Counterpart Leans Into Growth With New Director of Digital Distribution and Doubles Down on Field Team Appointments

Industry veteran Jim Smith to expand Counterpart’s API adoption and strengthen digital capabilities amidst new business development and underwriting hires nationally

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Counterpart, the leading management and professional liability insurtech backed by Aspen, Markel, and Westfield Specialty^®, today announced its new appointment of industry veteran, Jim Smith, as Counterpart’s Director of Digital Distribution to advance the company’s digital initiatives and drive continued growth through its APIs.

Smith brings more than two decades of experience in C-level enterprise sales, relationship management, growth, API technology market research, operations, and extensive SaaS experience. Most recently, he served as VP of Strategy and Partnerships at Relay Platform, where he worked closely with wholesale brokers and retail agents. Prior to his role at Relay, Smith spent over three years at Bold Penguin as the Head of Strategic Partnerships. Smith also spent six years at Hiscox as Senior Partnership Manager, where he drove the strategy and success of their digital product through unique partnerships with insurtechs, MGAs, and national carriers.

“Counterpart is leading the way in insurance,” Smith said. “Joining this team means being part of something transformative. We’re not just improving how we work with clients—we’re rethinking it entirely, using new approaches and technology to provide real value. It's an opportunity to change the way we connect with clients, and offer exceptional service. Together, we’ll not only adapt to the industry’s changes but also set new expectations for what’s possible in insurance.”

In recent months, Counterpart has ramped up hiring across all key insurance functions, as it sees demand for its leading management liability products and services accelerating among brokers and carriers. On top of its recent product hires and promotions, Counterpart has added significant depth to its underwriting and business development teams with the addition of Ben Dubash, Senior Business Development Manager; Vanessa Lujan, Senior Production Risk Engineer; Taylor Schultz, Production Risk Engineer; and Dominick Liberty, Production Risk Engineer.

"Counterpart has been one of our top markets for management and professional liability," said Kevin Merchant, Senior Vice President at Wholesure. “Their underwriters have been instrumental in helping us grow through their expertise and support. Looking ahead, we’re excited to see how their focus on digital submissions will further strengthen our partnership and drive continued success."

About Counterpart:

Counterpart pairs trusted insurance experts with AI-driven underwriting and claims technology to enable small businesses to do more with less risk. Backed by A rated carriers such as Aspen, Markel, and Westfield Specialty^®, Counterpart offers proprietary management and professional liability insurance. These products are complemented by a suite of tools and services that help its customers proactively reduce risk and grow with confidence. Counterpart has been recognized as the "Underwriting Innovation of the Year" in 2023 by Inside P&C, "Best Places to Work" in 2024 by Business Insurance, and "Top 50 Insurtech" in 2024 by CB Insights. For more information, visit yourcounterpart.com.