Head of Marine

Job Summary:Lead Sukoon’s Marine portfolio and team, encompassing Cargo, Hull & Machinery, Marine Liabilities (including Ports & Terminals, Ship Repairers, Charterers, and Marina Operators), as well as associated coverages such as War, Loss of Hire, and P&I placements. Hold full profit and loss (P&L) accountability for the portfolio.Drive sustainable and profitable growth through disciplined underwriting, strategic portfolio management, optimized reinsurance structures, and proactive engagement with brokers and clients. Deliver best-in-class service aligned with Sukoon’s strategic objectives and core values.The role is instrumental in shaping a growth-oriented marine portfolio within a financially robust, customer-centric insurer committed to service excellence.Key Accountabilities:1) Strategy & P&L OwnershipDefine and execute a 3–5 year Marine strategy (by product, client segment and geography) aligned to Sukoon’s commercial targets and service ethos; own the Marine budget, combined ratio and growth.Set and deliver annual plans for GWP, retention/hit ratio, loss ratio and expense ratio, with transparent reporting and remedial actions for underperforming segments.2) Underwriting Excellence & GovernanceEstablish and continuously refine risk appetite, underwriting authority limits, technical pricing guidance and referral protocols for Cargo (Open Cargo, Stock Throughput, Project Cargo/DSU), Hull & Machinery (incl. War, Loss of Hire) and Marine Liabilities (Ports & Terminals, Ship Repairers, Charterers, Marina/Marine Trades).Lead large risk and complex placement decisions; ensure robust wordings, endorsements and sanctions compliance; manage accumulations (ports, CAT perils, storage), voyage and warehouse exposures.3) Portfolio Management & AnalyticsBuild an insights led portfolio steering cadence: pricing adequacy, rate change, mix, deductibles, claims trends, peril mapping; institute early warning triggers and corrective actions (declinature/rate/terms).Partner with Actuarial & Risk to validate technical rate models, reserving assumptions and capital charges; maintain an outcomes focused underwriting performance dashboard.4) Distribution, Market Development & BrandOwn broker and partner engagement across global and regional intermediaries; drive a disciplined pipeline, visibility in the marine market, and cross sell with Property and Liability.Support marketing and thought leadership (cargo risk trends, port accumulations, sustainability in shipping, geopolitical/war risks) to strengthen Sukoon’s brand and broker preference.5) Claims, Recovery & Loss PreventionPartner with Claims to ensure technical excellence in early reserving, large loss reviews, subrogation/salvage and vendor selection (surveyors, average adjusters, lawyers).Expand risk engineering and loss prevention programmes (ports, terminals, warehouses, shipyards) tied to expected loss improvement and client value.7) Regulatory, Conduct & Operating DisciplineEnsure compliance with CBUAE regulations and all applicable laws; for Lloyd’s related business, coordinate with OIMSL on DFSA requirements.Embed underwriting controls, conduct risk management, sanctions/AML screening, and high quality policy documentation and bordereaux.8) People & CultureBuild and lead a high performing Marine team (underwriting managers, portfolio analysts, product & wordings specialists).Recruit, develop and coach talent; foster Sukoon’s values—Customer First, Collaboration, Excellence, Integrity, Constant Improvement.Education, Experience, and Formal/Professional Qualification:Professional qualifications (e.g., ACII/FCII, CPCU) desirable; degree in Business, Economics, Engineering, Maritime/Shipping or related discipline.12–15+ years in Marine underwriting/portfolio leadership with demonstrable P&L delivery across Cargo, Hull and Marine Liabilities (GCC experience preferred).Strong technical pricing and wordings expertise (e.g., ICC(A/B/C), ITC Hull, War, Loss of Hire, DSU, Ports & Terminals, Ship Repairers, Charterers).Proven broker market presence and negotiation of treaties/facultative placements;People leadership—building, coaching and scaling underwriting teams.Fluent English; Arabic is an advantage.