Industry veterans form capital markets MGA

A new MGA that will structure specialty reinsurance deals for investors from the capital markets is expected to reach the industry by 2015.

Established by Climate Exchange founder Neil Eckert, aviation underwriter Klaus Gierstner and former Ariel Re marine underwriter Brian Gulbransen, Linear Re will also seek to provide risk for the traditional market.

Speaking about the venture, Eckert told Intelligent Insurer that the abundance of capital flooding in from the alternative markets has provided a ripe opportunity.

“I’ve been looking to do something for a very long time and things have now slotted into place,” he said.

Speaking of the team, Eckert said that he had been looking to work with Gierstner for some time and seized the opportunity as it arose.

“Both Brian and Klaus are very successful in their own right, and we believe that there is some paper available at the moment,” he said.

“We are currently putting the business together, and while I can’t make predictions for a specific timeframe, we hope to reach the market by 2015.”

Eckert will assume a non-executive role within Linear Re, leaving Gulbransen and Gierstner to spearhead the project.