Susan Panuccio to join Howden as Group Chief Financial Officer

Business Wire

Mark Craig to step into new role of Chief Investment Officer

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Howden, the global insurance intermediary group, today announces the appointment of Susan Panuccio as Group Chief Financial Officer, effective 6 January 2026. She will bring more than 30 years of global financial leadership experience to the Howden Group board as the company pursues its ambitious plans for the future.

Susan will join Howden after more than two decades with News Corp, having spent the last eight years as Chief Financial Officer and as a core part of the leadership team that helmed the company through a major growth and transformation period in its history. During her tenure, News Corp achieved record results, transitioned into a diversified digital- and subscription-first business, and made several strategic investments while streamlining costs and increasing margin. She previously held senior board and leadership positions at News Corp in the UK and Australia. Prior to that, Susan worked for AngloGold Ashanti and Ansett Australia, having started her career as an accountant with KPMG.

David Howden, CEO, Howden, said: “Howden’s capital model, with our core employee ownership and aligned external investors, is at the heart of our difference, together with our ability to attract the very best talent, our culture, and our sustainable growth story. Finding a partner to guard and grow this model as we deliver our ambitious plans for the future, including our recently-announced expansion in the US market, is critical. After a long and careful search, I am delighted that in Susan we have found an incredibly well-respected Group CFO with sharp commercial acumen, rich experience of transformation and growth in a US-listed global company, and a personal and collegiate approach to building a business. I am very much looking forward to working with her as we continue to build Howden.”

Susan Panuccio said: “After a fantastic twenty years with News Corp, the opportunity to join Howden in this next ambitious chapter is genuinely exciting. David and the leadership team’s energy and passion really stood out. The business model and growth strategy are clearly unique and I am excited to get started.”

Mark Craig, who has served as Group Chief Financial Officer for the past six years and who has led Howden’s Finance function through the most transformational period in the company’s history, will step into the new role of Chief Investment Officer.

David Howden said: “In 2019, when Mark took over the role of CFO, the Group had revenue of £725m and 5,000 employees. This has grown to £3.5bn and 23,000 employees. During this time, Howden has undertaken more than 200 acquisitions, grown organically at over 14% per annum and completed substantial debt and equity raises. Mark has been absolutely integral to this success and I’m delighted that his contribution and our partnership will continue as he steps into this new role focusing on our investment activities.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

About Howden

Howden is a leading global insurance intermediary group with employee ownership at its heart. Founded in 1994, it provides insurance, reinsurance and underwriting services and solutions to clients ranging from private individuals to the largest multinational companies.

The Group operates in 56 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the USA, Australia and New Zealand, employs 23,000 people and manages premiums totalling $47 billion on behalf of its clients.

Further information can be found at www.howdengroup.com and www.howdengroupholdings.com.