The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) has elected Sean M. Dalton as its new President. The election took place today at a meeting of the IUMI Council in Rotterdam, during the association’s annual conference.

Dalton was the sole nominee and will formally take up the presidency at the close of this year’s conference. He will serve a four-year term.

Commenting on his election, Dalton said:

“I am both honoured and humbled to be elected as President of this 152-year-old association. Marine insurance is a great sector to work in and one that presents significant career opportunities for new entrants. One of the priorities of my presidency will be to raise awareness of our industry and promote its attractiveness as a rewarding career choice. Diversity and inclusion, education, artificial intelligence and sustainability will also feature highly on my agenda.”

“I’d like to thank my predecessor, Frédéric Denèfle, for his hard work and dedication over the past four years and wish him well for the future.”

Dalton served as IUMI Vice-President until his election today. The Vice-President position will now be filled by Tom Shinya, Senior Expert, Marine Underwriting Department, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd, and an IUMI Executive Committee Member.

Based in New York, Dalton is Executive Vice President and Head of Marine Underwriting, North America, for Munich Reinsurance America, Inc. (“Munich Re US”). He is also Chair of the American Institute of Marine Underwriters (AIMU). He is a former Chair of the National Cargo Bureau (NCB) and is a member of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

Dalton succeeds Frédéric Denèfle, who has served as IUMI President since 2022.

Reflecting on his four years as President, Denèfle said:

“This has been a fascinating and rewarding journey for me. I’ve been president during challenging and turbulent times of sanctions, tariffs and conflict, but also during periods of tremendous optimism and opportunity, such as the growth of artificial intelligence and digitalisation.”

“It has been an honour to work alongside our membership, our professional partners and our affiliates on the wide variety of issues that makes marine insurance such an exciting industry to be part of.”

“I would like to thank the entire IUMI community for their friendship and support, and I particularly recognise the dedication and professionalism of the Secretariat, who have facilitated my presidency over the past four years.”

“Lastly, I wish every success to Sean for what I know will be a rewarding term of office.”

Commenting on the change of presidency, IUMI Secretary General Lars Lange said:

“It is always a sad time when a president’s term comes to an end and I thank Frédéric for his dedication and commitment to IUMI. It has been a privilege to work alongside him on many issues and in many regions of the world. Frédéric’s legacy will be remembered for a long time.”

“I welcome Sean as our 27th President, in a line that dates back to 1874. Sean is a highly experienced and highly regarded marine insurer with a comprehensive knowledge of IUMI and the wider global insurance industry. I look forward to working with him and continuing to grow IUMI as the world’s leading marine insurance association.”