February 2014/3

Decus, the London-based wholesaler owned by US intermediary Brown & Brown, has appointed Aon Benfield executive Ross Ballantyne as its new CEO as it attempts to rebuild a senior management team depleted by high-profile departures.

Chaucer's UK insurance practice leader Kim Barber is set to retire at the end of March, The Insurance Insider can reveal.

US insurer HCC kept its estimated loss from Spanish construction surety claims unchanged during the final three months of 2013, reassuring investors worried by a large increase following loss development at fellow Spain-exposed underwriter XL Group.

Pine River Capital Management LP is in the process of raising up to $750mn to launch what would be the latest in a line of hedge fund-backed carriers to set up shop on Bermuda, Bloomberg News reported.

The rich multiples currently available to sellers of Lloyd's businesses have been underlined again after Q-Re's parent company, the Qatar Insurance Group (QIC), last week agreed to acquire Antares for a consideration believed to be around £180mn-£190mn.

Watkins unveils Singapore hires; Slimmer Citizens; Argo rebounds; NKSJ prospers; Tower deal on; ACR affirmed; Tower deal on; Catlin bear

Tokio Marine is seeking earthquake cover from the cat bond market with its latest issuance, Kizuna Re II, sister publication Trading Risk reported.

Japanese mega-mutual Zenkyoren (Zenk) has told reinsurers that it will look to buy significant new limit in excess of its current 690bn yen ($6.8bn) cat treaty, The Insurance Insider has learned.

It is an insurance truth universally acknowledged that a gentleman in possession of a modest fortune and an ambitious business plan must be in need of a Lloyd's managing agent.

The saga of Pdvsa's energy insurance purchasing looks set to come full circle, after the Venezuelan state energy company began talks with Cooper Gay about reinstating the broker it discarded last year, The Insurance Insider has learned.