Vantage Group Holdings has launched a Facultative Reinsurance business and appointed Lisa Pickard as its president, expanding the company’s specialty insurance and reinsurance operations following its acquisition by Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HHH) in June 2026.
Pickard will report directly to Vantage CEO Greg Hendrick and oversee the division’s strategic direction, underwriting risk appetite, recruitment and relationships with brokers and clients.
- Vantage Group Holdings has established a Facultative Reinsurance business as part of its expansion following its June 2026 acquisition by Howard Hughes Holdings.
- Lisa Pickard, formerly an underwriting and strategy executive at Arch Re, has been appointed President of Facultative Reinsurance, reporting to CEO Greg Hendrick.
- The new division will focus on specialty facultative reinsurance, disciplined underwriting, portfolio management and relationships with brokers and clients.
The new business forms part of Vantage’s strategy to expand its specialty underwriting capabilities, supported by the permanent capital backing of Howard Hughes Holdings.
Lisa Pickard to lead Vantage’s facultative reinsurance division
Pickard brings decades of experience in property facultative reinsurance, spanning underwriting leadership, portfolio strategy, business development and operations.
She began her career at Gen Re before joining Arch Re Facultative, where she managed underwriting teams, developed portfolio strategies and helped build the company’s underwriting capabilities.
Pickard subsequently became Arch Re’s first Chief Strategy Officer, serving on its executive leadership committee and overseeing corporate strategy and growth initiatives.
Most recently, she founded Atlas Gray, an advisory firm specialising in underwriting strategy, portfolio construction, operating models and leadership development for insurance organisations.
Lisa brings rare depth as both an underwriting leader and strategist. Her track record of building high-caliber teams and scaling disciplined portfolios reflects the exact rigor we need as we establish our facultative line and drive Vantage’s next phase of growth.
Marc Grandisson, Executive Chairman of Vantage
At Vantage, Pickard will be responsible for establishing the facultative reinsurance team, defining underwriting standards and developing relationships with brokers and clients.
The division’s operating approach will emphasise technical underwriting expertise, portfolio discipline, clear accountability and decision-making authority within the underwriting team.
“Vantage has built a dynamic business that delivers tailored, data-driven solutions to clients,” Pickard said. “I look forward to assembling a world-class team and partnering closely with our client community to provide disciplined, tailored facultative solutions that respond directly to complex risk environments while advancing Vantage’s commitment to excellence and innovation.”
Vantage expands specialty reinsurance operations under Howard Hughes
The launch follows Howard Hughes Holdings’ acquisition of Vantage in June 2026 and represents another step in the company’s plans to expand its specialty insurance and reinsurance businesses.
Founded in 2020, Vantage operates as a specialty insurance and reinsurance provider, combining underwriting experience with data-driven risk analysis to provide capacity to brokers and clients.
Its ownership by Howard Hughes Holdings provides permanent capital support, allowing the company to underwrite through different market cycles.
The new Facultative Reinsurance division will extend Vantage’s existing underwriting operations, with Pickard responsible for building the team and developing the business’s portfolio strategy and distribution relationships.
