Paris, France: A veteran insurer is handing over the keys to its French business after a career of nearly forty years. HDI Global has appointed Delphine Leroy as Managing Director France from 1 January 2027, succeeding Jean-Marie Haquette, who retires on 31 January 2027. The appointment is subject to regulatory approval.
Leroy brings nearly 30 years of insurance experience, spanning underwriting, distribution, risk management and executive management. She most recently served as Managing Director France at QBE, and before that as Managing Director France and Head of Southern Europe at CNA Hardy. Haquette has led HDI Global France since September 2022, during which time the branch diversified into several underwriting areas and placed a new emphasis on operational excellence and responsive claims management.
"I would like to thank Jean-Marie for his outstanding contribution to HDI Global France and for the momentum he has given to the French branch. Under his leadership, we have strengthened our position in the strategically important French market. I am delighted to welcome Delphine to HDI Global. Her in-depth knowledge of the market, her leadership experience and her commitment to serving clients and brokers put her in the best position to grow our business in France," said David Hullin, Member of the Management Board of HDI Global SE and Head of International Regions (excluding DACH and the United States) and Multinational Programs. Haquette struck a note of continuity: "I am proud to be handing over a solid company, driven by a talented team and to have strengthened our relationship of trust with our partners."
For property investors and developers, the detail worth watching is what the announcement leaves unsaid. HDI Global is a corporate and specialty insurer, and the release names no lines of business for the French growth it promises. Insurance availability and pricing now sit inside every underwriting model, from construction programmes to the retrofit of ageing buildings, so a new head with a brief to grow could mean more appetite for corporate risks or a change in terms. Owners and developers who rely on multinational insurance programmes should ask their brokers how the new leadership will approach property and construction cover. "Throughout my career, I have seen that sustainable performance is first and foremost about talented teams working together around a common goal," said Leroy.
HDI Global serves SMEs, mid-caps and large corporations through a network spanning more than 200 countries and territories, handling nearly 5,400 multinational programmes. The division of Talanx employs more than 5,500 people and generated gross insurance revenue of about €10.3bn in 2025. Talanx is rated AA-/stable by S&P and A+ by AM Best.
People mentioned
- Delphine Leroy, incoming Managing Director France, HDI Global
- Jean-Marie Haquette, outgoing Managing Director France, HDI Global
- David Hullin, Member of the Management Board of HDI Global SE and Head of International Regions (excluding DACH and the United States) and Multinational Programs
Image source: HDI Global - Delphine Leroy
Companies mentioned
- HDI Global, corporate and specialty insurer making the appointment
- Talanx, parent group of HDI Global, listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange
- QBE, Leroy's most recent employer
- CNA Hardy, Leroy's former employer
- S&P Global Ratings, rating agency assigning Talanx an AA-/stable rating
- AM Best, rating agency assigning Talanx an A+ rating
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