Openly announces independent board of directors appointments

Openly has appointed Michael Watson as executive chairman, Mark Flaherty as independent director, and named Bart Hedges as lead independent director as it continues to scale its homeowners insurance platform.

The company said the appointments bring experience across insurance, investment management, and governance to support its next phase of growth and expansion through independent agents.

“These appointments reflect where Openly is today and where we’re headed. Michael, Mark, and Bart are exactly the kind of experienced, expert leaders you want around the table as you scale in a complex industry, and we’re thrilled to welcome them into these roles.” – Ty Harris, CEO and Co-Founder, Openly.

“Openly has built something rare, a technology-forward insurance company with genuine underwriting discipline. The homeowners market is ripe for a scaled, modern carrier, and I see a tremendous opportunity to help Openly become that. I’m looking forward to working closely with Ty and the board to accelerate that vision.” – Michael Watson, executive chairman, Openly.

“What attracted me to Openly is the combination of a strong leadership team, a clear market opportunity, and a business model that’s proving itself at scale. I’ve seen firsthand how the right governance can unlock the next stage of growth, and I’m excited to contribute to that here.” – Mark Flaherty, independent director, Openly.