Markel Insurance, the insurance operations of Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL), has appointed Marc Copland as Vice President, Product Line Leader – Property at Markel Canada, effective immediately, according to a company statement.

Copland fills a newly created role focused on developing and expanding Markel Canada's property portfolio. His responsibilities will include working with underwriting teams and technical specialists on property products and incorporating data analytics and underwriting technology into operations.

Copland brings approximately 20 years of insurance industry experience, including 16 years underwriting complex technical property risks across primary insurance and reinsurance, and seven years in underwriting team leadership roles.

He joins from Definity (Economical), where he held the title of Manager, Complex Middle Market. Prior to that, he spent close to a decade at Munich Re Canada underwriting large risk-managed accounts across sectors including mining, energy, heavy industry, manufacturing, and power generation.

Copland holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and carries both the Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) and Canadian Risk Management (CRM) designations.

"His technical depth in complex property risk and track record of building and leading high-performing underwriting teams brings exactly the kind of expertise we need as we sharpen our focus on Property," said Cliff Laidlaw, Senior Vice President, Underwriting at Markel Canada.

Markel Group is a Fortune 500 holding company based in Richmond, Virginia, with more than 60 offices across 20 countries. Markel Canada operates as a division of Markel International Services Limited, writing business in Canada on behalf of Markel Syndicate 3000 at Lloyd's.