Interview with Benoît des Cressonnières, Vice-President of ICISA

from The ICISA Insider - October 2021

Blockchain Working Group

New appointments on Chubb’s Surety team

Jamal Griffith was promoted to Head of Surety for Europe. Mr. Griffith, who previously served as Head of Surety for the UK and Ireland, will be responsible for the performance, strategy and profitable growth of Chubb’s surety business in Continental Europe, the UK and Ireland. His surety team is based at Chubb locations in France, Germany, Spain, Ireland and the UK. Jamal, who has 20 years of surety experience and who has been with Chubb since 2010, was previously senior surety underwriter prior to taking over the management of UK and Ireland surety in 2018. In 2019, he earned his MBA with distinction from Cass University.

David Garrahan has been promoted to Head of Surety for the UK and Ireland. With 7 years of surety experience, David began with Chubb in Dublin in 2012, moving to London to join the Surety team in 2014 as an Assistant Underwriter. Gaining exposure and experience, he was promoted to Underwriter and most recently held the position of Senior Underwriter since 2019.

Jamal Griffith

Head of Surety - Europe

David Garrahan

Head of Surety - UK and Ireland

Alexander Riveros Appointed to Senior Underwriter Credit & Surety at AXIS Re

Alexander Riveros Senior Underwriter

Alexander Riveros has joined AXIS Re as Senior Underwriter, Credit & Surety, effective August 23, 2021. Alexander will be responsible for covering the Latin American market and will contribute to driving the business’ portfolio goals for credit & surety as well as fostering strong partnerships with clients and brokers.

Alexander joins AXIS Re following over 25 years in the Latin American (re)insurance industry, most recently as a Senior Surety Underwriter at Markel International. Alexander will report directly to Camilo Rodriguez, Head of International Credit & Surety. He will be based in Zurich and can be reached at alexander.riveros@axiscapital.com.

New appointments at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions

Marilyn Blattner-Hoyle has been appointed as Global Head Trade Finance in Swiss Re Corporate Solution’s Global Credit & Surety unit effective 18 August 2021. In this leadership role, she will be responsible for the origination and underwriting activities across the Trade Finance portfolio, focusing on the development of growth opportunities, implementation of our business strategy and the digitisation of our offering.

Marilyn Blattner-Hoyle Global Head Trade Finance

Veronica Assandri Foldnes has been appointed as Global Head Commodity Finance in Swiss Re Corporate Solutions’ Global Credit & Surety unit effective 1 May 2021. In this leadership role, she will be responsible for the origination and underwriting activities of the newly merged Soft Commodities and Energy & Metals portfolios and for developing and implementing strategic growth plans.

Veronica Assandri Foldnes Global Head Commodity Finance

Michael Lum has been appointed as Global Head Political Risk Insurance and Sovereign Credit Risk (“PRI”) in Swiss Re Corporate Solutions’ Global Credit & Surety unit effective 1 May 2021. In this leadership role, he will be responsible for the origination and underwriting activities across the PRI portfolio and for developing and implementing the strategic growth plans for the PRI portfolio. In addition to his global responsibilities, Michael will stay in Singapore and also continue to lead Swiss Re Corporate Solution’s APAC Surety business.

Marilyn, Veronica and Michael will report to Andreas Hillebrand, Global Head Credit & Surety.