Howden Broking has become the first international insurance broker to open a branch in Iceland, with the launch of a new office in the country’s capital, Reykjavik,
Through its operations in Finland, Howden has worked closely with clients in Iceland for a number of years.
The new office in Reykjavik will deliver a local service while enabling greater access to Howden’s specialty capabilities and global network, alongside supporting clients with a full suite of insurance lines.
To drive growth in the region, Howden has announced the appointment of Benedikt I. Elisson, who joins the broker after 42 years of service at Eimskip. During his tenure with Eimskip, he was Senior Risk Manager for 28 years, responsible for company marketing and operations in Iceland, Sweden, and Newfoundland.
Additionally, Bjarni Ólafsson has joined Howden, bringing extensive experience in the Icelandic and international markets, having served in numerous roles in accounts, risk management, and underwriting over 25 years in Iceland and also in the London marketplace.
Pasi Heikkinen, Director, Howden Finland, said: “We are extremely proud to open a Howden branch office in Iceland. Howden has had a strong presence in Iceland since the late 1990s and we have developed very good, long-term relationships with our Icelandic clients and local insurance companies.
“Our intention is to look after these relationships and make them even stronger; we also aim to build more new relationships and look forward to working closer with the Icelandic market, and supporting international clients.”
