Markel hires retro property reinsurance head

Markel Global Reinsurance has made two appointments in its retro property reinsurance unit and its agriculture and crop reinsurance business.

Frank Bigley, previously the reinsurance department manager at Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa, has joined as underwriting director for agriculture and crop reinsurance.

And Greg Richardson, previously executive vice president, underwriting strategy & risk Analytics for Alterra Capital, has joined as acting head of its retro property reinsurance unit.

Jed Rhoads, president and chief underwriting officer, property reinsurance for Markel Global Reinsurance, said: "Frank Bigley is a highly respected industry veteran with a successful track record as a reinsurance underwriter specializing in agriculture and crop exposures. We are fortunate that he has agreed to join our team in Bermuda, where, with effect from October 2013, he will assume responsibility for the book of agriculture reinsurance business previously written by Markel in Dublin.”

Commenting on the appointment of Richardson, he said: "Greg is an accomplished reinsurance professional who was previously a member of the leadership of Alterra Capital prior to its acquisition by Markel earlier this year. In that capacity, Greg was responsible for the development of the New Point series of sidecar vehicles established to create new collateralized retro capacity for the property catastrophe reinsurance marketplace. With immediate effect, Greg will underwrite retro property reinsurance for both Markel and New Point.”