CNA to replace retiring Canadian president with European head John Hennessy

CNA Financial Corp. announced Thursday it has appointed John Hennessy as president and chief operating officer of CNA Canada, effective Sept.15. Hennessy will replace Gary Owcar, who is retiring.

Chicago-based CNA has also appointed David Brosnan, a former executive with ACE Canada, as chief executive of CNA Insurance Company Ltd. (CNA Europe), effective Aug. 18.

CNA’s insurance operations “are primarily conducted by Continental Casualty Company (CCC), The Continental Insurance Company, Western Surety Company, Hardy Underwriting Bermuda Limited and its subsidiaries and Continental Assurance Company (CAC),” the company said in an earlier filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Its insurance products include commercial property and casualty and surety. It also provides risk management services, information services, warranty and claims administration.

As of Dec. 31, 2013, CNA Financial was 90%-owned by New York City-based holding company Loews Corp.

In Canada, CNA offers insurance for property, liability, marine and other risks for construction contractors, food processors, pharmaceutical firms, manufacturers, wineries and oil and gas companies, among others. CNA Canada also offers NetProtect 360, which is essentially cyber coverage for risks including computer security breaches, unauthorized employee acts, virus attacks, hacking, identity theft, disparaging content and copyright infringement.

Hennessy, who joined CNA in 1982, was most recently chief executive of CNA Europe. He has also been CNA’s Milwaukee branch manager, central region president, senior vice president for casualty underwriting and middle market and senior vice president of distribution management.

Brosnan is currently chief executive of Hardy Underwriting Bermuda Ltd., which CNA acquired in 2012. Hardy writes insurance — such as marine, non-marine property, excess of loss, crop and political violence — through Lloyd’s Syndicate 382.

Owcar, who joined CNA in 1999, has led CNA Canada since 2009. He had retired from CNA in 2006 but came back in 2009.

From July, 2012 through May, 2013, Brosnan was division president (property and casualty) and chief underwriting officer of ACE Canada. He then joined CNA as senior vice president, international. He also had various roles with the Chubb Group of Companies between 1986 and 2005, according to his LinkedIn profile. Brosnan “will continue to serve as the chief executive of Hardy, and report to Thomas F. Motamed, chairman of the Hardy Board of Directors and chairman and chief executive officer of CNA,” CNA said in a release.