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XL Catlin staffs up for Africa launch

Posted On: Jul. 19, 2016 12:00 AM CST

XL Catlin has set up a new reinsurance unit focused on providing facultative and treaty reinsurance across Africa.

Alex St. James has been named head of Africa for XL Catlin's reinsurance operations, and Matthew Gillies has been named actuarial underwriter, the insurer said Monday in a statement. Messrs. St James and Gillies come to XL Catlin from London-based One Re Ltd. and remain based in London, according to the statement.

“Africa is a varied and complex collection of frontier and developing markets, generally rich in resources and increasingly home to international companies,” David Watson, XL Catlin's chief executive for EMEA reinsurance, said in the statement. “Traditionally there has been a lack of insurance penetration across the continent, but this is changing, and we believe we have a part to play as reinsurance capacity will further drive the development and growth of the primary insurance market.”