Holborn Corporation, the independent, 100% employee-owned reinsurance intermediary, today announced the next phase of its long-planned leadership succession. Effective March 1, 2027, Adam Manus will become Chief Executive Officer, Tim Releford will become President, and Frank Harrison will continue with Holborn as Non-Executive Chairman.

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Effective March 1, 2027, Adam Manus (right) will become Holborn’s Chief Executive Officer, and Tim Releford (left) will assume the role of President. Frank Harrison (center) will retire, but he will continue with Holborn as Non-Executive Chairman.

Effective March 1, 2027, Adam Manus (right) will become Holborn’s Chief Executive Officer, and Tim Releford (left) will assume the role of President. Frank Harrison (center) will retire, but he will continue with Holborn as Non-Executive Chairman.

The transition represents an important milestone for Holborn, but not a change in its fundamental direction. The firm will remain independent, employee-owned and committed to the long-term, team-based approach to client service that has increasingly defined Holborn over the past several decades.

A graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Harrison began his reinsurance career in 1982 and joined Holborn in 1989. He developed into a producer and broker before moving into executive leadership and becoming Chief Executive Officer in 2005, only the third CEO in the firm’s 107-year history. During his tenure, Holborn converted to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), expanded its geographic footprint and analytical capabilities, and evolved its client-service model from individual account ownership to a collaborative, company-wide approach. Internally, Holborn describes that evolution as: “my client” became “our client.”

The ESOP was designed to support succession, perpetuation and independence by allowing ownership to pass from one generation of employees to the next. That structure has become increasingly distinctive as consolidation has reduced the number of independent firms in the reinsurance brokerage industry.

Under Harrison’s leadership, Holborn’s revenues have increased more than tenfold since becoming an ESOP, substantially all through organic growth.

Both Manus and Releford joined Holborn directly from college and have spent their entire professional careers at the firm. Manus joined in 1993 following his graduation from Hamilton College, beginning as a Broker Analyst and ultimately rising to President. He earned an MBA from New York University while at Holborn. Releford joined directly from Princeton University in 2004 and has played a central role in developing Holborn’s financial and catastrophe-modeling capabilities. Together, they bring approximately 55 years of Holborn experience to their new positions.

Holborn has historically been led by practitioners, and that model will continue. In their new leadership roles, Manus and Releford will remain directly involved with clients and work alongside Holborn’s broking teams on client accounts.

Harrison said: “Succession should be built into the institution. We have spent years preparing for this moment—not simply identifying new leaders but building a company that can perpetuate itself while preserving the values and culture that have defined Holborn for more than a century.

“Adam and Tim understand Holborn because they grew up professionally here. They understand our clients, our people, our culture and, most importantly, the responsibility that comes with being entrusted with someone else’s business.”

Manus said: “Frank’s greatest contribution to Holborn may ultimately be the institution he has helped build. We are independent, our employees own the company, and we are able to make decisions with a long-term perspective. Those fundamentals will not change. Tim and I now have the responsibility not simply to preserve them, but to build on them as we continue strengthening the capabilities we bring to our clients.”

Releford added: “The reinsurance business continues to become more complex, and our clients increasingly expect sophisticated analytics to complement market expertise and judgment. We will continue investing in those capabilities while preserving the personal attention, teamwork and accountability that have always distinguished Holborn.”

As Non-Executive Chairman, Harrison will continue to serve at the Board level, providing strategic counsel and institutional knowledge while relinquishing responsibility for the firm’s day-to-day management.

Harrison added: “I leave the CEO position with enormous confidence because I know the people who are taking responsibility for Holborn’s future. The names and titles at the top will change. The Holborn Way will not.”

About Holborn

Founded in 1920 and headquartered in New York, Holborn Corporation is an independent, 100% employee-owned reinsurance brokerage firm providing reinsurance brokerage, analytical and advisory services to clients throughout the United States and around the world.

For more than a century, Holborn has built its business around long-term relationships, technical expertise and a commitment to its clients. Its employee-owned structure and team-based service model align its professionals around a common purpose: serving clients collectively and building relationships capable of enduring across generations. Visit: www.holborn.com

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