Rokstone Expands Underwriting Team to Meet Growth Targets
The insurer hired a new underwriter to manage its global treaty portfolio as it targets $40 million in premiums by 2027.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in People
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Rokstone has appointed industry underwriter Airlie Isted to its Specialty Reinsurance division to manage its global treaty portfolio. This strategic hire follows the division’s launch, which saw it generate $25 million in gross written premium during its first ten months of operation.
Why it matters
Rokstone is scaling its underwriting team to support a $40 million gross written premium target for 2027. This move reflects the competitive pressure to bolster technical capacity in specialized reinsurance markets as the firm seeks to grow its global treaty business.
Rokstone reported $25 million in gross written premium over its first ten months, setting a growth target of $40 million for 2027. The firm is now expanding its underwriting headcount to support this aggressive expansion of its global treaty portfolio.
The players
Airlie Isted
An experienced insurance underwriter who began her career in 2018 and recently joined Rokstone after a four-year stint at Antares.
Rokstone
A global specialty reinsurance firm currently scaling its underwriting capacity and treaty portfolio.
Eddie Hughes
The head of Rokstone's Specialty Reinsurance division responsible for the firm's underwriting recruitment and expansion strategy.
Antares Managing Agency Ltd
A Lloyd’s-focused managing agency where Isted previously served as an underwriter for four years.
The details
Airlie Isted reports directly to Eddie Hughes, the head of the division, and is tasked with managing the firm's global treaty portfolio. The appointment leverages Isted’s experience from her four-year tenure at Antares Managing Agency Ltd to deepen the firm's technical underwriting bench. By strengthening its specialist talent, Rokstone intends to enhance its risk-selection capabilities as it scales its reinsurance operations.
Timeline
2018: Airlie Isted entered the insurance industry.
April 2024: Airlie Isted advanced to underwriter at Antares.
October 2026: Airlie Isted joined Rokstone.
2027: Rokstone targets $40 million in gross written premium.
Market Landscape
This move mirrors the broader industry trend of firms scaling specialized underwriting teams to support aggressive premium growth targets. It aligns with historical patterns of specialty re-insurers increasing technical headcount when moving from a start-up phase to a scale-up phase.
Operators should monitor Rokstone's aggressive premium growth target as an indicator of capacity shifts in the specialty reinsurance market. Competitors in the treaty reinsurance space should evaluate their own underwriting bench strength in response to such talent acquisition strategies.
The takeaway
Specialty reinsurance growth often hinges on recruiting established technical talent to manage expanding global portfolios. Firms should track their internal premium-to-underwriter ratios to ensure that aggressive growth targets do not outpace underwriting capacity.
Further reading
For more on industry leadership changes, see People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ReinsuranceNe.
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