By Josh Recamara
Hampden Risk Partners' Syndicate 2689 at Lloyd's has announced two senior appointments, marking a leadership transition as the business continues expanding its follow-only strategy.
Giancarlo D'Alessandro (pictured, left), currenty head of portfolio underwriting, has been named active underwriter, while Leah Rose (pictured, centre) will step into the role of syndicate CEO. Both appointments remain subject to regulatory approval.
D'Alessandro joined the business in July 2024 and will take over underwriting leadership from Chris Sharp (pictured, right), who is set to leave in early 2026 following the completion of the 2026 renewal cycle. Rose has served as general counsel and claims director at Hampden since 2022 and will now oversee the wider operational and strategic direction of the syndicate.
Maintaining a profitable follow-only strategy
Group CEO Stephen Harris said the appointments reinforce continuity rather than signalling a shift in direction. Syndicate 2689 has grown steadily since the current management team arrived in 2022, focusing on disciplined follow-only underwriting and capital-backed support for high-performing lead syndicates. Harris said the strategy remains unchanged, retaining the same emphasis on specialist knowledge, market relationships, and underwriting discipline.
Staff participation remains a central part of the model, with all employees required to make capital commitments to the syndicate. D’Alessandro and Rose will also receive continued support from Asta and non-executive strategic underwriting advisers Joe Battle and Mark Clements.
Rising demand for specialist capital at Lloyd's
The changes come at a time when Syndicate 2689 continues to experience strong demand for capacity partnerships, particularly in consortia and quota-share arrangements. The platform gives investors and capital providers access to a diversified book of Lloyd's risk, much of which cannot be accessed through conventional capital support channels.
According to the company, the appointments support the ongoing development of a model designed to offer stable returns while backing lead carriers with proven underwriting performance.