Newell Succeeds Founder Eknoian as World Insurance CEO

Brokerage World Insurance Associates announced John Newell will become chief executive officer, succeeding founder and long-time CEO Rich Eknoian.

Most recently, Newell was chief commercial officer at Newfront, a technology-enabled specialty brokerage platform. There, he led business units across insurance, benefits, and retirement services, expanding the firm into new industry verticals and geographies and transforming service delivery through integrated artificial intelligence and automation.

Before Newfront, Newell was at Marsh, most recently as head of the Central U.S. region and was a member of the firm’s U.S. Executive Committee, overseeing a business of more than $500 million with about 2,000 employees across 19 offices.

World said Newell will build on its momentum by continuing to invest in top-tier talent, expanding vertical expertise and accelerating enterprise-wide AI enablement.

Eknoian will assume the role of executive chairman, and will give counsel and support as well as stay involved in the team and culture he built since founding World in 2011 and growing it to be one of the country’s largest independent brokerages. Iselin, N.J.-based World Insurance was ranked 14th in Insurance Journal ‘s latest Top 100 Independent Property/Casualty Agencies report.

Eknoian’s World was fully integrated firm that combined disciplined M&A with a deeply client-centered culture that attracted partnerships with Charlesbank Capital Partners in 2020 and Goldman Sachs Asset Management in 2023. World said both continue to support World’s strategic initiatives, including organic growth and acquisitions.

“When I founded World in 2011, I set out to build the kind of brokerage I would have wanted to work for – one that puts clients first, treats its people as partners and grows with discipline and integrity,” said Eknoian. “I’m proud of what this team has built together, and I have great confidence in John’s ability to lead World into this next chapter. He understands the brokerage model at its core, he knows how to scale a complex organization and he shares the values that have made World who we are today.”