Leading industry player XL Catlin has formed a global mergers and acquisitions insurance division as more companies seek potential transactions for market growth and international expansion.
The insurer said it is building its expertise and suite of products with the launch of its global M&A insurance business, which will be led by former
AIG executive Brian Benjamin.
XL Catlin’s new unit will design a suite of transactional risk products that will allow clients to maximize deal valuations, enhance the bid process in competitive auctions and bridge gaps that may prevent parties from completing a deal.
Benjamin will initially focus on hiring underwriting teams in New York and around the globe for the M&A division.
He will report to Dan Kumpf, global professional chief executive at XL Catlin.
“M&A activity remains robust following last year’s record year, and more importantly the transactional insurance market continues to experience rapid growth as these products are now being used more regularly by buyers and sellers to quantify, price and allocate risk,” Kumpf said.
Benjamin joins XL Catlin from AIG, where he most recently served as management liability and financial institutions officer.
He has played an important role in the M&A insurance market, having developed AIG’s underwriting model and spearheading the launch of its transactional risk practice.
A 30-year seasoned professional in the industry, Benjamin has held senior underwriting management positions in New York, London and Paris.
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