DIFC Insurance Association elects first Board, appoints Chairman & CEO
The DIFC Insurance Association (DIFC IA) has elected its first Board of Directors, who in turn have appointed Dr Bassel Hindawi as Chairman and CEO of the Association.
Dr Hindawi has been heavily involved in the set-up of the Association, being originally appointed by the DIFC as an external advisor to establish a trade association for the insurance market at the Centre.
In addition to Dr Hindawi, the new Board of the DIFC IA includes:
• Mr Mark Cooper, General Representative Middle East, Lloyd’s Dubai;
• Mr Julio Garcia-Villalon, Head of Middle East & Africa, MetLife;
• Mr Michael Jensen, Managing Director MENA, AIG MEA Limited;
• Mr George Kabban, CEO, UIB (GULF);
• Mr Laurent Lemaire, Chairman & CEO, Elseco Limited;
• Mr Ahmed Rajab, CEO MENA, Aon Benfield Limited;
• Mr Brian Reilly, CEO Middle East, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd; and
• Mr Tony Saada, CEO, Lockton MENA.
AXA appoints CEO for Middle East, Gulf and Africa
AXA has appointed Mr Jad Ariss as the CEO for AXA in the Middle East, the Gulf region and Africa. He replaces Mr Jerome Droesch, who has been appointed the CEO of the newly introduced AXA Partners, a dedicated unit to develop partnership business globally.
Mr Ariss was previously the CEO of AXA Enterprises and Deputy CEO of AXA France. He has been with the AXA Group for almost 25 years, having joined in 1991 as Chief Financial Officer of AXA Global Risks. In 1999, he became head of AXA Group Investor Relations, before joining AXA France 2001 to hold the successive positions of Secretary General, Head of P&C of AXA Enterprises, Head of Human Resources and CEO of AXA Enterprises, and Deputy CEO of AXA France.
In his new role, Mr Ariss will report to Mr Jean-Laurent Granier, member of the Management Committee of the AXA Group and CEO of the Mediterranean and Latin America region.
Bahrain: TAKAUD appoints CIO
TAKAUD, a specialist provider of savings, investment and pension solutions for the MENA region, has appointed Mr Johannes Van Der Dong as its Chief Investment Officer.
With 15 years of experience in portfolio management, fund selection and investment research, he will lead TAKAUD’s investment management function, focusing on the provision of a wide, top-rated range of funds, investment strategies and innovative investment solutions for the company’s growing savings, wealth management and pension clients.
Mr Van Der Dong has considerable knowledge of alternative as well as traditional investments gained from working in Europe and the Middle East. He previously worked with Arab Banking Corporation – Bahrain, where he was Head of Alternative Investments.
Prior to that, Mr Van Der Dong was Head of Traditional Fund Selection at Julius Baer, Switzerland, before becoming Head of Fund Research with Emirates NBD, Dubai. From 1999 to 2006, he was senior portfolio manager and team head at two Dutch institutions – PGGM Investment and Rabobank Asset Management, where he managed portfolios of several billion dollars for their clients.
New GM for Jordan Emirates
Mr Taisir Mashal has been appointed the new General Manager for Jordan Emirates Insurance Co with effect from 1 July. He was previously the General Manager of National Insurance Co of Syria.
Oman: Fenchurch Faris names GM
International insurance broking firm Fenchurch Faris has appointed Mr S Ramasubramanian as the General Manager of Fenchurch Faris Insurance Services in Muscat.
Mr Ramasubramanian has over 25 years of experience in the insurance field. His career includes roles at Orient Insurance in Dubai as well as Oman Qatar Insurance and Muscat Insurance in Oman. He worked at Takaful Oman Insurance before joining Fenchurch Faris.
UAE: Change of CEO at GIC Re’s Dubai branch
Ms Sarita Kunder has been appointed as CEO at GIC Re Dubai branch, succeeding Mr S Farrukh Shah, who has completed his tenure.
Ms Kunder was previously Assistant General Manager of the Dubai branch.
UAE: Malakut appoints Managing Director of Reinsurance
Malakut Insurance Brokers has appointed Mr Amer Hariri as Managing Director, Reinsurance. He has vast reinsurance experience within the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region and will be responsible for handling the current reinsurance portfolio and business development in MEA.
Prior to his appointment, Mr Hariri spent two years with APEX Reinsurance Brokers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, developing reinsurance operations in Saudi Arabia and Africa.
Mr Hariri started his career as a trainee in various Lebanese insurance companies, and subsequently joined Assurex Insurance as Assistant Reinsurance Manager. He later joined Zaris Reinsurance Broker as marine reinsurance broker for the MENA region where he spent several years, until his appointment as Reinsurance Manager for their Saudi Arabian operations in Jeddah.