January 2012/5

Following the completion of AmWINS' £31.8mn acquisition of London-headquartered broker THB, the latter's CEO Frank Murphy will take responsibility for all of the enlarged group's London operations, including Colemont Global.

Independent broker BMS has opened a New York City office and relocated group CEO Carl Beardmore there as it continues to grow its North American reinsurance business.

Kaufman Group, parent of US-based wholesale broker Burns & Wilcox, has bought UK-based broker Chesterfield Group.

Bob Van Gieson, non-executive chairman of Hyperion MGA Dual, has hailed the group's improved performance as evidence of the success of creating a better balance and not being solely reliant on profit commissions for income.

Six months after Aon slashed the number of US wholesale brokers it uses to just two, rival broker Marsh has followed suit, scaling back the number of wholesalers it works with to four, The Insurance Insider has learned.

Italian insurer Generali has denied reports from this publication that its 1 January catastrophe reinsurance programme was placed after being re-priced upwards by the market.

The deadline for expressions of interest in Flagstone's Lloyd's business passed the week before last, with ex-Ascot CEO Martin Reith and Matt Fairfield's start-up ANV the only credible bidders, The Insurance Insider understands.

Insurance-specialist private equity investor Aquiline Capital Partners has bought Bermuda-based catastrophe investment manager Juniperus Capital Ltd (JCL).

Hannover Re was made to pay for a loss-struck year when it renewed its retrocession programmes at 1 January, but found the retro market more forgiving than it had expected.

A crew member of the ill-fated Costa Concordia vessel has filed a law suit accusing the ship's owners of negligence, breach of contract and unjust enrichment.

Brit parted company last week with its well-regarded reinsurance chief Jonathan Turner as part of plans to merge his former division with its global markets unit.

Last week's $1.75bn insolvency and default of European oil refiner Petroplus Holdings is set to be a significant event for the trade credit market, sources have told The Insurance Insider.