Personnel Changes: Nationwide, Scottish Re, Others

Nationwide Financial Services Inc. has hired Michael Hamilton to be president of two broker-dealer units: 1717 Capital Management Company and Nationwide Securities Inc.

Hamilton also will be vice president of retail distribution at the Nationwide Financial Network, Nationwide’s retail distribution business, according to Nationwide, Columbus, Ohio.

Hamilton previously was president of Penncorp Life Insurance Company, Mississauga, Ontario, a unit of La Capitale Civil Service Mutual, Quebec City, Quebec.

Hamilton also has been a divisional director for the Southeast region at Jackson National Life Insurance Company, Lansing, Mich., a unit of Prudential P.L.C., London.

Hamilton has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Norwich University, the Military College of Vermont.

While serving in the U.S. Army, Hamilton trained and led 45 soldiers during Operation Desert Storm. He was the lead platoon during the Battle of the 73 Easting. He was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor and received a Presidential Citation.

In other personnel news:

- Swiss Re Capital Management & Advisory, New York, a unit of Swiss Reinsurance Company, Zurich, has hired Jamshid Ehsani to help it design vehicles that life insurance companies can use to reward investors for assuming mortality risk and longevity risk.

Ehsani previously was president and chief risk officer at InsCap Management L.L.C., New York, a specialty finance company.

Ehsani is a past president of Marsh McLennan Securities and MMC Enterprise Risk, units of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc., New York. He also spent 10 years at the World Bank, Washington. At one point, he was responsible for assessing the credit worthiness of Colombia.

Ehsani has a master’s degree in econometrics from University of Paris II, a post master’s degree from the Ecole Nationale Superieure du Petrole et des Moteurs, and a doctorate in energy economics from Sorbonne University.

- Scottish Re Group Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda, has hired George Zippel to be president and global chief executive officer.

Paul Goldean, the executive who has been president and CEO of Scottish Re for the past year, will take the title of chief administrative officer, Scottish Re says.

Zippel was president of the protection segment at Genworth Financial Inc., Richmond, Va., from 2004 until earlier this year. He recently completed a term as a director of the American Council of Life Insurers, Washington.

Zippel was president of First Colony Life Insurance Company, Lynchburg, Va., when GE Financial, the business that became Genworth, acquired First Colony back in 1999.

Zippel has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hamilton College.

- AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, New York, a unit of AXA S.A., Paris, has promoted Barbara Goodstein to chief innovation officer.

Goodstein, who has been executive vice president of marketing, will continue to be in charge of marketing and advertising, and she also will be responsible for the company’s retirement services program.

Goodstein has a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and a master’s degree in marketing from Columbia University.

- Assurant Inc., New York, has named John Roberts to be interim president and chief executive officer of the Assurant Employee Benefits unit.

Michael Peninger, the president of the unit, now is serving as interim chief financial officer at the parent company, to fill in for an executive who is on administrative leave.

Roberts has been president of Assurant’s Disability RMS risk management unit and a senior vice president of the benefits unit.

Roberts has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Bowdoin College. He is a past chairman of the disability subcommittee at the old Health Insurance Association of America, Washington. He is now treasurer for the Portland Museum of Art in Portland, Maine.

- Old Mutual Financial Network, Baltimore, has hired Richard Pollard to be senior vice president and chief actuary.

Pollard previously was chief operating officer of Scottish Re Group Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda.