Insurance and reinsurance broking group Gallagher has announced the appointment of Hassan Ashtari as Chief Client Officer for its Middle East and Africa specialty and facultative reinsurance operations.
This newly created role reflects Gallagher’s commitment to enhancing its client offering and strengthening its presence in the region.
Ashtari’s new position will centre on enhancing the client experience and creating a multi-class team to manage intricate re/insurance programs for clients with advanced risk management requirements.
He will also spearhead the expansion of risk advisory, claims advocacy, and market management services, bolstering Gallagher’s expertise in the Middle East & Africa.
His leadership will span all of Gallagher’s specialized industry sectors in the region, including energy, power & construction, marine, financial lines and M&A, special risks & crisis management, heavy industry, mining & complex property, and aerospace.
Ashtari, who has 20 years of experience creating and delivering re/insurance programs for multinational companies in the Middle East, will join Gallagher in January, and will be reporting to SEO of the Middle East & Africa, Nadim Semaan.
“Hassan’s appointment is a strategic hire for us, and we are delighted to welcome him to our team. Our business has experienced significant growth over the past year and Hassan’s experience aligns perfectly with our expanding base of large, multinational clients with complex insurance & risk management needs,” said Semaan.
He continued: His experience in developing bespoke programmes across diverse industries will strengthen our capabilities and complement the skills and expertise of our over 75 re/insurance and risk management professionals operating in the region.”
Ashtari is joining Gallagher from Marsh, where he has worked since 2010, most recently serving as Chief Client Officer for Marsh’s power division based in the DIFC.
Before that, he was Risk Management Practice Leader for Marsh’s team in Abu Dhabi.
Commenting on his appointment, Ashtari said: “I am excited to join Nadim and the team to support clients across the Middle East & Africa in managing their risk and insurance programmes.
“Gallagher’s focus on providing clients with bespoke solutions and leveraging first-rate technical knowledge underscores its client centric approach. With Gallagher’s impressive growth in the region, I see significant opportunities to further expand and deliver exceptional value to clients.”
