Sompo, the global provider of property, casualty, and specialty insurance and reinsurance, has appointed Sarah Stanford as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sompo UK, following the completion of its acquisition of Aspen Insurance Holdings.
In her new role, effective immediately and subject to regulatory approval, Stanford will report to Alessa Quane, CEO of International Markets, and will continue to be based in London. She will oversee all of Sompo’s UK P&C insurance operations, succeeding Bob Thaker, who will leave the company later this year. Thaker will support Stanford during a transition period to ensure continuity.
Stanford previously served as CEO of Aspen UK since March 2024, successfully leading the firm through its operations and growth in the UK market. Her leadership experience positions her to guide the integration of Aspen into Sompo’s UK business.
“Sarah is an outstanding insurance professional who has achieved great success in her leadership roles at Aspen, in particular as Aspen’s UK CEO,” said Quane. “Her experience, energy, and insights will be invaluable as we bring together our two organisations, making her perfectly placed to drive forward our combined UK business as we move into the next exciting phase of Sompo’s growth story.”
The Aspen acquisition, initially announced in August 2025, closed through the purchase of 100% of Aspen’s Class A ordinary shares, with the deal valued at $3.5 billion.
