The Hartford Realigns International Ops, Names Reinsurance Head

Ramani Ayer, chairman and CEO of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. says his company's international operations will report to The Hartford's vice chairman, Lon A. Smith, who will also assume the additional role of president of Hartford International. David R. Robb, a senior vice president of The Hartford, will manage reinsurance operations.

The changes are effective December 1, upon the retirement of John F. Donahue, president of The Hartford's international and reinsurance operations, after 44 years with the company.

"The international property-casualty and life operations will complement each other as we explore additional growth opportunities," said Ayer.

Donahue has chaired HartRe, The Hartford's reinsurance company, since 1985, and has been president of The Hartford's international and reinsurance businesses since 1996. "The Hartford's reputation as a strong underwriting company is due in no small part to John Donahue's expertise in this field," said Ayer. "He is highly respected throughout the industry and we will miss him."

Hartford Vice Chairman Lon Smith's success in building Hartford Life into an industry leader influenced Ayer's decision to add The Hartford's international operations to Smith's portfolio. "We have tremendous opportunities for growth and synergy between our international property and casualty and international life operations," said Ayer. "Lon is the right person to bring it all together and build a strategy that will take us well into the millennium."

Smith, who is also president of Hartford Life, Inc., has been vice chairman of The Hartford since 1997.

Robb will become president of The Hartford's reinsurance operations, which include HartRe, corporate asset protection and reinsurance asset management. "David brings to this role widely recognized leadership and business acumen in both the North American and international reinsurance arenas," Ayer commented. Robb joined The Hartford in 1969 as a legislative attorney. He advanced to increasingly responsible positions, including assistant vice president and director, reinsurance asset management services. He has been a senior vice president of The Hartford since January.