Barry Zyskind Explained

Barry Dov Zyskind
Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, US
Alma Mater:New York University Stern School of Business
Occupation:Chairman, CEO[1]
Employer:AmTrust Financial Services
Spouse:Esther Karfunkel Zyskind[2]
Family:George Karfunkel (uncle)
Michael Karfunkel (father-in-law)

Barry Zyskind is an American businessman in the insurance industry, and head of AmTrust Financial Services Inc.[3] In the September 2016 edition of Best's Review, an A.M. Best publication, AmTrust was ranked the 11th largest commercial insurer in the US, up from 128th position in 2005.[4] In the interview, CEO Zyskind attributed AmTrust's growth to its 'focus on small commercial customers, its proprietary technology platform, and its extensive database of loss history to help appropriately price and structure policies.'[5]

Early life

Zyskind has an MBA from New York University Stern School of Business.[6] After university, he worked as an investment banker at Janney Montgomery Scott LLC.

AmTrust

In 1998, Zyskind was named a director of AmTrust Financial Services, which was founded in the same year by his father-in-law, Michael Karfunkel and his brother, George Karfunkel.[7] [8] As of 2016, he is chairman, CEO and president, relinquishing the latter role to Adam Karkowsky in 2019.[3] He also holds key executive positions at the firm's many wholly owned subsidiaries such as AMT Warranty Corporation.[9]

Other roles

Zyskind has been non-executive chairman at National General Holdings Corp since 2016. He holds the same position at Maiden Holdings Ltd[10] and sits on the board of American Stock Transfer & Trust Co.

Zyskind sits on the management board of First Non-Profit Foundation[11] – a private grant-making organization in Pennsylvania that seeks to strengthen the nonprofit sector in America.

He co-founded Pine Technology Acquisition Corp, a Special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in 2021.[12] In March 2021, the SPAC raised $345 million in an IPO.

Recognition

Zyskind has twice appeared on Forbes lists of successful businessmen. In 2012 he was listed as the 11th most powerful CEO under the age of 40.[13] Then in 2014, under his leadership, AmTrust was listed as America's best managed insurance company.[14]

Notes and References

  1. News: AmTrust : Everything you need to know . October 3, 2023 . Insurance Business.
  2. Web site: Barry Zyskind's High Stakes Three Card Monte Game . 2019-10-14 . Southern Investigative Reporting Foundation.
  3. Web site: Barry Zyskind . October 3, 2023 . AmTrust Financial.
  4. Smith . Kate . 2016-09-01 . Steep Ascent: AmTrust Climbed 117 Spots in the Rankings by Maximizing Technology and Staying Focused on Small-Business Specialty Lines . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20181115103418/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-463632174.html . 2018-11-15 . Best's Review . HighBeam Research.
  5. Web site: Smith . Kate . Steep Ascents with Barry Zyskind and AmTrust . https://web.archive.org/web/20161013153612/http://blog.amtrustgroup.com/policywire/steep-ascent-with-barry-zyskind-and-amtrust . 2016-10-13 . 2016-10-09 . AmTrust North America.
  6. Web site: Business Leaders. 4 Traders. 6 October 2016.
  7. Michael Karfunkel, the Orthodox Billionaire No One Heard Of, Dies at 72. Nathan-Kazis, Josh. The Forward. April 28, 2016.
  8. Web site: AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. Announces The Passing Of Founder And Chairman Michael Karfunkel. The Street. 29 June 2016. 27 April 2016.
  9. Web site: Barry Dov Zyskind. Bloomberg. 6 October 2016.
  10. News: Barry D. Zyskind. The Wall Street Journal. 6 October 2016. 8 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180408141447/https://quotes.wsj.com/AFSI/company-people/executive-profile/2624774. dead.
  11. Web site: Barry D. Zyskind. First Nonprofit Foundation. 6 October 2016.
  12. Web site: Mughal. Sarah. Barry D. Zyskind. S&P Global. October 3, 2023.
  13. America's 20 Most Powerful CEOs 40 and Under. https://web.archive.org/web/20120216174021/http://www.forbes.com/pictures/efkk45gegd/no-11-barry-zyskind/#fb437004fabe. dead. February 16, 2012. Forbes. 6 October 2016.
  14. Chen. Liyan. America's Best-Managed Companies. Forbes. 6 October 2016.