HDI Global Specialty appoints Head of Financial Lines for its Canada Branch
HDI Global Specialty (HDI) has announced that David Melhuish will head up Financial Lines for its Canada Branch, effective immediately.
Melhuish will report to the Managing Director and Chief Agent, Derek Spafford. He will be taking over from Oren Schemool who will be transitioning to Head of Professional Lines.
Melhuish has more than 25 years of Commercial Insurance expertise in both underwriting and brokerage services. He has a proven track record as an underwriter focusing on Director’s and Officer’s (D&O) Liability and ancillary products.
He has worked at several major insurers in progressively more responsible underwriting roles with AIG, London Guarantee, Gerling (which was acquired by RSA), Chubb and most recently Everest Insurance.
Melhuish is also knowledgeable in Professional Liability, General Liability, Property, Auto and Reinsurance.
“I am delighted to have David on the team. He will be a very strong asset for HDI in Canada as we continue building our underwriting strength to better respond to the needs of our broker partners. David’s market expertise will be a great addition to HDI as we continue to show strong growth, and I look forward to working alongside him.”
Derek SpaffordManaging Director and Chief Agent, HDI Global Specialty SE Canada
HDI Global Specialty appoints new head of aviation for Australia and New Zealand
HDI Global Specialty has appointed Dylan Jones to the role of Head of Aviation, Australia and New Zealand.
Dylan, who has over 20 years’ experience in the aviation sector has been promoted from his role as Senior Underwriter – Aviation at HDI Global Specialty SE – Australia. Dylan’s previous roles include Aviation Senior Underwriter at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions and Senior Broker, Aviation Insurance Brokers Australia. He also holds a commercial pilots license.
The promotion follows the move by former head of aviation Jamie Bowes’ to head up the group’s General Aviation centre of competence in Stockholm.
Dylan commented: “I am looking forward to working with and growing our aviation team and building on the success we have enjoyed since the business was established in 2019. Having been part of building very strong foundations, I am excited about now having the opportunity of being able to drive forward and further develop our strategy for profitable growth.”
Mark Fleiser, Head of Australian Branch, HDI Global Specialty SE added: “I would like to extend a big thank you to Jamie for his contribution in establishing our aviation book and whilst it is sad to see him move on, I am delighted that our policy of building strong teams means we are able to internally promote someone of the calibre of Dylan to the leadership role. Dylan is well equipped to take on the task of leading further expansion of our general aviation activities in the region off the back of an already well-established operation.“
HDI Global takes over shareholding in HDI Global Specialty from Hannover Re and appoints new Members to the Management Board
HDI Global SE acquires from Hannover Re its 49.8% stake in the joint venture HDI Global Specialty SE with effect from 31 December 2021. HDI Global SE will then hold 100 % of the shares. Following the takeover of the shares, Ralph Beutter (56), CEO of HDI Global Specialty, will also be appointed as a Board Member of HDI Global SE. Furthermore, Claire McDonald (52), currently Managing Director of the branches in the United Kingdom & Ireland, will be appointed as a new Board Member.
Through this acquisition HDI Global is expanding its specialty insurance business and at the same time reducing complexity in this strategic growth segment. Since the launch of the joint venture in 2019 the premium volume booked by HDI Global Specialty has grown from more than EUR 1 billion in 2018 to currently EUR 2.5 billion.
In reaching this agreement Hannover Re is underscoring its strategic positioning as a pure reinsurer. In addition, the transaction frees up previously committed risk capital that will be available for future growth in the company’s core business.
“With our acquisition of the remaining shares we are another step closer to achieving our goal of building one of the best and most profitable specialty insurers on the world market,” said Dr Edgar Puls, a member of the Board of Management of the Talanx Group and Chief Executive Officer of HDI Global SE. “Going forward, as the sole shareholder of HDI Global Specialty we will be better able to act on our opportunities in this promising market than was previously the case. Amongst other things, we will be very flexible in our ability to decide on potential M&A projects and take appropriate action.”
“The reinsurance market continues to see improved prices and conditions. By selling our stake we are freeing up capital for profitable growth in our core business,” said Jean-Jacques Henchoz, Chief Executive Officer of Hannover Re. “Under our cooperation agreement we shall continue to support HDI Global Specialty with our expertise as a long-term reinsurance partner, which also means that we can still share substantially in the growth of the portfolio through our participation in the reinsurance programme.”
HDI Global Specialty SE writes agency and specialty insurance business including financial & professional lines, D&O, legal expenses, sport and entertainment, aviation, offshore energy and animal insurance.
Changed responsibilities in the Management Board
The appointment of Claire McDonald and Ralph Beutter to the Management Board of HDI Global SE will take effect from 1 January 2022. Starting on that date, Claire McDonald will be responsible as Chief Underwriting Officer for the Property, Engineering and Marine portfolios and HDI Risk Consulting. Ralph Beutter as CEO of HDI Global Specialty SE will be responsible for Specialty on the Board of Management of HDI Global SE. At the same time, David Hullin (53), who has been responsible on the Board of Management to date for the Property classes, will take over the management of the company’s international markets together with Jens Wohlthat. Dr Mukadder Erdönmez will take over responsibility for the motor fleet business in addition to third-party liability and cyber insurance.
Claire McDonald is currently the highly successful Managing Director of HDI Global SE’s UK and Ireland branches. Amongst other things, she has steered the branch through Brexit and successfully implemented the reorganisation and restructuring of the local portfolio. Before that, she was with the Allianz Group for over thirty years in a variety of Underwriting and Operations roles most recently as Global Head of Operations at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE.
Ralph Beutter has many years’ experience of industrial insurance and the reinsurance business. He has worked as an underwriter at the Talanx Group since 1987, occupying a number of management positions at Hannover Re since 1994. He was named CEO of Inter Hannover (International Insurance Company of Hannover SE) in 2015 and has been CEO of HDI Global Specialty SE since 2019. HDI Global Specialty was formed in 2019 as a joint venture between Hannover Re and HDI Global SE. It currently generates approximately EUR 2.5 billion in premiums and aims to lift this figure to EUR 3.7 billion by 2025. As from 1 January, HDI Global Specialty will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of HDI Global SE.
Yves Betz, who is currently responsible for Europe (without Germany), Americas and Global Marketing, is leaving the company for personal reasons to take up a new professional challenge. “I would like to thank Yves Betz for his very good work over the past years. He made a considerable contribution to growing the profitability of the international business. I wish him all the best for the future”, said Torsten Leue, Chairman of Talanx AG’s Board of Management and Supervisory Board Chairman at HDI Global SE. “I am delighted that two outstanding executives are joining HDI Global’s Board of Management in the form of Claire McDonald and Ralph Beutter. They will help achieve the goals we have set for our industrial insurance business. I also wish David Hullin and Mukadder Erdönmez every success in their new roles.”
Dr. Edgar Puls, who is responsible for Industrial Lines on the Talanx Group’s Board of Management and chairs the Board of Management of HDI Global SE, added: “It has been a great pleasure to work with Yves Betz over the past years. In addition to his operational successes, he has made clear contributions to HDI Global’s strategy and to enhancing its culture. I would like to wish him all the best for the future. I am delighted that I will be working even more closely with Claire McDonald und Ralph Beutter in the future. And I am looking forward to seeing David Hullin and Mukadder Erdönmez continue their successful work in their new roles. Together, we will maintain the company’s profitable growth trajectory.”
Further announcements will follow in the near future with regard to the leadership of HDI Global UK and Ireland, in the meantime HDI Global UK & I remains under the leadership of Claire McDonald.
With effect from 1 January 2022, HDI Global SE’s Board of Management will consist of the following people:
Dr. Edgar Puls (CEO)
Ralph Beutter (Specialty)
Dr. Mukadder Erdönmez (Third-party Liability, Cyber Insurance, Motor)
Dr. Christian Hermelingmeier (CFO)
David Hullin (region Americas, Europe (without Germany))
Dr. Thomas Kuhnt (COO, IT and Group Accident)
Andreas Luberichs (region Germany)
Claire McDonald (Property Insurance, Engineering Insurance, Marine Insurance, HDI Risk Consulting)
Jens Wohlthat (region Asean, South Africa, Middle East, Russia).
As always, the new appointments to board of management positions are subject to approval by BaFin, the German supervisory authority.
HDI Global Specialty strengthens Australian Professional Lines offering
HDI Global Specialty SE has grown their dedicated Professional Lines team in Australia with two senior underwriting hires. They have also launched a new PI Primary Policy Wording in support of their plan to further enhance their existing product offering and capabilities in the region.
Joining HDI Global Specialty’s professional indemnity (PI) Team in Australia are Alexandra Fox-Slater, who joins as senior underwriter from Chubb, and senior underwriter Luke Southwell from Zurich. The team, which is led by Justin Klietz, brings together more than 35 years’ combined Professional Lines insurance experience, strongly positioning HDI Global Specialty to meet the PI insurance needs of local brokers and their clients.
HDI Global Specialty’s Head of Professional Lines, Justin Klietz said:
“Alexandra and Luke bring significant PI underwriting experience and commercial acumen to the business and I am delighted to have them on the team. They have a strong track record of success and our brokers and their clients will benefit from their customer-oriented approach.”
HDI Global Specialty – Head of Branch, Mark Fleiser said:
“We now have in place an experienced team who will be tasked with driving the further development of our PI portfolio in what is a dynamic market environment. We see this development as just one of a number of strategic initiatives supporting our ambition to broaden our product and service offering in the market.”
HDI Global Specialty bolsters expansion plans in Canada with new strategic role
HDI Global Specialty SE, the specialty lines insurer has appointed Kelly Callachan as Strategic Relationship Manager. In the newly created role Kelly will be focused on growing single risk business across Canada, with a particular focus on professional lines, aviation, and expansion into new specialist commercial lines.
Kelly has over 18 years’ insurance experience and joins from Northbridge Insurance where she was most recently director of sales and business development. Previous roles include underwriting manager at broker Aon Reed Stenhouse and account manager at broker Waddell Group.
Kelly will report directly to Derek Spafford, General Manager, HDI Global Specialty SE – Canada.
Commenting on the appointment, Derek Spafford said: “I am delighted to welcome Kelly to the business at this important time in our development as we expand our current capabilities and extend into new segments over the next year. The creation of this new role and Kelly’s appointment underline our commitment to both enhancing and expanding our market presence and offering across Canada.”
“I am thrilled to be joining the team at HDI GlobalSpecialty at this exciting time in its development and am looking forwardto playing my part in growing the business in Canada, both in existinglines and as we enter new ones”, Kelly Callachan added.
HDI Global Specialty Taps Inter Hannover’s Barenthein as MD of Scandinavian Branch
HDI Global Specialty SE has appointed Thomas Barenthein as the managing director of its Scandinavian Branch. Barenthein joins the specialty lines insurer from Inter Hannover where he was managing director, Sweden.
The Scandinavian branch of HDI Global Specialty in Stockholm is the insurer’s centre for international and general aviation, marine and specie as well as a range of political risks.
At Inter Hannover, Barenthein was also chief branch officer and a member of its executive committee. Prior to joining the company in 2008, he had previously worked at Guy Carpenter and Skandia International.
Speaking about his appointment, Barenthein said: “I am excited to be joining HDI Global Specialty at a time of such challenge and opportunity. The company’s development has been very impressive during its first 18 months and I very much look forward to contributing to its continued success. With strong owners, solid rating and many industry professionals as new colleagues I am convinced that our future will be very positive.”
Barenthein also joins the executive board and replaces Mats Westerborn who moves to the role of General Manager, Aviation, in HDI’s Scandinavian branch.