Denise Olson, CPCU, FCAS, PBP, is Chief Underwriting Officer at K2 Insurance Services, where she leads underwriting strategy and product innovation across a growing portfolio of specialty insurance programs. With more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, Denise brings deep expertise in underwriting leadership, actuarial pricing, and program business development.
At K2 Insurance Services, Denise is responsible for establishing underwriting discipline, guiding portfolio performance, and supporting scalable growth across niche markets. Her leadership focuses on combining technical underwriting rigor with market-driven product design and strong carrier and MGA partnerships.
Prior to joining K2, Denise held senior underwriting and actuarial leadership roles at Zurich North America, including Head of Programs for the Middle Markets division, where she oversaw program business strategy and underwriting transformation initiatives. Earlier in her career, she built a strong actuarial foundation at CNA Insurance, specializing in pricing and risk analysis.
Denise holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation, is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS), and has earned the Program Business Professional (PBP) designation. She also serves on the Actuarial Science Advisory Board at the University of Nebraska, supporting the development of future insurance professionals.
Denise is a sought-after speaker on underwriting excellence, program business strategy, and specialty insurance innovation.
