London underwriting specialist is betting its future on data and technology
By Kenneth Araullo
Rising Edge has completed the sale of Rising Edge D&O Ltd, its management liability division, to K2 International. The transaction closed on February 1.
The London and Europe-based underwriting specialist said the divestiture will allow it to concentrate resources on developing new insurance lines, with an emphasis on technology and data-driven offerings.
Philippe Gouraud (pictured above), chief executive officer of Rising Edge, said the sale reflects the company’s approach of developing underwriters into standalone ventures. He noted that the transaction provides financial resources to accelerate expansion into new business lines and market segments.
“While D&O has been a core part of our portfolio, this sale gives us significant financial resources to accelerate the development of new lines of business and market segments, with advanced technological solutions, where we can deliver the greatest value to our capacity providers, and to our brokers and their clients,” Gouraud said.
Nate Hunter, group chief financial officer at K2, described Rising Edge’s D&O operation as a fitting addition to the K2 group. He welcomed Yoel Brightman and his team to the organization.
According to Dominion Risk data cited by Price Forbes, the average cost of US$1 million in D&O coverage has dropped 5.2% year-on-year, with nearly 70% of primary policies seeing reductions.
The Corporate Counsel notes that median premium reductions in primary layers have moderated to 5% in 2025, down from steeper declines of 14% to 22% in 2023.
Capacity remains plentiful for preferred risks, WTW notes, with carriers willing to deploy additional capacity. However, Price Forbes cautions that while the soft market may persist into early 2026, insurers are becoming more selective.
Rising claims severity remains a concern across the sector. According to Price Forbes, Cornerstone Research data shows AI-related securities filings doubled in 2024, while ESG-related litigation is expected to accelerate as global regulations tighten.
The shift in market conditions may present both challenges and opportunities for K2 International as it takes on the D&O portfolio during buyer-friendly conditions ahead of a potential rate correction.
Isabel Alvarez del Rio, Rising Edge co-founder and director, said the company remains fully management-owned and debt-free. She said the firm continues to operate without technology legacy systems.
New business and renewals will now be handled by Brightman’s underwriting team at K2 International. Rising Edge will maintain responsibility for servicing existing policies and claims.
Owen Dacey, general counsel and head of claims at Rising Edge, said protocols have been established between the two companies to ensure service continuity. He said the transition would be seamless for brokers and clients.
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