LONDON, June 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Markel Insurance, the insurance operation within Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL), today announced the appointment of Bhavik Desai as Managing Director – PFR & Cyber within its London Market business.
In his new role, Desai will lead underwriting strategy, portfolio performance and broker and client engagement across PFR & Cyber, supporting Markel's continued focus on disciplined underwriting, technical excellence and sustainable growth across complex specialty classes.
Desai succeeds David Sawyer, who remains with the business until his planned retirement at the end of 2026.
Since joining Markel in 2013, Desai has held a series of senior underwriting roles, including Head of Professional Indemnity and Director of Professional Indemnity, Media & Entertainment. He has extensive experience across Professional Indemnity, Media & Entertainment and related specialist lines.
Before joining Markel, Desai held underwriting leadership roles at AIG, including responsibility for London-placed Professional Indemnity business and the UK & Ireland Construction Professional Indemnity portfolio.
At Markel, Desai has helped develop the Professional Indemnity and Media portfolios, with a focus on underwriting discipline, portfolio management, broker engagement and renewal consistency.
As Managing Director, PFR & Cyber, Desai will focus on disciplined portfolio performance, developing underwriting talent and strengthening Markel's position across professional, financial and cyber-related risks. He'll also work closely with colleagues across underwriting, claims, actuarial, distribution and operations to support insight-led decision-making and modern underwriting practices.
Rohan Davies, Managing Director – London Market, commented: "Bhavik is a highly respected underwriting leader with deep technical expertise, strong broker relationships and a clear understanding of the markets in which our PFR & Cyber teams operate. His appointment provides leadership continuity for the division and supports our focus on disciplined underwriting, portfolio performance and sustainable growth.
"PFR & Cyber operate in areas where risk profiles and client needs continue to evolve quickly. Bhavik's experience, judgement and collaborative leadership style make him well placed to lead the division as we continue to develop our proposition for brokers and clients."
Desai added: "I'm proud to take on this role and to lead a division with such strong specialist expertise, and market relationships. PFR & Cyber brings together areas that are increasingly important to our brokers and clients, and our focus will remain on disciplined underwriting, responsive service and long-term portfolio performance.
"We have talented people across the division and strong relationships across the market. My priority is to build on those foundations, support our teams and continue developing a business that delivers consistent value for brokers, clients and Markel."
About Markel Insurance
We are Markel Insurance, a leading global specialty insurer with a truly people-first approach. As the insurance operations within the Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL), we leverage a broad array of capabilities and expertise to create intelligent solutions for the most complex specialty insurance needs. However, it is our people – and the deep, valued relationships they develop with colleagues, brokers and clients – that differentiates us worldwide.
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Markel International appoints Bhavik Desai as Managing Director, PFR & Cyber
SHANGHAI, June 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tsingke Biotech recently hosted the Oligonucleotide Drug Salon at the Hilton Shanghai Zhangjiang, bringing together experts from academia, biopharmaceutical companies, investment firms, and industry service organizations to discuss technological innovation, CMC development, delivery technologies, regulatory strategies, and commercialization pathways in the rapidly evolving field of oligonucleotide therapeutics.
As momentum in the global nucleic acid medicine sector continues to build, advances in chemistry, delivery systems, manufacturing, and clinical research are broadening the therapeutic applications of these modalities. The event provided a platform for stakeholders across the value chain to exchange perspectives on emerging trends and explore opportunities for collaboration and industry growth.
Advancing Industry Collaboration
Opening the event, Shijin Ma, CEO of Tsingke Biotech, noted that China's small nucleic acid industry is entering a new stage of development, evolving from technology adoption toward innovation-driven growth.
"Open collaboration has become increasingly important as the industry advances," said Ma. "Progress in nucleic acid therapeutics depends on coordinated innovation across the value chain—from nucleic acid synthesis and delivery technologies to CMC development and regulatory advancement. Through this forum, we hope to encourage meaningful dialogue and strengthen connections across the industry."
Expert Perspectives on Technology, Development, and Regulation
The scientific program featured presentations covering key aspects of small nucleic acid drug development.
Dr. Jun Bai, Head of the Nucleic Acid Research Department at Haichang Biotech, reviewed the evolution of siRNA therapeutics from sequence design and chemical modification to delivery platform development. He highlighted recent advances in GalNAc conjugates, antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates (AOCs), dual-targeting strategies, adipose tissue targeting, and kidney-directed delivery approaches.
Professor Qixian Chen, Chief Scientist of Tsingke Biotech and Professor at the Yangtze River Delta Intelligent Green Innovation Center of Zhejiang University, shared research progress in nucleic acid delivery technologies. His presentation focused on approaches designed to overcome intracellular delivery barriers and improve delivery beyond the liver, including applications in central nervous system and tumor-targeted therapies.
Providing a regulatory perspective, Dr. Yaning Wang, Founder and CEO of Shanghai Ruiningkang Bio, former Director of the Clinical Quantitative Pharmacology Review Division at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Chief Scientific Advisor to Tsingke Biotech, analyzed representative FDA approval cases and discussed scientific evidence generation, surrogate endpoint selection, and key considerations in regulatory decision-making for nucleic acid therapeutics.
Dr. Chengjiang Zhao, Co-founder of Youjia (Hangzhou) Biomedical Technology, examined critical CMC considerations from candidate selection through IND submission. Drawing on project experience, he highlighted the importance of strategic planning across process development, analytical methods, formulation development, quality studies, and toxicology batch manufacturing.
Representing the host organization, Dr. Xichao Chen, Head of Small Nucleic Acid Technology at Tsingke Biotech, introduced the company's integrated oligonucleotide drug development platform, outlining capabilities spanning sequence design, modification optimization, process development, and CMC studies.
Industry Leaders Discuss the Road Ahead
The event concluded with a roundtable discussion that brought together perspectives from across scientific innovation, CMC development, regulatory review, capital markets, and industry collaboration.
Participants agreed that as the sector continues to mature, long-term competitiveness will depend not only on individual technological breakthroughs, but also on the ability to integrate scientific innovation, manufacturing capabilities, regulatory expertise, and broader ecosystem resources.
Supporting the Full Lifecycle of Small Nucleic Acid Drug Development
As one of the early participants in China's nucleic acid industry, Tsingke Biotech has focused on building foundational technologies and industrial capabilities to advance nucleic acid-based therapeutics.
Leveraging proprietary nucleic acid synthesis equipment, core raw material technologies, and integrated manufacturing platforms, the company provides services spanning both research-grade and GMP-grade production. These capabilities support programs from early discovery through process development and commercialization.
Tsingke Biotech's service portfolio includes:
- Nucleic Acid Synthesis and Modification Platform: Customized development of siRNA, ASO, and other modified oligonucleotides, including 2'-OMe, 2'-F, phosphorothioate (PS), and GalNAc conjugation technologies.
- Small Nucleic Acid Drug CDMO Platform: Services covering hit screening, lead optimization, process development, analytical testing, and IND-enabling studies.
- Analytical Testing Platform: Quality research and analytical support for both development and regulatory submission.
The company is also exploring the application of artificial intelligence in nucleic acid drug development, including sequence design, candidate screening, and process optimization, with the goal of improving efficiency and accelerating development timelines.
Looking Ahead
The global field of small nucleic acid therapeutics continues to expand, driven by progress in basic research, clinical development, and manufacturing technologies that are enabling wider adoption of this modality. Tsingke Biotech remains committed to collaborating with academic institutions, innovative biopharmaceutical companies, and industry partners to advance technological innovation and accelerate the development of new therapies for patients worldwide.
About Tsingke Biotech
Tsingke Biotech is a leading innovator in synthetic biology, with a mission to build "the world's great gene factory." Combining proprietary reagents, consumables, and synthesis equipment with AI-driven molecular manufacturing technologies, Tsingke Biotech provides efficient and high-quality gene synthesis services. Its work supports industries ranging from biopharma to agriculture, food, and environmental sciences.
For news and updates, follow Tsingke Biotech on LinkedIn.
Media contact:
Mandy Qiu
qiumanqi@tsingke.com.cn
+86-13470470511
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Tsingke Biotech Hosts Shanghai Salon on Oligonucleotide Drugs, Spotlighting Next-Gen RNA Therapeutics
