Breaking: Antares CEO Mike van der Straaten dies unexpectedly

Michael (Mike) van der Straaten, chief executive officer of multi-line reinsurer Antares Global, has died unexpectedly.

In a statement released today (July 13), the company said van der Straaten passed away unexpectedly over the weekend following a short illness.

Van der Straaten joined Qatar Re in 2016 and was appointed as chief underwriting officer in 2017, long tail and specialty, before assuming the role of chief executive officer in 2019. He was later named CEO of Qatar Insurance Company (QIC) Global.

As CEO, he oversaw the unification of Qatar Re and QIC Global and led the company’s rebrand to Antares in 2022. He subsequently spearheaded the 2024 restructuring of the business into retail and commercial divisions.

Prior to Antares, van der Straaten held roles at Chubb, Canopius, and across multiple Lloyd’s syndicates, amongst others, in a career spanning more than four decades.

In the statement, Antares said: “Antares and QIC’s thoughts, prayers, and deepest condolences are with Mike’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

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