Mayri Gordon
Senior Commercial & Renewal Underwriter
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About
Highly accomplished Senior Commercial Underwriter with over 25 years of extensive experience in portfolio management, risk assessment, and operational governance across leading broker and insurer environments. Proven expertise in managing complex portfolios across Commercial, Agri, and Personal Lines while ensuring strict regulatory compliance and underwriting discipline. Recognised for strategic leadership in optimising renewal retention, leading high-performing underwriting teams, and implementing process improvements that protect profitability.
Exceptionally skilled at bridging the gap between technical risk mitigation, data-driven system testing (Ekundu platform), and sustainable financial control.
Experience
Renewal Underwriter / General Backup Underwriting - Capitaux Financial Services Trust
(2024-05)
- Direct strategic renewal portfolio management for high-value Commercial and Personal Lines accounts, safeguarding regional market share.
- Execute specialised Contractors All Risk (CAR) underwriting and comprehensive risk assessments to ensure alignment with corporate risk tolerances.
- Negotiate complex premium and discount structures with major insurers to maintain profitability while maximising client retention rates.
- Conduct systematic audits of all new and endorsed insurance policies to eliminate compliance errors and ensure operational integrity.
- Provide agile underwriting and sales support across functions, accelerating policy issuance and quotation turnaround times.
Senior Commercial & Renewal Underwriter | Team Leader | Underwriting Manager - Hollard Insure
(2011-01 - 2024-04)
- Oversaw multifaceted operations as Underwriting Manager (Johannesburg) and Team Leader (Bloemfontein), managing departmental capacity and aligning branch workflows with strict corporate SLAs.
- Orchestrated continuous improvement strategies for branches, Centres of Excellence (COEs), and binder brokers to enhance underwriting quality and standardise premium terms.
- Acted as Credit Control Specialist, leading complex bordereaux reconciliations, clearing 30/90-day aged policies, and executing precise allocations of unallocated cash (UCash).
- Managed reinsurance treaty compliance and handled escalated risk referrals, significantly improving regional risk acceptance parameters.
- Supervised technical system testing and configuration for the Ekundu platform, including the successful rollout of the new Agri insurance product line.
- Spearheaded comprehensive staff training and performance management programmes, accelerating employee development and improving operational efficiency across teams.
Office Manager/Underwriting/Claims Handler - Capitaux Financial Services Trust
(2006-09 - 2010-12)
- Managed a centralised underwriting and claims division covering Commercial, Personal Lines, and Contractors All Risk portfolios.
- Developed innovative, digital-ready client databases and streamlined filing systems that significantly reduced administrative turnaround times.
- Conducted detailed profitability and trend analyses to guide executive leadership in establishing competitive pricing strategies.
- Fostered high standards of client service and directed staff training initiatives to optimise operational efficiency.
Underwriter & Claims Specialist - PSG Consult (Free State)
(2006-03 - 2006-08)
- Administered underwriting and claims processes for Commercial, Personal Lines, Truck Fleet, and Contractors All Risk insurance portfolios.
- Optimised end-to-end process management, reducing claims turnaround times through proactive client and broker liaison.
Financial Consultant - Dynarc Financial Services
(2005-05 - 2006-02)
- Formulated, assessed, and finalised structured commercial asset finance applications while managing risk through the placement of appropriate short-term asset insurance policies on behalf of corporate clients.
Underwriter / Claims Representative - Multipol Insurance Brokers
(2002-03 - 2005-04)
- Managed risk profiling, premium quotations, and sales support for Commercial and Personal Lines business.
- Manage claims
- Handled monthly debit orders, processed broker bordereaux, and negotiated claims settlements.
Underwriter (Commercial, Personal Lines, Guarantees & Reinsurance) - Fedsure General
(1999 - 2002)
Bank Reconciliation & Credit Control Clerk (Permanent) - Stannic
(1996 - 1999)
Education
Short-Term Insurance Programme - Insurance - UNISA – Insurance Institute of South Africa (IISA) (2013)
Intermediate Certificate in Business Studies - Business Studies (2001)
Certificate of Proficiency (COP) (2000)
Grade 12 (Matric) - Jim Fouché High School (1993) Bloemfontein