Canopius hires Willis exec as SVP of US property team

Canopius Group, the global specialty insurance and reinsurance platform for Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Holdings, has expanded its US direct property team with the appointment of Ivan Breen as senior vice president.

Breen will report to Bradley Winfield, head of US direct property. He joins the firm from Willis Bermuda, where he led the property and casualty team.

Breen will contribute to the expansion and growth of the US property book, which focuses on large property risks.  His appointment reinforces Canopius’s commitment to direct and facultative property (D&F). The team also includes Janet Curran, assistant vice president, who joins from Allied World where she was a senior underwriter in reinsurance.

Canopius is now able to offer expanded capacity of up to $20 million per US property risk, including critical catastrophe, for 2016.  This is separate capacity to the D&F account written in London, and the high excess property business written by Canopius’s sister company in North Carolina, Sompo America.  On a combined basis, the three platforms can offer up to $65 million in risk capacity and $57.5 million in catastrophe capacity, on a per risk basis.

“Ivan’s relationships, wide-ranging market knowledge and experience will be hugely valuable as we continue to invest in our US platform,” said Winfield.

“The combination of new talent with a diverse range of property experience and skills, and the increased capacity we will be able to utilise in 2016, will enhance the services we offer our brokers and clients.”