Bermuda-based Sompo International has its sights set on Spain, announcing the imminent launch of a European specialty insurance underwriting operation in Barcelona.
Initially focused on management liability, professional indemnity, and financial institutions lines of business, the new unit will be headed by executive vice president Thomas Mannsdorfer with the support of senior vice president Mathieu Borneuf. The team will partner with brokers across Continental Europe.
Mannsdorfer joined the property and casualty (re)insurer from ANV Global Services, a specialty lines provider in London and Barcelona, where he held the positions of CUO international and director of M&A insurance. A licensed attorney-at-law in Switzerland, the underwriting expert also worked at the likes of HCC Global, AIG, and Allianz.
Meanwhile Borneuf, who came onboard in January 2018, was head of management and professional liability for Continental Europe at Navigators. He started his career as a professional lines underwriter at AIG and went on to join Marsh and Torus Insurance.
“We are excited to build out our underwriting capabilities in Continental Europe under Thomas and Mathieu and plan to introduce several additional professional lines products and underwriters to the new operation over the next few months,” said Graham Evans, chief executive of London Market insurance. “The new team will work closely with our established London Market insurance operation to offer a full suite of products to our international clients underwritten through both our company platform and Lloyd’s syndicate.”
Noting that the firm continues to build a strategic presence in Europe, global insurance CEO Jack Kuhn described the continent as a key area of growth for Sompo International.
“As we add specialty underwriting talent, we will be able to more effectively deliver a broader range of products to clients in these markets,” explained Kuhn. “Local presence and a distributed producer network will be critical to successful growth, especially as we plan for the post-Brexit environment.”
Jack Kuhn was awared as one of the Best Insurance Industry Professionals in NZ. Learn more about the winners in IB's Global 100 special report.
