RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd has promoted two long time employees to senior appointments, effective January 1.

David Marra becomes EVP, group chief underwriting officer and chief executive officer of Renaissance Reinsurance US Inc, and Ross Curtis becomes EVP, chief portfolio officer.

Mr Marra will be responsible for developing and executing the company’s underwriting strategy, including risk appetite, client engagement, and business and product development. He will also join RenaissanceRe’s governance committee.

In the newly created role of chief portfolio officer, Mr Curtis will be responsible for the execution of RenaissanceRe’s gross-to-net strategy, advancing the company’s ability to create attractive portfolios and match those portfolios with the most appropriate capital.

He will oversee risk tolerance, portfolio optimisation, deployed underwriting capital, and the claims function. Mr Curtis will remain a member of RenaissanceRe’s governance committee.

Kevin J O’Donnell, president and chief executive officer of RenaissanceRe, said: “We believe we are entering one of the most attractive markets in decades. The appointment of two of our most seasoned leaders to these crucial roles positions us to capitalise on market opportunities and optimise our gross-to-net strategy across underwriting cycles.”

He added: “These appointments reflect our deep bench strength. In his 15 years at RenaissanceRe, David has grown our casualty & specialty business into an industry-leading franchise and built our US platform from the ground up. His client and broker relationships stretch across our underwriting book, and his risk acumen, coupled with his ability to bring together all aspects of the Integrated System, make him an excellent choice for this critical role.

“Ross is one of our most seasoned executives, and his underwriting expertise, combined with his deep understanding of our Integrated System, will ensure we remain at the forefront of portfolio construction and capital efficiency as we execute into this attractive market.”