The Hartford announced expanded roles for two key executives, and appointed a new chief risk officer, in a leadership and organizational change that will take effect Nov. 2. Data and Artificial Intelligence will be combined with the Technology organization, under Chief Information Officer Shekar Pannala’s leadership. Chief Claims Officer Stephen Deane will oversee the company’s Operations in addition to his current role as head of Claims. Additionally, Chief Financial Officer for Business Insurance, Employee Benefits, Claims and centralized services, James M. Yanosy, has been named chief risk officer.

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Shekar Pannala

Shekar Pannala

“These leadership changes reflect our commitment to continually evolving our organization to better serve customers, accelerate innovation and position The Hartford for long-term success,” said The Hartford’s Chairman and CEO Christopher Swift. “We are simplifying execution, sharpening accountability, and increasing our ability to respond to a rapidly changing business environment while building on the strong foundation and performance track-record for which we are known.”

Yanosy will report directly to Swift. Pannala continues to report to Swift, and Deane continues to report to President A. Morris “Mo” Tooker.

Pannala has served as chief information officer since March 2025. He joined The Hartford in March 2023 to lead technology across the company’s Property & Casualty businesses. Previously, Pannala served as the global CIO of Chubb where he was responsible for technology across the enterprise. Before Chubb, Pannala was chief technology officer at S&P Global. He also held senior management roles at BNY Mellon, where he was executive vice president and divisional chief information officer responsible for asset servicing technology. Pannala holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications with distinction from Nagarjuna University.

Deane returned to The Hartford in November 2023 to become chief claims officer after three years at Liberty Mutual Insurance where he served as executive vice president and chief claims officer, Global Risk Solutions, North America. Before joining Liberty Mutual, he gained more than 16 years of experience at The Hartford in various leadership roles, including senior vice president of Group Benefits and Workers’ Compensation claims. Prior to that, he was an attorney at Robinson & Cole, LLP, and managed a claims team at Travelers. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a law degree from the University of Connecticut.

Yanosy has served as chief financial officer for Business Insurance, Employee Benefits, Claims and centralized services, since 2019. He has held a variety of roles within the finance team since joining the company in 2003, including leading teams in financial reporting, expense management and technology risk management. He has served as a chief financial officer for every part of the enterprise. Prior to joining The Hartford, Yanosy was a director of financial reporting at American Skandia. He also spent 10 years at Arthur Andersen LLP, where he rose to the level of senior manager as an auditor. Yanosy is a certified public accountant and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Connecticut.

Tooker said, “These changes reflect our continued focus on making it easier to do business with The Hartford, positioning us for opportunities ahead while maintaining our excellence in managing risk. Closer alignment between Operations and Claims will create greater connectivity across the customer experience, helping us respond with speed, empathy and consistency when it matters most. By bringing our data and AI capabilities together under the leadership of our chief information officer, we can more effectively embed advanced analytics and emerging technologies into the way we serve customers and support distribution partners.”

Prateek Chhabra, current chief risk officer, and Jeffery Hawkins, current chief data, AI and operations officer, will leave the company at the end of the year.

About The Hartford

The Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance and employee benefits. By anticipating challenges and reducing risks our customers face, the company helps people and businesses thrive with confidence. Built on a foundation of trust, The Hartford is committed to strong performance, exceptional customer experiences and bold innovation, hallmarks of its sustained success since 1810.

The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. More information on the company and its financial performance is available on its website. For additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice.

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Some of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors should consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ. These important risks and uncertainties include those discussed in our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q, and the other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of the date issued.

From time to time, The Hartford may use its website and/or social media channels to disseminate material company information. Financial and other important information regarding The Hartford is routinely accessible through and posted on our website at https://ir.thehartford.com. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other information about The Hartford when you enroll your email address by visiting the “Email Alerts” section at https://ir.thehartford.com.

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