Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc. filed a Form 8-K on August 20, 2026, disclosing that Chief Financial Officer Mark Haushill notified the company of his intention to retire effective March 31, 2027, and that Taryn McHarg has been appointed to succeed him as CFO upon his retirement.

Key Highlights

  • CFO retirement notice: Mark Haushill notified Skyward Specialty on August 17, 2026 of his intention to retire effective March 31, 2027.
  • Senior Advisor agreement: Haushill will serve as Senior Advisor from March 31, 2027 through December 31, 2027, receiving an annualized base salary of $250,000 during that period.
  • No disagreement: According to the filing, Haushill's retirement "did not result from any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to the Company's operations, policies, or practices."
  • Successor appointed: Taryn McHarg, currently Deputy CFO and CFO of Apollo, was appointed CFO effective upon Haushill's retirement; she will also serve as Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer.
  • McHarg's compensation: Under her existing employment agreement, McHarg receives an annual base salary of approximately $540,000 (£400,000) and has a target bonus opportunity of 20% to 60% of her base salary.
  • Equity award: In connection with the Apollo acquisition, McHarg received a restricted stock unit award valued at $1,750,000, vesting 50% on the third anniversary of closing and 50% on the fourth anniversary of closing.

Skyward Specialty Discloses CFO Transition and Senior Advisor Terms

Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:SKWD) disclosed in an August 20, 2026 Form 8-K that Mark Haushill, its Chief Financial Officer, provided notice on August 17, 2026 of his intention to retire. His retirement is effective March 31, 2027. The company entered into a Senior Advisor Letter Agreement dated August 19, 2026 with Haushill, under which he will provide advisory services to the CEO through December 31, 2027. During that Advisory Period, the filing states, Haushill will not be eligible to earn an annual bonus, will not participate in the Short Term Incentive Plan beginning with the 2027 plan year, and will not receive new equity awards, though outstanding equity awards will continue to vest under their ordinary terms.

The company announced simultaneously that Taryn McHarg, age 48, will become CFO effective upon Haushill's retirement. McHarg joined Skyward Specialty in January 2026 following the company's acquisition of Apollo Group Holdings Limited, where she had served as CFO since May 2022. Before Apollo, the filing notes, she served as CFO of various divisions of Bupa, a private medical insurer, from September 2016 through December 2021. According to the filing, she holds a Chartered Accountant (Fellow) designation from Australia and New Zealand and an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management (University of NSW).

The filing states that the company intends to have McHarg's compensation reviewed by the Compensation Committee in the ordinary course of its annual review, expected in the first quarter of 2027. McHarg's form employment agreement is expected to be filed as an exhibit to the company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2026. The filing also confirms there are no family relationships between McHarg and any director or executive officer, and no related party transactions requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

What Was Disclosed

The filing disclosed the planned retirement of CFO Mark Haushill effective March 31, 2027, his Senior Advisor arrangement through December 31, 2027 at $250,000 annualized, and the appointment of Taryn McHarg as incoming CFO with an existing annual base salary of approximately $540,000 (£400,000).