Hannover Re Taps Insurtech Vet Kelly Rabin as New Chief Actuary

ORLANDO, FL – April 30, 2026 – Hannover Life Reassurance Company of America (“Hannover Re US”) has appointed Kelly Rabin as its new Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary, a strategic move that signals a deep focus on innovation and internal leadership development. Effective May 1, 2026, Rabin will take the actuarial helm from John Di Meo, who was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the start of the year.

The appointment places a leader with an uncommonly diverse background—spanning insurtech, entrepreneurial consulting, and traditional insurance—at the head of a critical function for one of the world's leading reinsurers. Rabin will be responsible for a wide array of functions, including regulatory reporting, financial reporting and valuation (FRV), financial planning and analysis (FP&A), actuarial modeling, and assumption setting, positioning her to shape the company's financial strategy and risk management for years to come.

A Modern Actuary for a Complex Market

Kelly Rabin’s career path is not that of a traditional actuary. Her experience provides a unique lens through which to view the evolving risks and opportunities in the life and health reinsurance market. Before joining Hannover Re US in 2021, where she was a key contributor to the Life Solutions structured new business development team, Rabin had already built an impressive and varied resume.

Notably, she served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Magistree, an early-stage insurance technology company. This direct experience in the fast-paced insurtech world provides her with firsthand knowledge of the technological disruptions and innovations reshaping the industry. Her entrepreneurial spirit was also evident when she founded her own independent actuarial consulting firm, advising clients on complex financial and risk-related challenges.

This non-traditional experience is built upon a strong foundation in the core insurance business. Rabin previously served as Assistant Vice President and Senior Actuary for Valuation at Voya Financial, where she was responsible for cash flow testing and financial reporting for significant closed blocks of life and annuity business. Her leadership there included navigating the complex implementation of the Long-Duration Targeted Improvements (LDTI) accounting standard, a major undertaking for the entire industry. Her career also includes roles as a Chief Life Actuary and leadership positions at a global consulting firm, giving her a comprehensive view of the insurance ecosystem from multiple perspectives.

“Kelly brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and insight to this role,” said John Di Meo, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hannover Re US. “Her deep understanding of our business and commitment to excellence make her exceptionally well-suited to lead our actuarial function and support our continued growth.”

The Evolving Role of the Chief Actuary

Rabin’s appointment comes at a time when the role of the Chief Actuary is undergoing a profound transformation. The position has expanded far beyond its historical technical focus on pricing and reserving. Today’s Chief Actuary must be a strategic partner to the C-suite, deeply involved in financial planning, capital management, and navigating a landscape of constant technological and regulatory change.

The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) is a primary driver of this evolution. Reinsurers are increasingly leveraging AI to enhance predictive analytics, automate underwriting and pricing tasks, and identify complex risk patterns in vast datasets that were previously undetectable. Rabin's background in insurtech positions her to champion and integrate these technologies effectively within Hannover Re's established and rigorous actuarial framework.

Simultaneously, the regulatory environment has grown increasingly complex. Rabin’s hands-on experience with major regulatory shifts like Principle-Based Reserving (PBR), LDTI, and the global IFRS 17 standard is critical. These regulations demand not only technical mastery but also strategic foresight to manage their impact on financial reporting, capital requirements, and product design. Her deep expertise in these areas will be invaluable as she leads the company’s regulatory reporting and valuation functions.

Furthermore, the industry faces a significant challenge in attracting and developing the next generation of actuarial talent. Rabin has been actively involved in addressing this issue, having recently served on the Board of Directors of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) from 2022 to 2023. During her term, she focused on initiatives to attract top candidates to the profession and enhance the value proposition for SOA members, demonstrating a commitment to the long-term health and vitality of the actuarial community.

A Testament to Strategic Succession

The seamless transition from Di Meo to Rabin is not an isolated event but rather the latest example of Hannover Re's deliberate and effective internal succession planning. The company has demonstrated a consistent strategy of cultivating leadership from within, ensuring stability and preserving invaluable institutional knowledge during periods of change.

This pattern was clearly visible at the beginning of 2026, when John Di Meo, Rabin’s predecessor as Chief Actuary, was appointed CFO. Di Meo himself stepped into the role previously held by Clint Thompson, who was simultaneously promoted to President and CEO of Hannover Re US. This chain of internal promotions highlights a robust leadership pipeline and a corporate culture that prioritizes employee growth and long-term planning.

This approach extends to the parent company, Hannover Re, which has also managed its top leadership transitions with similar foresight. Such a strategy provides significant benefits, fostering employee morale by creating clear career pathways and boosting retention of top talent. For clients, investors, and regulators, this commitment to stable, planned leadership transitions reinforces the company's reputation for sound management and reliability—key attributes for a reinsurer with top-tier financial strength ratings of AA- from Standard & Poor's and A+ from A.M. Best. By promoting proven internal leaders like Rabin, Hannover Re US ensures that its strategic direction is carried forward by individuals who are already deeply aligned with its culture of excellence and financial prudence.

Driving Future Growth and Innovation

In her new role, Rabin will oversee the engine room of the company's financial and risk analysis. Her leadership of the financial planning and analysis (FP&A), modeling, and assumption-setting functions will directly influence Hannover Re US's ability to innovate and grow profitably. Her recent work on the Life Solutions team, where she led complex structured reinsurance deals designed to help clients manage risk and capital, provides a direct bridge between actuarial science and business development.

This experience will be crucial as Hannover Re US continues to develop innovative risk solutions for its clients in the life and health sector. The ability to accurately model future risks, set sound assumptions, and provide insightful financial analysis is fundamental to the company's value proposition.

Rabin’s comprehensive skill set, combining technical actuarial discipline with a strategic understanding of business development and technological innovation, makes her a powerful asset. Her appointment is a clear indicator that Hannover Re US is not just preparing for the future of reinsurance but is actively shaping it with leaders who can navigate its complexities and seize its opportunities. As she steps into her new role, the industry will be watching how her unique blend of experience influences one of its most important players.