Novae strengthens agriculture reinsurance team
Novae Group, the specialist listed Lloyd’s insurer, has further strengthened its agriculture reinsurance team, headed by Clive Hardy and senior treaty underwriter Hanne Wagner, with four new hires.
Catherine Besselman joined the team in 2013 and is based in California. She has over 30 years of experience in the reinsurance industry and is responsible for business development in the North American markets.
She was previously at Endurance Re, where she was senior vice president and manager of agribusiness.
Dominique Mercante, with 25 years’ experience, is based in Zurich and will develop Novae’s offering in the Southern European and Latin American markets.
He joined in January 2014 from Arch Re, where he was responsible for underwriting a worldwide agriculture and related lines reinsurance portfolio.
Robert Solloway, previously head of agriculture for Asia Pacific at Aon Benfield, joins to underwrite agricultural reinsurance treaty business in the same region, bringing 25 years of experience to the role. He will be based in Auckland, New Zealand.
Charlie Dupont was appointed assistant underwriter in 2013. He is based in the London office and has a broad-ranging technical and commercial support role.
All will report to Clive Hardy, unit head of agriculture reinsurance.
Ian Burford, joint active underwriter, said: “The strengthening of our agriculture reinsurance team combines great experience and extraordinary underwriting expertise in a complex, specialty class of business. Our strategy is to capitalise on global opportunities; these additions to the team will help cement our position as the premier underwriter of agriculture at Lloyd’s.”
Hardy added: “We are thrilled to welcome these four talented and knowledgeable people to our team. Our ambition is for brokers and clients to view Novae as an essential partner – a home to the highest underwriting standards, where new ideas may flourish and where the questions being asked by agribusiness can find a response.”
