Nationwide hires Guy Carp’s Williams as E&S/specialty COO

Nationwide has named former Guy Carpenter and AIG executive George Williams as chief operating officer for its excess and surplus/specialty team.

In his new role, which is effective 8 November, Williams will be responsible for E&S/specialty business operations, claims and Nationwide Indemnity.

Williams has nearly 30 years of industry experience, the last two years of which were at Guy Carpenter as head of global client support services.

He was also at AIG for nearly 21 years, serving in several different capacities including COO of AIG’s North American general insurance operations.

“George is a highly collaborative leader, with a career spanning global P&L, turnarounds, business systems and automations, as well as front/middle/back-office operations, credit, claims, product, and distribution,” said Russ Johnston, president of Nationwide’s E&S/specialty operations.

Nationwide named former QBE North America CEO Johnston as its new E&S/specialty lines leader in February, filling the role that had been vacant since Tom Clark’s retirement at the end of last year.

Clark subsequently joined Ryan Specialty Group as CEO of RSG Underwriting Managers, but recently resigned for personal reasons.