People Moves: BHSI Enters Commercial Hull in Australasia, Hiring Hesson From QBE; Hannover Re Appoints Swiss Re’s Ooi to Oversee P/C Growth in APAC

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Hannover Re.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

BHSI Enters Commercial Hull in Australasia, Hiring Hesson From QBE

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) announced it is expanding into the commercial hull segment in Australasia and has named Jake Hesson, underwriting manager, Marine.

Hesson has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, most of it specializing in marine hull and liabilities. He was most recently Northern Regional manager, Marine Specialty Risks, focused on marine hull, liability, and protection and indemnity (P&I), at QBE in Sydney.

“We are pleased to further extend the range of specialty products BHSI can now offer to our customers and brokers across Australia and New Zealand,” commented Mark Lingafelter, president, BHSI, Australasia.

“Jake comes to BHSI with exceptional marine expertise and local market knowledge experience,” said Dimitry Zilberud, head of Marine, BHSI in Australasia. “With Jake at the helm, we look forward to expanding our marine product portfolio and building new commercial hull relationships throughout Australasia.”

Hesson is based in Sydney and can be reached at Jake.Hesson@bhspecialty.com.

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Hannover Re Appoints Swiss Re’s Ooi Oversee P/C Expansion in Asia-Pacific

Hannover Rück SE has appointed Sharon Ooi as an additional member of the group’s Executive Board, effective January 2023.

Hannover Re said it is strengthening its focus on Asia as a growth region. Ooi will oversee the further expansion of Hannover Re’s property/casualty reinsurance business in Asia-Pacific.

Ooi joins from Swiss Re and will be primarily based in Hong Kong. She joined Swiss Re in Asia in 2006 and most recently served as the Sydney-based Head of Australia and New Zealand. Before that, she held various positions at the reinsurer’s property and casualty business in Asia. She holds an Honours Degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from the National University of Singapore.

“With Sharon Ooi, we have been able to attract an internationally recognized expert for the growth region of Asia-Pacific to Hannover Re,” said Torsten Leue, chairman of the Supervisory Board of Hannover Re. “I look forward to working with her.”

“I’m delighted to welcome Sharon to Hannover Re’s Executive Board. She will play a crucial role in shaping Hannover Re’s further expansion in Asia-Pacific as the region is gradually evolving into the world’s largest insurance market,” said Jean-Jacques Henchoz, chief executive officer of Hannover Re. “Sharon has proven her skills in various positions throughout the region and has an intimate knowledge of the markets.”

Topics Commercial Lines Talent New Markets Property Casualty