Westfield Specialty International and Liberty Specialty Markets have both announced new leadership appointments in their cyber insurance divisions, signaling growth in their cyber risk offerings across Europe and beyond.
Starting January 1, 2026, Westfield Specialty International will launch a new cyber insurance team led by Ben Watson, who joins from Zurich where he spent nearly six years as a senior cyber underwriter. Watson, based in London, brings over nine years of experience in cyber and technology underwriting, including time at Beazley focusing on US cyber risks. He will report directly to Mark Fellows, the divisional director for Financial and Professional Lines at Westfield Specialty International. The company plans to expand the team further in 2026, building on its existing cyber business in the US and aiming to strengthen its presence in the London market.
Westfield Specialty International is part of Westfield Specialty, a specialty insurer supported by Ohio Farmers Insurance Company. The carrier operates in multiple regions, underwriting various lines of business across the U.S., the U.K., and Dubai, with over 400 staff members. Their move into cyber insurance reflects a strategy to grow their financial lines portfolio by investing in an area they see as promising for both growth and profit.
Meanwhile, Liberty Specialty Markets, a branch of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, has named Oliver Delvos as head of cyber and tech errors & omissions (E&O) for Europe, effective December 1, 2025. Delvos is based in Germany and will report to Pierre-Edouard Fraigneau, president and chief underwriting officer for Europe at Liberty Specialty Markets. He takes over from Jelmer Andela, who has been promoted to a global commercial director role for cyber within Liberty Mutual.
Delvos comes with more than 15 years of international insurance experience. Before joining Liberty, he was managing director at Corvus Insurance, where he led the growth of their international and European business. He holds degrees in law and economics. At Liberty, Delvos will focus on coordinating the rollout of the company’s global cyber strategy across Europe. His appointment follows the recent launch of Liberty’s flagship global cyber insurance products, Liberty Cyber Resolution and Liberty Tech Resolution.
These moves show both Westfield Specialty International and Liberty Specialty Markets are expanding their cyber capabilities in Europe. With cyber threats on the rise, insurers are placing greater emphasis on specialized teams to meet demand and manage risk effectively. The appointments of Watson and Delvos bring seasoned expertise to help each company grow in the rapidly evolving cyber insurance market.