Corporate round-up

MAPFRE ASISTENCIA opens new offices in France

MAPFRE ASISTENCIA, which offers assistance, service provision and insurance for specialty risks, has opened a new office in Lyon, France.

The new office, at the Le Quator building in the Gerland business area, is in addition to the company’s offices in Paris. The French unit of MAPFRE ASISTENCIA has been operating since 1994.

MAPFRE said the office will allow MAPFRE ASISTENCIA to be closer to leading companies in the region as well as start-ups, institutions and leading universities and consolidate its ability to meet the needs of French clients.

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At the opening of the Lyon office, Antonio Huertas, Chairman and CEO of MAPFRE, stressed the importance of MAPFRE operations in Europe and the increasingly important role of France.

Rafael Senén, Chairman of MAPFRE ASISTENCIA, said the ‘new offices clearly show the importance of the French market for MAPFRE ASISTENCIA, and emphasise our goal of boosting business in this country’.

MAPFRE ASISTENCIA operates in four main sectors: insurance, including specific solutions for brokers, finance, automobile and travel and tourism, as well as offering products for individuals.

MAPFRE ASISTENCIA is directly present in 44 countries and has more than 1,572 corporate clients.

JLT Specialty appoints new head of Cyber, Technology & Media E&O team in London

JLT Specialty’s Financial Lines Group has appointed Sarah Stephens as Head of Cyber, Technology & Media E&O, effective January 2015.

In the newly-created role Ms Stephens will be responsible for growing the practice and developing industry-specific propositions to help meet the current and future needs of JLT’s clients.

Subject to the fulfillment of her contractual obligations, Ms Stephens joins from Aon where she was head of cyber & commercial E&O for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. Prior to this she spent seven years with Aon’s US cyber and E&O practice group.

Mark Wood, Head of JLT Specialty’s Financial Lines Group, commented: “We are strongly committed to this exciting and developing area of insurance. Sarah’s appointment adds further experience and expertise to JLT Specialty’s Financial Lines team in London.”

Ecclesiastical appoints Mark Matthews as risk management director

Specialist insurance group Ecclesiastical has appointed Mark Matthews to the role of risk management director in its UK general insurance business.

In his new role, Mr Matthews will report to Ecclesiastical’s deputy group chief executive and UK managing director, Jacinta Whyte.

He joins Ecclesiastical from Zurich where he most recently held the role of head of risk engineering. With more than 32 years’ experience in the UK insurance industry, Mr Matthews began his career at Commercial Union Assurance and spent the first seven years of his career in the commercial lines underwriting arena.

He has spent the last 25 years of his career with Zurich in a number of key leadership and risk engineering roles.

Ecclesiastical said the appointment underlines the vital role that the risk management function plays in the delivery of expertise and service to the company’s customers. It also builds on the company’s surveying and risk control capability, moving this vital function towards providing an enhanced risk management service for customers, said the firm.

Commenting on the appointment, Ms Whyte said: “Our in-house risk control and valuation teams are a real differentiator for us in the UK market. Their unrivalled expertise in our specialist sectors is highly sought-after and valued by our customers. I am confident that this combination of an existing strong team and a new director with extensive knowledge and experience in the area of risk management will greatly benefit our existing and new customers.”

Arthur J Gallagher’s reinsurance broking team transfers to Capsicum Re

Arthur J Gallagher’s Reinsurance (AJG RE) broking team has transferred to Capsicum Re with all of its current and future treaty reinsurance business now handled and conducted by Capsicum Re under the new partnership.

The entire AJG Re team, led by Matt FitzGerald, will be moved into Capsicum Re as part of the new operation.

Mr FitzGerald and his team moved to AJG RE in 2012 from Execution Re, then part of Espirito Santo Investment Bank, and specialise in a number of business classes including property, specialty, marine & energy and casualty.

Mr FitzGerald said: “This is an exciting development for our team and allows us to combine the influence and market presence of our US parent, Arthur J Gallagher, with the dynamic and entrepreneurial vision of Capsicum Re.”

Grahame Chilton, CEO of Capsicum Re, commented: “This is a great move forward for Capsicum Re and consolidates our position as Gallagher’s primary treaty reinsurance outlet. Matt and his team have a fantastic book of business and strong relationships with their customers. Their knowledge of both traditional reinsurance and their capital market capabilities explains why they are highly regarded in the industry.”