LIU Europe adds trade credit/political risk in France

LIBERTY International Underwriters (LIU) Europe has continued to strengthen its continental Europe offering with the roll out of trade credit and political risk business in France.

The insurer, a division of Liberty Mutual, has appointed Alexandre Egnell (pictured) as assistant vice president for trade credit/political risk, based in Paris.

Egnell joins from Atradius where he was senior underwriter trade credit and political risk in the US. He has 15 years’ experience in the insurance industry, and prior to Atradius was with Coface North America and Unistrat.

Egnell reports to Matthew Woollam, chief underwriting officer, trade credit and political risk for underwriting/technical issues, and to Olivier Muraire, who heads up LIU Europe’s Southern operation.

“Outside London, continental Europe is our biggest market for trade credit and political risk business. France in particular has a strong manufacturing base and the banks there focus on trade and commodity finance, which creates a strong demand for trade and investment related insurance,” said Woollam.

“Egnell’s appointment as a local, French speaking underwriter will help us grow our share of this market and is the latest in a line of recent appointments as we look to extend LIU Europe’s product lines throughout Europe.”

Egnell is the second newcomer to LIU Europe’s French operations this month, following the appointment of Scor’s Andreas Ofner as senior underwriter for its construction business (Insuranceday.com, June 14).

It follows a recent trend at the firm to grow the European operations. Last month, LIU Europe began writing casualty business in Germany, appointing Cologne-based Michael Weesbach from Zurich Global Corporate to lead the charge.

And late last year, the insurer launched a marine division from its Paris office, headed up by former AIG and Chubb underwriter Laurence Hautefeuille.