May 2007/5

Guy Carpenter & Co has appointed the former Benfield Group executive Charlie Fry as its global chief operating officer.

Specialist financial services investment bank Fox-Pitt, Kelton (FPK) announced a merger with its peer Cochran Caronia Waller (CCW) last week.

Shares in Greenlight Capital Re leapt 21 percent after its debut on the Nasdaq electronic exchange trading exchange last week.

Lloyd’s start-up Ark Syndicate Management has launched its terrorism, war and political risk business with former Wellington underwriter Simon Low at the helm.

Lloyd's insurer Heritage Underwriting Agency plc is to add an international treaty team later this year headed by former Ascot underwriter James Braddock.

Ironshore Inc has made its entry into the professional liability sector with an onshore US platform, a move predicted by The Insurance Insider earlier this month.

The long-awaited trial of the ‘Independent Three’ – the former directors of the collapsed UK insurer Independent Insurance - is set to start tomorrow (30 May) at Southwark Crown Court, London.

Despite winning the support of Converium’s board with an increased bid, SCOR’s attempts to buy its rival have been further frustrated by the Swiss Takeover Board (STB).

QBE Insurance (Europe) has merged its London casualty operations to create an £850mn premium-income underwriting unit.

The global insurance industry is facing emerging risks, providing unparalleled opportunities for new product development, yet it needs support from the regulatory system in order to operate in a stable environment...

Increased capacity and a low loss record are combining to soften the energy market and prices will fall "a good deal further" in the absence of catastrophe losses, according to a report published by Willis Group Holdings last week.

Bermudian (re)insurer Validus Holdings Ltd has suffered its first major departure after taking over Lloyd's insurer Talbot Underwriting with deputy head underwriter Darren Redhead joining DE Shaw.