People Moves: BHSI Launches in Italy, Names Country Leader, Key Team Members; QBE Iberia Names Díaz-Guardamino as Managing Director

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) and QBE Iberia.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

BHSI Launches in Italy, Names Country Leader and Key Team Members

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) announced it has opened an office in Milan and named Leonardo Castrichino to oversee its business in Italy as country manager, along with several additional leadership appointments.

Castrichino comes to BHSI with nearly three decades of experience in the European insurance market, where he has held numerous country and regional level leadership positions and amassed deep knowledge across multiple commercial lines and business segments. He was most recently chief operating officer for the Europe, Middle East and Africa Region (EMEA) at American International Group where he held various leadership roles since 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile. Castrichino can be reached at Leonardo.castrichino@bhspecialty.com.

“Since opening our first European offices in 2016, BHSI has been growing thoughtfully and strategically across the region, always with an eye on bringing sustainable, long-term solutions to the marketplace,” said Alessandro Cerase, head of Europe, BHSI. “We are pleased to now expand into Italy with Leo leading our business, building a team with exceptional talent, and bringing the BHSI brand, balance sheet, and service to the marketplace.”

BHSI also announced the following additional leadership appointments in Italy:

• Marco Vantellino has been appointed head of Executive & Professional Lines. He joins BHSI with 20 years of industry experience focused on Executive & Professional Lines and was most recently Head of Financial Lines for the Mediterranean business at another global insurer. Vantellino can be reached at vantellino@bhspecialty.com
• Thomas Tasso has been appointed head of Property – Energy and Construction. He has spent nearly two decades working across Europe and demonstrating exceptional underwriting acumen across property and engineered risks. Tasso was most recently head of Property for the Mediterranean business at AIG. He can be reached at tasso@bhspecialty.com.
• Nicoló Mussi has been appointed head of Commercial and Financial Institutions for Executive and Professional Lines. He comes to BHSI with more than 10 years of industry experience and will focus on building BHSI’s Directors & Officers Liability and Financial Institutions business in Italy. Throughout his career he has held increasingly senior positions in financial institutions underwriting, most recently senior underwriter & financial institutions practice leader at Liberty Specialty Markets. Mussi can be reached at Nicoló.mussi@bhspecialty.com.
• Chiara Baldissara has been appointed Operations Manager. She was previously underwriting technician at BHSI in London. Baldissara joined the company in 2017 and has more than a decade of industry experience. She is relocating to Milan for her new role and can be reached at baldissara@bhspecialty.com.

BHSI continues to expand its team in Milan and provides a full line of property, casualty, and executive & professional lines products, including global multinational program capabilities.

QBE Iberia Names Díaz-Guardamino as Managing Director

QBE has appointed Mario Díaz-Guardamino as the next managing director for QBE Iberia, pending regulatory approval.

Díaz-Guardamino has more than 20 years’ experience working in financial services, starting his insurance career as a broker before progressing to credit lines underwriting at AIG Spain, and then becoming head of EMEA Trade Credit Insurance.

He brings a wealth of experience across specialty underwriting, business development, broker and customer distribution strategy.

Díaz-Guardamino will lead the team to deliver QBE’s plans for Spain across the offices in Madrid and Barcelona. He will concentrate on profitable growth by driving expertise, service delivery and strong relationships with brokers and customers. Focus points will include the corporate and middle market business, multinational programs, construction, and sustainable energies.

Díaz-Guardamino’s experience, market knowledge, leadership abilities and national and international track record “will be essential in strengthening our position in the Spanish and Portuguese markets,” commented Beatriz Valenti, director of Insurance, QBE Europe.

Part of QBE Insurance Group, QBE European Operations is a trading name of QBE Europe, QBE UK Ltd., QBE Underwriting Ltd., QBE Management Services (UK) Ltd., and QBE Underwriting Services (UK) Ltd.