Stephanie A. Watkins

Stephanie Watkins leads the Global Insurance Innovation Group that is responsible for driving HSB’s product innovation portfolio and keeping HSB’s specialty products and services leading edge.

Ms. Watkins joined HSB in 1996 as legal counsel. In 2004 she became Chief Legal Counsel and Company Secretary for HSB’s international insurance operations - HSB Engineering Insurance Limited (HSB UK). She moved to London and became the CEO of HSB UK in 2008. She held that position until 2016 when she was appointed Chair of the Board of HSB UK and relocated back to Hartford.  

In addition, Ms. Watkins was responsible for developing HSB’s engagement strategy with the insurtech ecosystem. In this role she identified companies to partner with to further enhance HSB’s capabilities and innovation efforts.

An advocate for the important role that diversity plays in business success, Ms. Watkins was the Executive Chair of the Munich Re North America Diversity and Inclusion Council from 2016 through 2018. She also served as the former Executive Sponsor of HSB’s P.R.I.D.E. employee resource group.

Ms. Watkins has been a member of many insurance industry associations, including the Chartered Insurance Institute and International Machinery Insurance Association. She is a former member of the board of the British Machinery Insurance Association.

Prior to joining HSB, Ms. Watkins was a trial attorney at Day, Berry & Howard (now Day Pitney) and was Associate General Counsel for Travelers Insurance Company. Ms. Watkins earned her Juris Doctorate, magna cum laude, from Western New England College School of Law. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, cum laude from Westfield State College, Massachusetts. Ms. Watkins is admitted to the bars of the State of Connecticut and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.