Who is replacing Sevcik as CEO of Gore Mutual

Andy Taylor is appointed CEO of Gore Mutual effective July 1, replacing Heidi Sevcik (pictured, above) who is retiring after a 26-year career with Cambridge, Ont.-based Gore.

Taylor, who has worked for Gore Mutual for 15 years, has been chief financial officer since 2012.

“Having worked closely with the [board of directors] for many years, Andy has a deep understanding of our business and the industry,” Gore Mutual chair Farouk Ahamed said.

Sevcik has been in the insurance industry since 1979 and has the Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Professionals (FCIP) designation. She had been vice president of claims in 2014 when she was promoted to CEO,replacing Kevin McNeil.

Under Sevcik’s leadership, Gore has increased premiums by over 30% and increased its surplus by 25%, the company said Monday in a release. “She successfully repositioned Gore Mutual as a modern mutual with investments in broker distribution, pricing sophistication, technology and people.”

Gore Mutual announced several other senior management appointments Monday.  Paul Jackson, who has worked for the insurer for six years, is chief operating officer effective today.

Andy Taylor is CEO of Gore Mutual effective July 1.

Gore was Canada’s third-largest federally regulated property and casualty mutual in 2018, with $419 million in net written premiums, compared to Wawanesa and Economical (which brought in $2.465 billion and $2.38 billion respectively), according to the Canadian Underwriter 2019 Statistical Guide. Gore ranked 17th overall in the Canadian P&C market.

The announcements comes about four months after Gore announced a new strategy with four components:

• Purpose-Driven – Gore will transform itself into a purpose-driven company with a new brand that will differentiate it in a crowded insurance market
• Digitally-Led – The company will rethink its approach to technology, data, product and pricing to move away from complicated insurance systems and processes and create a new platform to grow
• National expansion – The insurer will grow beyond its core markets of Ontario and British Columbia into a national insurer driven by strengthened commercial mid-market capability, simplified business operations, sophisticated pricing and broker relationships
• Insurance retailing – The company’s Insurance Store subsidiary will be used to partner with brokers to research and develop new ways of reaching customers by becoming a branded retailer with a fresh approach to customer experience.

Other appointments announced Monday include:

• Lyndsay Monk as chief financial officer;
• Jas Dhindsa is joining as chief technology and data officer effective March 16;
• Gavin Brown-Jowett is appointed vice president of personal lines and small to mid-sized enterprise transformation; and
• Leszek Bialy is appointed vice president of mid-market commercial.