Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company (BHSI), the insurance unit of Warren Buffett’s insurance and reinsurance firm, is opening a Dubai office with a number of new executive hires, as it looks to expand in the region.
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company (BHSI) has now received its insurance license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority and established an office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
The company has hired Alessandro Cerase to be its Senior Executive Officer (SEO). Cerase was most recently with AIG, heading up its global energy and engineeered risk business, as well as working in its oil and petrochemical business line.
Cerase will also be will be leading First Party Lines for BHSI’s broader Asia Middle East region, which includes operations in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as its operations in Malaysia and Macau.
Neeraj Yadvendu has been hired for the role of deputy SEO and Head of Third Party Lines for the Middle East. He joins from AXA ASIA, where he was the regional lead for casualty and financial lines of underwriting.
“We are excited to expand BHSI’s footprint in this region which will service those markets in the Middle East and beyond who seek (re)insurance support in the DIFC. The strategic location of Dubai as well as the stability and efficiency of the DIFC make it an ideal hub for BHSI to support economic growth in the region. Our operation in the DIFC will bring BHSI’s financial strength, and underwriting and claims excellence to the region,” commented Marc Breuil, President of Asia Middle East, BHSI. “We are excited to be able to serve customers and brokers in the region under the experienced leadership of Alessandro and Neeraj.”
BHSI aims to provide a range of specialty and commercial re/insurance products to its network of brokers and ceding companies in the regions covered, with a focus on construction, energy, property, marine, casualty and executive and professional lines.
