People Moves: Xceedance, MEMIC, XL Catlin, CSAA Insurance Group

Xceedance, a global provider of property/casualty insurance technology, analytics and consulting services, today announced the appointment of Rajesh Iyer as senior vice president – head of data sciences.

Xceedance is a managed services company that partners with insurers, reinsurers, brokers and MGA/MGUs worldwide, providing analytics, technology and process engineering solutions to enrich insurance workflows, operations and strategic programs.

Iyer will be responsible for managing the company’s data sciences practice, including the development of a dedicated data sciences and services team to support clients and new initiatives. Working from the North America headquarters of Xceedance in Boston, he will also collaborate with the broader Xceedance service delivery teams worldwide to create strategic data products and analytic tools.

With more than 20 years of insurance experience, Iyer has worked with leading U.S. insurers and service providers, including Nationwide, USAA, Mu Sigma and EXL. He most recently served as vice president, decision analytics at EXL in New York, where he led numerous data initiatives for top 10 P&C and L&A carriers. Prior to that, he was executive director, comparative pricing at USAA and director of client management at Mu Sigma in Chicago.

Workers’ compensation specialist The MEMIC Group announced the appointment of Thomas Wiese as vice president of Claims where he will oversee MEMIC’s Maine-based claim services and compliance as well as managed care services nationwide.

Wiese began his career in the insurance industry managing regional field claim offices for Cigna. He has spent the last 20-plus years in senior level claims and managed care positions with Zurich North America, Fairfax, Tower Group and Sedgwick.

Wiese earned his JD degree from William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota with an emphasis on Insurance and Environmental Law. He earned a certificate in Strategic Business Leadership from the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago.

XL Catlin continues to build out its Political Risk & Trade Credit insurance capabilities, now with the appointment of Barry G. Huber as its global practice leader for Political Risk & Trade Credit (PRTC) Claims. Huber based in New York, will report to Martin Turner, global practice leader for Specialty Claims, in London, and supports the Global PTRC business headed by Dan Riordan, global president of PRTC, in Washington D.C.

Huber joins XL Catlin from Zurich Insurance Group where he served as global claims manager for Zurich Credit and Political Risk. Prior to his most recent position, he served as assistant vice president of specialty claims, political risk and complex surety for Chubb. He currently serves on the Claim & Recovery Committee for the Berne Union.

CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA Insurer, announced the appointment of Debbie Brackeen as the company’s chief strategy and innovation officer (CSIO).

In her role as CSIO, Brackeen will lead the company’s innovation acceleration organization, which will focus on strategic planning, both sustaining and disruptive innovation capabilities, and business development opportunities.

With more than 25 years of experience and leadership at innovative high-tech companies such as Apple, SUN, Cadence Design Systems, Lutris Technologies, Synchron Networks and eBay, Brackeen’s experience includes strategic partnerships, business development, corporate development, product management and service. Most recently, Brackeen served as the global head of innovation at Citigroup.

Brackeen has completed executive programs at the Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, INSEAD and the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Currently, she serves as director and past chair of the Silicon Valley Forum Board of Directors. She has also served as an advisor to the Astia Technology Committee since 2008, and was an advisor on the Corporate Board of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) from 2008 to 2009.