“You can’t cut yourself to greatness.”

Simon Wilson, chief executive officer of Markel Insurance, made the simple statement at a Markel Group Brunch meeting for investors in Omaha on May 4 to convey the idea the hard work of reducing underperforming insurance business has been largely done in recent years. Markel Insurance is now intent on growing its “bread-and-butter” excess and surplus lines insurance business, written through wholesale brokers.