AXIS Re Reports Organizational Changes, Market Expansion Plans

AXIS Re, the reinsurance segment of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, has announced organizational changes to improve client service and plans to expand product and market capabilities.

AXIS Re will now organize around four major divisions – North America, EMEA (Europe-Middle East-Africa), Asia, and Global Markets, supported by two teams, Reinsurance Products and Reinsurance Services. With the introduction of its new organizational model, AXIS Re announced the following new structure and leadership team:

• Jon Colello has been named president North America, based in New York, and the division will include the organization’s Bermuda platform. Peter Kiernan will continue as president Bermuda.
• Jan Ekberg will continue as president EMEA, based in Zurich. AXIS Re’s Latin America business will continue to be part of the EMEA Division.
• Les Loh has been promoted to president Asia, based in Singapore. Loh had previously served as deputy head of Underwriting Asia.
• Rob Smart has been appointed interim president of the newly created Global Markets division, which will house AXIS Re Strategic Partners, the newly formed Specialty Re, and international business through the Lloyd’s platform. The organization will conduct a search for the newly created role. Smart had previously served as head of International Reinsurance A&H.
• Megan Thomas, recently appointed chief underwriting officer, will lead the newly created Reinsurance Products team, based in New York.
• Rob Looney, CFO & COO, will lead Reinsurance Services, based in New York.
• Victoria Westerberg will continue as head of Human Resources, based in Zurich.

AXIS Re said it will enhance its client engagement model with the launch of AXIS Re Strategic Partners, a dedicated team to serve clients and brokers. The company will start recruiting for these newly created roles.

AXIS Re also announced that it plans to expand its products and markets with a broadening of its capabilities for structured reinsurance, grow its presence in Asia and establish a dedicated team to service specialty reinsurance businesses.