Henderson Named as Interim CEO of Louisiana Citizens

Henderson, a seasoned regulatory official who currently holds the position of Deputy Commissioner for Consumer Advocacy at the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI), is scheduled to officially step into his new executive role at Louisiana Citizens on November 16. His appointment follows the departure of former CEO Richard Newberry, whose final day leading the organization concluded on November 11.

The transition comes at a critical juncture for Louisiana’s property insurance sector, which has faced significant regulatory and market pressures in recent years. As interim CEO, Henderson will take the helm of Louisiana Citizens, an organization designed to provide property insurance coverage to Louisiana home and business owners who are unable to secure coverage in the voluntary, private insurance market.

Henderson brings to the interim CEO position a wealth of experience spanning regulatory administration, consumer advocacy, and legal education within the insurance sector. Having served as the LDI’s Deputy Commissioner for Consumer Advocacy since 2012, Henderson has spent more than a decade directly engaging with policyholders, addressing consumer complaints, and navigating the intricate landscape of insurance policy disputes and market accessibility. Prior to his tenure in consumer advocacy, Henderson demonstrated his administrative capabilities within the same department by serving as the Deputy Commissioner for Licensing and Compliance at the LDI. In that capacity, he was instrumental in overseeing the regulatory compliance of insurance entities operating within the state, ensuring that market participants adhered to Louisiana’s statutory frameworks and consumer protection laws.

Beyond his extensive administrative career within state government, Henderson has established himself as a respected academic and legal educator in the field of insurance. His professional expertise extends beyond regulatory oversight into the classroom, where he actively contributes to the development of future legal and business professionals. Henderson teaches courses on insurance at Southern University’s School of Business, imparting practical and theoretical industry knowledge to undergraduate and graduate business students. Additionally, he shares his specialized knowledge of insurance law with aspiring attorneys as an instructor at the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center. This dual role as a high-ranking state regulator and an academic educator positions Henderson as a deeply knowledgeable figure capable of navigating the complex legal, financial, and operational challenges that typically characterize the property insurance market of last resort in Louisiana.

The leadership change at Louisiana Citizens follows the conclusion of Richard Newberry’s tenure as chief executive officer. Newberry, whose last day with the organization was November 11, guided Louisiana Citizens through a period marked by considerable volatility in the state’s property and casualty insurance markets, driven largely by frequent and severe weather events, reinsurance market contractions, and broader macroeconomic pressures affecting policyholders across the Gulf Coast region. With Newberry’s departure, Commissioner Temple moved swiftly to secure experienced leadership to ensure operational continuity at Louisiana Citizens while the state evaluates long-term strategic options for the insurer of last resort.

The Louisiana Department of Insurance, which oversees the regulatory framework governing the state’s insurance industry, emphasized the strategic importance of Henderson’s interim appointment. As Louisiana Citizens continues to serve as a vital safety net for citizens who cannot find coverage through conventional private insurers, the leadership of an official with deep institutional knowledge of both regulatory compliance and consumer relations is viewed as a stabilizing asset. Henderson’s background in licensing, compliance, and consumer advocacy provides him with a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted pressures currently facing both insurance companies and policyholders throughout the state.

As November 16 approaches and Henderson prepares to assume his new responsibilities, stakeholders across Louisiana’s insurance landscape will be closely watching the transition. The operational continuity provided by an experienced insider like Henderson is expected to steady Louisiana Citizens as it manages its policyholder base, processes claims, and coordinates with private market insurers to encourage depopulation efforts when market conditions permit. Through his extensive public service career and academic contributions, Henderson steps into the interim CEO role equipped with the regulatory background and educational grounding necessary to steer Louisiana Citizens through this transitional period.