XL forms regional hub with Dubai office

XL Group's reinsurance segment has established operations in Dubai to serve the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market and act as a regional hub for the business.

Mohamad Alali has been appointed as senior executive officer and Imen Hamadouche as a property facultative underwriter, both based in the new office.

Alali joins XL Group from Willis in Dubai having previously worked in London as an international property broker from 2006.

Hamadouche joins from Aon Benfield, Dubai, where she held the position of client manager for its MENA facultative business. She has broad market experience having worked as a property underwriter in Europe for a number of years.

David Watson, chief executive officer of XL Re Europe SE, said: “There remains a strong reinsurance purchasing culture among local cedants with large property, industrial and energy exposures in the MENA region as well as growing opportunities in the casualty and specialty sectors. What these clients want is a local presence and knowledge supported by global expertise and security, and that is exactly what we plan to deliver.

“We have appointed Mohamed Alali, who has solid experience in the international reinsurance market, to build our local Treaty and Facultative underwriting team and manage the operation. Our second hire, Imen Hamadouche is a great addition to this team; she has significant experience in property and energy facultative lines across markets.”