Liberty Mutual
Head of Strategy & Corporate Development
Job Description
Description
Strategic Imperative:
Global Risk Solutions (GRS) delivers innovative risk solutions to businesses worldwide, protecting clients from the unexpected. GRS has successfully delivered on the first phase of its transformational goals — achieving a stronger more resilient balance sheet, enhanced underwriting capabilities and disciplined, and a clear path to “92” (combined-ratio) in 2025. The next phase, Destination 2030, raises the bar: tackling more complex, cross-business challenges such as harnessing process transformation and artificial intelligence adoption, unlocking operating leverage, and addressing organizational complexity. Our ambition is to lead in focused markets — U.S. Middle Markets, U.S. Specialty, Infrastructure, and Europe — and doing so requires tight strategic alignment and active executive engagement across our global footprint.
The Head of Strategy & Corporate Development, a member of the extended GRS leadership team, will be the connective force between vision and execution. This leader will drive delivery of high impact initiatives — spanning M&A and integration, underwriting performance, and operating model and cost optimization — while serving as the strategic hub that accelerates transformation at scale.
Central to this mandate is embedding the GRS value proposition into everything we do:
- Risk-aware leadership that balances growth with discipline
- Deep specialization that differentiates us in complex markets
- Disciplined responsiveness that allows us to meet clients where they are
By setting a bold strategic agenda, anticipating market shifts, and aligning global capabilities, the Head of Strategy & Corporate Development will position GRS for sustainable, profitable growth — ensuring we deliver unmatched value to clients and lead the next chapter of commercial and specialty (re)insurance.
- Champion external market sensing: Anticipate disruption and evolving client needs to position GRS ahead of competitors
- Integrate and align execution: Ensure strategies are not just visionary but actionable, with clear accountability across regions and functions
- Maximize global leverage: Harness data, insights, and cross-border capabilities to create solutions that scale and differentiate GRS
- Build resilience and adaptability: Foster a culture that thrives amid uncertainty and responds quickly to emerging risks and opportunities
Role Overview:
We are seeking a visionary and decisive Head of Strategy & Corporate Development to shape, align, and drive the long-term strategy for GRS. Positioned within the Office of the CFO, this critical role provides direct connectivity to finance and risk ensuring strategy, capital, and execution are seamlessly integrated to support the business.
Reporting to the GRS CFO and serving as a member of the extended GRS leadership team, the Head of Strategy & Corporate Development will lead global strategic initiatives, competitive intelligence, and M&A activities, while ensuring alignment and cohesion across GRS’s diverse, geographically dispersed leadership teams.
This role will also act as a core partner to the newly formed Transformation Office, linking strategy, finance, and execution to accelerate delivery of prioritized, high-impact programs. The ideal candidate will bring a global mindset, exceptional financial and strategic acumen, and a proven ability to deliver transformational business impact in complex, matrixed environments.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the orchestration of GRS’s long-term enterprise and segment strategies, ensuring alignment across all business units and regions.
- Oversee and develop a global team of strategic leaders, including those for Liberty International Insurance (LII), Global Surety, North America, LM Reinsurance, Corporate Development, and Competitor Intelligence.
- Drive the M&A agenda for GRS — from opportunity assessment through diligence, execution, and seamless integration — in close partnership with Corporate M&A, accelerating profitable growth on a global scale.
- Partner with the newly formed Transformation Office (TMO) to execute 2030 strategies, enabling success in Global, U.S., and European growth priorities and advancing operating leverage initiatives.
- Manage the relationship and interaction model with key LMG teams (e.g., CS&R, Solaria, LMSV, M&A) to ensure tight alignment and collaboration.
- Manage and strengthen external relationships with strategic private equity firms, management consulting firms, and other key advisors to support growth and transformation.
- Partner with the GRS President to shape engagement with the LMG Board — including the annual June Strategy session — and contribute to the GRS SLT engagement model to drive focus, accountability, and alignment.
- Support the design and delivery of GRS leadership team offsite agendas, ensuring time is maximized to drive the strategic agenda, foster alignment, and accelerate decision making.
- Foster collaboration across Finance, Underwriting, Operations, Technology, etc., within GRS and across the Group, to maintain agility and responsiveness to market dynamics.
Leadership Impact & Influence:
- Act as a strategic partner within GRS, shaping enterprise and business priorities and influencing decision-making across functions and regions.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the GRS President, providing counsel on strategy, governance, and execution of critical initiatives.
- Lead a globally distributed, high-performing team spanning strategy formulation, corporate development, and competitive intelligence across multiple regions and business segments.
- Accelerate GRS’s transformation agenda, embedding risk-aware leadership, client focus, and operational excellence at the core of our strategy.
- Own and deliver high-impact initiatives that strengthen market relevance, advance leadership positions, and drive underwriting profitability, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth.
The Team & Stakeholders:
- Lead a global Strategy & Corporate Development function made up of senior leaders for LII, Global Surety, North America, LM Re, and Corporate Development ensuring cohesive direction and execution across segments.
- Partner with the GRS CFO and finance leadership to connect strategy with financial performance, risk mitigation, and disciplined measurement of execution.
- Collaborate with segment presidents and functional leaders (underwriting, actuarial, technology, operations, corporate functions) to translate strategic choices into operational delivery.
- Engage external advisors, consulting partners, and industry experts to bring independent insights, test assumptions, and sharpen GRS’s competitive positioning.
- Work with enterprise teams in communications, talent, strategy, M&A, strategic ventures, and innovation to cascade strategy, reinforce cultural alignment, and embed priorities across the global organization.
Past Accomplishments:
This role has proven to be a catalyst for GRS-wide transformation, market leadership, and measurable business impact. Highlights include:
- Driving GRS Transformation: Orchestrated the first phase of GRS’s transformation, turning a $25B global business with 16,000 employees from decades of inconsistent 4 underwriting into a profitable engine of growth, now delivering $1B+ in annual underwriting profit and operating on its strongest foundation ever
- Driving Portfolio Value through M&A: Led major transactions including the $2B integration of a 7-country Asia retail segment, the $275M divestiture of Thailand and Vietnam, and the acquisition of JMalucelli Travelers Seguros S.A., facilitating our strategic reentry to the Colombia market
- Designing Operating Models: Defined and delivered new operating models for North America, Liberty International, Global Surety, APAC, and global lines
- Defining APAC Strategy: Developed Liberty’s first-ever integrated strategy for the APAC region, positioning the business to capture significant market opportunities and establish a long-term profitable growth platform
- Developing Talent & Leadership: Built a recognized “talent feeder” function by developing top performers and placing them into high-impact roles across the business — including the LII Chief of Staff, Surety Chief of Staff, London/MENA Chief of Staff, and APAC Transformation Lead
Future Vision:
This role and its associated function are positioned for significant evolution and growth in scope and impact. As the insurance industry continues to navigate rapid change driven by digital transformation, evolving risk landscapes, and heightened client expectations, the Head of Strategy & Corporate Development will be central to driving GRS’s adaptive capabilities.
Over time, this role could expand to:
- Lead a broader, more integrated global strategy and transformation office that not only shapes high-level strategy but also embeds agile execution frameworks across all business units worldwide.
- Expand Corporate Development and M&A function into a fully integrated growth engine, proactively identifying and incubating new business opportunities and strategic partnerships across emerging markets and technologies.
- Serve as a key architect of an enterprise-wide data-driven decision culture, leveraging advanced analytics and market intelligence to anticipate industry shifts and inform proactive strategic responses.
- Deepen influence within the finance organization and across the enterprise by integrating strategic planning with capital allocation, risk management, and performance management, thus becoming the central hub for enterprise-wide strategic stewardship.
- Cultivate the team’s capabilities and geographic reach, developing a world-class talent pipeline that fuels innovation, leadership development, and continuous improvement.
- Establish the group as a recognized thought leader in global risk management and strategic transformation, influencing industry standards and shaping Liberty Mutual’s competitive differentiation on a global stage.
The Head of Strategy & Corporate Development will play a critical role in elevating GRS’s global market position and sustaining its long-term competitive advantage through visionary leadership, strategic rigor, and operational excellence.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, or other related field. MBA or other relevant advanced degree desired.
- Minimum 10-15 years of relevant general business experience, to include experience with consulting, strategy, M&A, finance, and evaluation of the economics of an insurance business.
- Strong understanding of the commercial and specialty (re)insurer market, potentially showcased by professional designations such as CPCU, ARM, ARe, etc.
- Expert communication and influencing skills, with a strong ability to build consensus among multiple levels and functions within the organization.
- Must be driven and flexible enough to succeed in ambiguous and less structured situations. High degree of reliability and integrity and comfort with handling confidential information.
- Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills, ability to multitask in a fast-paced. environment and juggle multiple complex projects at one time with competing and shifting priorities
- Strong people leadership skills and experience managing a global team.
- Ability and willingness to be mobile and travel internationally.
About Us
Pay Philosophy: The typical starting salary range for this role is determined by a number of factors including skills, experience, education, certifications and location. The full salary range for this role reflects the competitive labor market value for all employees in these positions across the national market and provides an opportunity to progress as employees grow and develop within the role. Some roles at Liberty Mutual have a corresponding compensation plan which may include commission and/or bonus earnings at rates that vary based on multiple factors set forth in the compensation plan for the role.
At Liberty Mutual, our goal is to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and can thrive. We build an environment that welcomes a wide range of perspectives and experiences, with inclusion embedded in every aspect of our culture and reflected in everyday interactions. This comes to life through comprehensive benefits, workplace flexibility, professional development opportunities, and a host of opportunities provided through our Employee Resource Groups. Each employee plays a role in creating our inclusive culture, which supports every individual to do their best work. Together, we cultivate a community where everyone can make a meaningful impact for our business, our customers, and the communities we serve.
We value your hard work, integrity and commitment to make things better, and we put people first by offering you benefits that support your life and well-being. To learn more about our benefit offerings please visit: https://LMI.co/Benefits
Liberty Mutual is an equal opportunity employer. We will not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, disability, veteran’s status, pregnancy, genetic information or on any basis prohibited by federal, state or local law.
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