a CUO-level owner of delegated underwriting authority, not only an auditor.
- Specialty carriers with program business — competing with PE-backed MGAs on cash and equity to hold or replace a CUO.
- Carve-outs — a large carrier spinning out a specialty book that needs a founding CUO in place before day one.
What I evaluate in a CUO candidate
- Book ownership — has this person actually held rate adequacy and appetite for a book, not just underwritten inside someone else’s authority.
- Cycle-tested judgment — underwriting profitability held through both a hard market and a soft market, not just a growth run.
- Capacity partner credibility — track record a fronting carrier or reinsurer will accept without a trial period.
- Specialty fit — property and cat E&S, specialty casualty, or cyber — the specific book, not adjacent P&C generalist experience.
- Scale fit — has this person run a book at a comparable GWP band, or is this a stretch hire the platform is making on ceiling rather than track record.
How I run the search
I start with the decision, not a job description template: Property CUO, Cyber CUO, or specialty casualty CUO, and whether this is a founding hire, a carve-out lead, or a second-inning replacement. Then I map the specialty market — PE-backed MGA leaders, specialty carrier program leaders, and lift-out candidates who have held underwriting profitability through hard market and soft market cycles. I do not run a generalist insurance database pull against a CUO title.
Engagements are contingent-first. No up-front retainer required to start. Retained is available when the board or founding-team risk justifies it. Every placement carries a twelve-month guarantee — the only quantified claim on this site.
Competitive positioning (respectful)
Heidrick & Struggles / Korn Ferry / Spencer Stuart — Fortune 500 fee bands, retained engagements, and multi-month timelines. That is the right lane for a global carrier board search. It is not the right lane for a $50M–$1B GWP specialty platform that needs a contingent-first CUO search moving in weeks, not quarters.
I run exclusive contingent searches at retained-search execution standards — not a discount alternative to the retained giants, a different engagement model entirely. No up-front retainer, no multi-month intake process, and a twelve-month guarantee on every placement.
Related decisions
If you are not yet sure a CUO is the right seat to open, start with CUO vs VP Underwriting. If you are standing up a founding leadership team, see Hire an MGA leadership team from scratch. For actuarial sequencing alongside a CUO hire, see Chief Actuary internal vs consulting.
Hub home: Insurance / MGA executive search. Cross-vertical: executive search agency.
Schedule a 30-Minute Call with Dan.
Frequently asked questions
What does a Chief Underwriting Officer own on a PE-backed MGA?
Delegated underwriting authority, appetite, and rate adequacy for the book. Combined ratio and loss ratio ownership sit with this seat, and capacity partners read the CUO as the named owner when they evaluate a treaty renewal.
How is this different from a generalist insurance recruiter?
Generalists fish carrier-side Fortune 500 CUO searches. I work mid-market specialty — PE-backed MGA platforms, E&S program business, fronting carrier oversight, and wholesale brokers standing up MGA capability — where delegated underwriting authority and combined ratio discipline actually matter.
How long does a CUO search take?
Interim CUO coverage can land in 21–35 days. A permanent CUO search typically runs 75–120 days when the brief is clear — book type, capacity partner context, and reporting line locked before sourcing starts.
Do you work contingent or retained?
Contingent-first is the default for most CUO searches under my fee floor. Retained is available for board-critical or founding-team searches. There is no up-front retainer required to start a contingent search.
Who typically signs a CUO search?
MGA Presidents and CEOs, PE sponsors and operating partners with insurance portfolios, fronting carrier COOs, and specialty carrier Heads of Program Business.
What is the twelve-month guarantee?
Every placement carries a twelve-month guarantee. That is the only quantified claim I publish — no fee percentages and no invented placement counts.