Giant global insurers Chubb and AIG have declined to provide any comment on the departures of their local leaders.

As reported in a Breaking News bulletin, Chubb’s country president for Australia and New Zealand Ben Howell has left the position. Staff have been told that Asia-Pacific head of commercial property and casualty Chris Colahan is taking over as country president on an interim basis.

AIG’s Ms Warden has resigned, and will join Chubb as head of Pacific property and casualty.

Despite requests from insuranceNEWS.com.au, neither company has commented on the departures or who is running the Australian businesses.

insuranceNEWS.com.au received an anonymous tip-off about the developments and was able to verify the facts through trusted sources. The moves have been openly discussed in industry circles for more than a week.

A source told insuranceNEWS.com.au that “there was a lot of surprise” among Chubb staff when Mr Howell’s departure was announced.

Mr Howell worked with Chubb for almost a decade, taking the top local role in September 2024 after Peter Kelaher moved to France.

Insiders told insuranceNEWS.com.au last week that Ms Warden was still in position, and that her notice runs until October. AIG did not respond to requests for clarification over who is currently in charge of the Australian operation.

Ms Warden took over a year ago, when Grant Cairns departed for insurtech Kaibridge. Mr Colahan left AIG to join Chubb late last year.