Gary Kaplan
About Gary Kaplan
Gary Kaplan serves as the President of Construction at AXA XL, where he has worked since 2018. With prior leadership roles at XL Insurance and Zurich Insurance, he has extensive experience in the construction insurance sector and has contributed to industry discussions through articles and board leadership.
Current Role at AXA XL
Gary Kaplan serves as the President of Construction at AXA XL, a division of AXA, since 2018. He is based in Chicago, IL. In this role, he focuses on leading initiatives that drive technology adoption within the construction industry. Kaplan co-founded the AXA XL Construction Ecosystem, which aims to enhance collaboration and innovation in construction practices.
Previous Experience at XL Insurance
Kaplan held the position of President at XL Insurance from 2010 to 2015. During his tenure, he was responsible for overseeing the construction sector and played a key role in turning around unacceptable underwriting results across several large books of business. He continued to work at XL Insurance until 2018, where he also served as the Interim Head of Distribution & Network.
Leadership at Zurich Insurance
Before his time at XL Insurance, Kaplan worked at Zurich Insurance as President of Construction from 2008 to 2010. He also held various roles at Zurich North America, including Underwriting Program Executive in the Strategic Initiatives Group and Director of Property Line of Business. His experience at Zurich contributed to his expertise in managing large-scale operational transformations.
Educational Background
Kaplan studied at Northern Illinois University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from 1975 to 1979. He also attended Oak Park River Forest High School from 1971 to 1975. His educational background laid the foundation for his analytical skills in the insurance and construction sectors.
Industry Contributions and Insights
Kaplan has authored an article titled 'A look under the hood: What’s driving the Construction Insurance Market' on AXA XL's platform. In this article, he emphasizes the importance of insurance in protecting construction projects and discusses current trends and challenges in the industry, including labor shortages, rising costs, and the impact of recent legislation such as the CHIPS Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.