Exclusive: HDI Global's US casualty lead Ed Wu leaves after only months in role

By James Thaler

April 17 - (The Insurer) – HDI Global's U.S. casualty lead Ed Wu has left the German company, only months after the former Everest E&S excess casualty head joined in December, sources familiar with the situation said on Thursday.

Wu, who The Insurer was not immediately able to reach for comment, had replaced David Sapia, who left HDI Global's U.S. operations in the middle of last year.

A spokesperson for HDI Global declined to comment.

Further details on Wu’s departure could not immediately be confirmed, or whether HDI Global has any potential succession plans in place for the position.

HDI publicly announced Wu’s appointment less than a month ago alongside the hiring of Thomas Long from Arch, who joined in October as U.S. admitted casualty lead.

Before joining HDI Wu spent more than four years with Everest, following seven years with Sompo International as a vice president casualty manager for the U.S. Western region.

He previously spent nearly six years with Arch.

When HDI announced his appointment, the company said Wu brought nearly three decades of commercial casualty experience, “with deep expertise in both primary and excess markets."

HDI also said that Wu’s background spanned many industry sectors, including manufacturing, services, retail/wholesale trade and hospitality, with particular strength in construction, E&S lines, national accounts and middle market business.

Sapia had been with HDI for three years before leaving in July 2024 and taking up a role at Palomar.

Wu's departure is the latest notable move among senior U.S. casualty talent, after the The Insurer was previously the first to report that Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty North American head of liability insurance Carol Laufer left the company.

The Insurer also was the first to report that Zurich North America recruited Atlanta-based Markel excess casualty executive Steve Tralongo and a trio of his colleagues and that Nationwide’s retail excess casualty head Glen Curley planned to retire.