This edition of International People Moves details appointments from three insurers: Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI), AXA XL and Swiss Re Corporate Solutions.
A summary of these new hires follows here.
BHSI Enters Swiss Market, Names Metzger as Country Manager
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) announced it has opened a new office in Zurich, Switzerland, and appointed Leander Metzger as country manager.
“Establishing this new office in Zurich reflects our focus on expanding our presence and relationships throughout the DACH region. It is another important step in our strategy to steadily grow our capabilities, our team, and our local presence throughout Europe,” said Andreas Krause, Head of DACH, BHSI. “Leander has had great success building European relationships and we are excited to have him lead our expansion in Switzerland.”
BHSI is now underwriting property, casualty, and executive & professional lines in Switzerland and expects to launch several other product lines there in the coming months.
Metzger has more than 25 years of industry experience. He joined BHSI in June 2016 as head of Property, Engineering Lines and Risk Control, and will retain that position along with his new role. Before coming to BHSI, Metzger held management positions with both insurance brokers and insurers.
The new BHSI office is located at: Fraumuensterstrasse 16, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland
Metzger can be reached +41 (0)76 394 7007, or via email at Leander.Metzger@bhspecialty.com
***
AXA XL Promotes Shing to Head of International Casualty, UK & Lloyd’s
AXA XL’s insurance business announced it has promoted Olivia Shing to head of International Casualty, UK & Lloyd’s, effective immediately.
In her new role, Shing will be responsible for leading the International Casualty team in the UK, while developing and executing the regional underwriting strategy and ensuring continued profitability. She will also work with internal stakeholders and key brokers to support the unit’s underwriting and marketing strategies.
Shing has more than 20 years’ experience as a senior leader across client servicing, distribution and operational roles in the UK and Asia. Most recently, she held the position of head of Underwriting Management, UK & Lloyd’s at AXA XL, following successive promotions since joining in 2014.
“The casualty market is undergoing transformation through the emergence of risks related to social inflation, changing work patterns and economic uncertainty,” commented Anish Jadav, CUO, Retail P&C – UK & Lloyd’s, said.
“To best support our clients this evolving environment, it’s important that we add further strong leadership to our market-leading casualty practice. I’m therefore delighted that Olivia is taking on this new role. Her extensive industry and international experience – along with her eight years of working for AXA XL – will help her to provide the vision and leadership required so that we can continue to drive market engagement and innovation in order to make our products and services even more relevant for our clients,” Jadav added.
***
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Names Desplanches as Inherent Defect Insurance Leader
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions has appointed Emmanuel Desplanches to the role of Inherent Defect Insurance (IDI) global leader, effective July 1, 2022.
In this newly created position, Desplanches will be responsible for promoting Swiss Re Corporate Solutions’ IDI proposition and building up its capability in various regions. He takes on this role in addition to his existing function as senior engineering underwriter in France.
Desplanches joined Swiss Re Corporate Solutions in 2018, having worked for over seven years in the IDI Specialty Department at SCOR Global P&C. There he gained IDI experience in France, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, the UK, Africa, the US and Canada. Before joining SCOR in 2011, he worked for over a decade in the construction industry both in the UK and in France.
Desplanches holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree (Honors) in Civil Engineering and is a Chartered Engineer Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
“With economic development and population growth, it is crucial to plan for a more resilient infrastructure. In this respect, IDI is an insurance product that plays an important role to ensure that housing and infrastructure projects are built for long-term success,” commented Manuela Baroncini, head Engineering & Construction at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions.
“With IDI, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions is committed to partner with clients and public institutions on a long-term basis to help build a more resilient urban infrastructure. I am delighted that Emmanuel, with his broad knowledge and expertise, will now take the leadership of our IDI offering to the next level,” Baroncini added.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
What Happened to Reinsurance ‘Class of 2023’? Hard Market Defies Age-Old Patterns. 
Viewpoint: Deepfake Fraud Is On the Rise. Here’s How Insurers Can Respond 
Wall Street Pushes Back After Activists Escalate Protests 
Deere Retreats From Diversity Measures After Online Attacks 
