AM Best Announces Appointment of Kenneth Johnson as Chief Ratings Officer; Stefan Holzberger as Chief Operating Officer

AM Best is pleased to announce the appointment of Kenneth J. Johnson as senior managing director and chief ratings officer, responsible for AM Best’s global ratings coverage.

Johnson will be based at AM Best’s global headquarters in Oldwick, NJ, and will report to Stefan Holzberger, who has assumed the position of executive vice president and chief operating officer, AM Best Rating Services.

Johnson has more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry and credit analysis, including managerial roles at HSBC Securities, (USA) Inc., and at J.P. Morgan/Chase Manhattan Bank, covering the insurance industry in various capacities. He joined AM Best in 2009 and since has taken on positions of increased responsibility, most recently as managing director and a senior member of AM Best’s rating division. Johnson also co-founded the rating division’s Investment Working and Hybrid Evaluation Groups. He was formally credit-trained through Chase Manhattan’s MBA Credit Training Program and holds a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, as well as the Chartered Alternative Investment Asset (CAIA) and Financial Risk Manager (FRM) designations. He received an MBA in finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Holzberger, who joined AM Best in 2001, previously held the role of chief ratings officer. With his new responsibilities as chief operating officer, he is responsible for AM Best’s ratings operations globally, including data management and systems, rating methodology and the ratings division. He will report to James Gillard, president, AM Best Rating Services. In addition, effective from the start of 2025, Holzberger will hold executive management positions in AM Best’s non-U.S. subsidiaries. He holds the Chartered Financial Consultant (CFC) designation, is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and received an MBA in finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

“Stefan and Ken bring extensive knowledge of the insurance industry and the financial services sector, with a depth and breadth of experience of the credit rating industry,” said Gillard. “They will be strong leaders for our global analytical teams.”

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

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