People Moves: Africa Specialty Risks Names Bheenick as Mauritius Managing Director; WTW’s Whyte Joins Miller for APAC Expansion

Africa Specialty Risks Names Bheenick Managing Director in Mauritius

Africa Specialty Risks (ASR), the pan-African focused reinsurance group, has appointed Krishna Bheenick as its managing director in Mauritius. The company said it is also launching a recruitment drive to attract qualified professionals to join the business.

Bheenick brings a wealth of experience in the Insurance and wider Financial Services sector in Mauritius and internationally, having held senior positions at SWAN General Limited, Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd., XL Catlin Insurance (UK), Munich Mauritius Reinsurance Co. Ltd. and Munich Re of Africa Ltd., among others.

Bheenick will lead ASR’s operations in Mauritius, where the company is now seeking to recruit across all levels, specifically within the underwriting, compliance, finance, and business administration departments.

“This marks a significant milestone for ASR as we seek to build our business locally in order to serve the growing needs of the African continent. With his vast expertise in the reinsurance market locally and internationally, and his deep understanding of African markets, Krishna will be a key member of our team as we continue to develop the business,” commented Mikir Shah, CEO of ASR.

“Mauritius is a key financial hub for the Continent and offers significant opportunities to grow the business. ASR will provide additional African-domiciled capacity in the market, especially in the light of the pandemic which has led a number of global reinsurers to focus more on their home markets,” said Bheenick.

ASR announced the launch of a fully capitalized and licensed reinsurer based in Mauritius on May 20. ASR is backed by Helios Investment Partners, the largest Africa-focused private investment firm, through its latest private equity fund Helios Investors IV, L.P., whose investors include CDC Group (the UK’s development finance institution) and the International Finance Corp. (a member of the World Bank Group).

In addition to the operations in Mauritius, ASR has announced plans to establish hubs in six other African countries, namely Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt and Nigeria. ASR will be investing in local training of the market in specialty insurance lines, as well as recruitment and infrastructure surrounding the hubs.

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WTW’s Whyte Joins Miller to Lead Expansion in Asia-Pacific

Miller, the London-based independent specialist re/insurance broker, announced the appointment of Ron Whyte who joins to lead the broker’s expansion in Asia-Pacific.

Whyte, who joins as head of Strategic Development, will be based in Singapore and brings over 40 years of industry experience to Miller. His focus will be to drive Miller’s growth strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, bringing Miller’s exceptional capabilities and expanding its service proposition to clients and prospects. He will commence his new role on Sept. 1, 2021.

Whyte joins Miller from Willis Towers Watson (WTW) where he most recently held the role of COO of Corporate Risk and Broking (CRB) for Asia. Prior to joining WTW in 2018, he held positions at Integro, where he was co-head of International, as well as Guy Carpenter where he co-headed its global facultative unit, GC Fac.

Mike Papworth, head of Asia, commented: “Our international strategy is centered around making key hires at our regional hubs, and we continue to attract market talent that is drawn to Miller’s vision and exciting growth plans. Our intention is to grow significantly in Asia, and Ron is the ideal person to bolster these efforts by evaluating and driving investment opportunities in this important region.”

Topics Talent Excess Surplus Willis Towers Watson Human Resources