Head of Americas

ABOUT DESCARTES UNDERWRITING Join Descartes and contribute to our mission: Building Resilience in a World at Risk. Descartes is a corporate insurance group for worldwide companies and institutions. Descartes was born from a conviction that the growing complexity of corporate and climate risks demands a new approach to insurance. At the forefront of AI and Data analysis, Descartes utilises cutting-edge technology combined with a new generation of data sources, to model, assess and manage risks. Since 2019, Descartes has secured a leading position in parametric (re)insurance combining scientific & technological expertise with a new approach. Parametric insurance , also known as index-based insurance, indemnifies clients within days based on pre-defined payout structures when a specific triggering event occurs, the payout process is both fast and transparent. The company has been financed with over $141M by investors including Highland Europe, BlackFin, Serena, Cathay, Eurazeo and Battery Ventures. Our highly diverse and specialized team of 250+ people includes the largest modelling team in the industry featuring tech and modeling innovators, scientists in physics and climatology, as well as insurance veterans and underwriters. With a global footprint and strong US presence, Descartes serves a diverse portfolio of clients in more than 60 countries, with 20+ offices spread across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin and North America. Find out more on

com/careers . ABOUT YOUR ROLE Descartes is hiring a Head of Americas to lead the region and deliver the Americas business plan across all lines of business and distribution channels: the US reinsurance, wholesale, alternative risk transfer (ART) and retail business, the Latin American business, and local underwriting. Reporting to the Chief Insurance Officer and working closely with the Executive team, the Head of Americas owns the commercial performance of the region and represents Descartes with key brokers, clients, capacity providers and partners across the Americas. This role calls for a seasoned insurance leader with an entrepreneurial, builder's mindset — someone who combines deep industry credibility and a strong grasp of underwriting and the alternative risk landscape, with the ability to lead senior managers, structure a multi-channel regional organization, and scale a fast-growing business with discipline. The Americas team is distributed across multiple US states and Mexico. The successful candidate will lead through a team of senior leaders and experienced professionals and must be comfortable driving performance across a distributed, multi-country organization while traveling regularly to be in the market with brokers, clients and partners. 1. Own the Americas Strategy and Performance - Define and deliver the Americas business plan in partnership with the Chief Insurance Officer and Executive team, setting growth and premium targets across US reinsurance, wholesale, ART, retail and Latin America; - Own regional performance: premium growth, portfolio quality and cost discipline; report on progress and course-correct as needed with the Chief Insurance Officer and Executive team; - Set priorities across channels, industries, client segments, perils and products; allocate resources and headcount to the highest-value opportunities; - Feed market intelligence from the region into global strategy, product development and pricing. 2.