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The Hartford names John Russo chief underwriting officer for global specialty
The appointment takes effect August 17 and follows a broader specialty underwriting succession over the past eight months.
The Hartford has appointed John Russo as chief underwriting officer of its global specialty business unit, effective August 17, succeeding Carrie Brodzinski, who left to become chief underwriting officer at MSIG USA.
Russo reports to Adrien Robinson, head of global specialty at The Hartford. The move is part of a coordinated succession that has shifted specialty underwriting leadership quietly over the past eight months.
The Hartford previously expanded Michael Garrison's role in October 2024 to include its International division alongside his US wholesale leadership. In January 2026, Russo was elevated to CUO for Global Specialty Wholesale and International, succeeding himself out of a small business role, while Pete Hill took over as small business CUO.
The Hartford said Russo’s prior responsibilities included underwriting across excess, property, inland marine, specialty, and small business lines through wholesale channels. In a November 2024 interview, Russo said the company was on track to reach $300 million in E&S binding premium, citing a several year runway for submissions-driven E&S binding growth in the wholesale channel.