QBE Re and Liberty GTS accelerate leadership overhaul to streamline global insurance strategy

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1. https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2025/07/10/831132.htm - Please view link - unable to able to access data
2. https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2025/07/10/831132.htm - This article from Insurance Journal details recent leadership appointments at QBE Re and Liberty Global Transaction Solutions. QBE Re has announced a group of appointments as part of its simplified leadership structure, split across three markets and three product areas. The following individuals will lead QBE Re’s EMEA, international, and North American markets: Abdallah Balbeisi has been appointed executive director of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), with oversight of QBE Re’s Dubai, Brussels, and Dublin offices. He joined QBE in 2020 from Aspen and has over 25 years’ experience in the industry. Mark Jackaman has been appointed executive director of International (Lloyd’s & Bermuda platforms). He was previously general manager, London, and brings over 27 years’ experience to the role, including the past 13 years with QBE Re. Salvatore Sama has been appointed executive director for North America. He was previously responsible for leading the casualty business globally. Based in New York, Sama has more than 20 years of financial services experience and spent 10 years at Swiss Re prior to joining QBE. These roles are responsible for leading the underwriting teams across QBE Re’s three markets and executing on QBE Re’s global strategy. Meanwhile, QBE Re has appointed the following to lead casualty, specialty, and property: Jane Farren has been appointed executive director, Global Casualty, as of July 1, having previously held the position of global head of Financial Professional Lines. Farren has worked at QBE Re in New York for four years, with previous experience at Aspen and Swiss Re. Shane Lawlor has been appointed executive director, Global Specialty, which encompasses accident & health, life, marine & aviation, and specialty lines. He was previously head of Specialty, London, and joined QBE in 2015 from Catlin. Andy Richardson has been appointed as executive director, Global Property. He joined QBE Re in 2023 from Aeolus Capital Management, Bermuda, where he was portfolio manager and has experience in senior roles at Lancashire Insurance and Guy Carpenter. He was previously head of Underwriting for QBE Re’s Bermuda office. These roles are responsible for setting global product appetite, managing QBE Re’s global product portfolios, and allocating capacity. All six roles will report directly to Chris Killourhy, managing director, QBE Re. Along with other recent appointments, including Jamie Cook as chief partnership officer, Debbi Wood, head of Claims, Andrew Guarnori, head of Underwriting Oversight, and Ash Ahluwalia, head of Performance & Portfolio Management, these roles form a critical part of QBE Re’s underwriting leadership team. In addition, Tracey Gibbons has been appointed to the newly created role of global head of Strategic Development for QBE Re, while Andy Richardson has been appointed general manager of Bermuda, in addition to his role as executive director, Global Property. Gibbons was previously general manager of Bermuda, having joined QBE in 2021 from SiriusPoint. She brings over 40 years’ experience to the role. QBE Re has offices in Bermuda, Bogota, Brussels, Dubai, Dublin, London, and New York, as well as a presence in Japan, Argentina, and across the US. Liberty Global Transaction Solutions, part of Liberty Mutual Insurance, has appointed Nick Lunn as head of the UK, Central Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Barbara Magni as head of Southern Europe. Both will report to Markus Messinger, head of EMEA. Lunn joined Liberty GTS in February 2020 and spent five years as its head of Southern Europe. Before joining the Liberty GTS team, Lunn spent three years at Willis Towers Watson as executive director within the M&A Transactional Risks team. He also spent three years at another leading underwriter as its UK underwriting manager. Prior to joining the warranty & indemnity (W&I) market in 2013 from an in-house corporate counsel role at EDF Energy PLC, Lunn spent eight years training and qualifying as an M&A lawyer in the corporate department of international law firm, Dentons. In addition to his new role, Lunn will continue to oversee the EMEA tax team. Magni leads the Liberty GTS team for Southern Europe. She is a dual-qualified M&A lawyer, having trained with Clyde & Co. in London, and later spent six years in the M&A department of a leading Italian law firm. Magni has been with Liberty GTS and its subsidiary Ironshore since 2016, focusing on Southern European transactions. Magni will continue to be based in Milan, Italy.
3. https://www.reinsurancene.ws/aspen-res-abdallah-balbeisi-to-join-qbe-as-seo-head-of-mea-region/ - This article from Reinsurance News reports on QBE Insurance Group's appointment of Abdallah Balbeisi as Senior Executive Officer (SEO), Head of Middle East and Africa (MEA), effective May 2020. Balbeisi will be based in Dubai and will report to Stephen Postlewhite, Deputy Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) of QBE Re. He brings two decades of industry experience to the role, joining the firm from Aspen Re, where he led the MEA region since 2010 from London, and was named the SEO of the Dubai office since 2017. Before joining reinsurer Aspen Re, he has held numerous regional roles in loss adjusting, underwriting, and brokering. Commenting on the appointment, Postlewhite said: "As a specialist insurer and reinsurer, we are dedicated to continually strengthening our capabilities to meet the evolving needs of our customers. Abdallah’s experience and strong relationships made him the ideal candidate to lead this business and further demonstrates our commitment to this key region for QBE."
4. https://www.intelligentinsurer.com/insurance/qbe-appoints-head-of-middle-east-and-africa-20410 - This article from Intelligent Insurer discusses QBE Insurance Group's appointment of Abdallah Balbeisi as Senior Executive Officer, Head of Middle East and Africa (MEA). Balbeisi will lead QBE’s insurance and reinsurance initiative in the MEA region. He is set to join the firm in May 2020 in its Dubai office, reporting to Stephen Postlewhite, Deputy Chief Underwriting Officer, QBE Re. Vladan Radakovic will serve as interim SEO until Balbeisi joins. Balbeisi brings 20 years of industry experience to the role. He joins the company from Aspen Reinsurance, where he led the MEA region since 2010 from London and was appointed the SEO of Dubai office since 2017. Prior to Aspen he served in various regional roles in loss adjusting, underwriting, and brokering. Stephen Postlewhite, Deputy Chief Underwriting Officer, QBE Re said: "As a specialist insurer and reinsurer, we are dedicated to continually strengthening our capabilities to meet the evolving needs of our customers. Abdallah’s experience and strong relationships made him the ideal candidate to lead this business and further demonstrates our commitment to this key region for QBE."
5. https://www.qbere.com/news/press-releases/qbe-re-appoints-general-manager-for-london/ - This press release from QBE Re announces the appointment of Mark Jackaman as General Manager, London. Jackaman brings over 25 years of experience to the role, including the past 11 with QBE Re. He was most recently Head of Casualty, London. He has also been leading the UK underwriting team on an interim basis since May. In his new role, Jackaman will report to Chris Killourhy, Managing Director, QBE Re, and will be responsible for strategic development, growth initiatives, and delivery of the P&L for the London office. Chris Killourhy, Managing Director QBE Re, commented on the appointment, "Since joining the business, I have been really impressed with Mark’s disciplined approach to growing portfolios, his commitment to developing people and by the way he actively listens to our clients and brokers. I am pleased that he has accepted this critical role on a permanent basis, which is another excellent example of the strength of our internal pool of talent."
6. https://www.qbere.com/leadership-team - This page on QBE Re's website provides information about the company's leadership team. The team is led by Managing Director, Chris Killourhy, and includes key figures such as Ibrahim El Moghraby (Chief Operating Officer), Jamie Cook (Chief Partnership Officer), Tracey Gibbons (General Manager, Bermuda), Piet Haers (General Manager, Europe), Abdallah Balbeisi (General Manager, MEA), John Garcia (Head of Non-Life, Brussels and Dublin), Paul Horgan (Head of Property), Timothy Barber (Head of Casualty and General Manager, US), Shane Lawlor (Head of Specialty), Bruno Guelle (Head of Underwriting & Global Product Head), Debbi Wood (Head of Claims (Reinsurance)), and Mark Jackaman (General Manager, London).
7. https://www.qbere.com/news/press-releases/qbe-re-launches-life-reinsurance-for-mena-with-addition-to-dubai-office/ - This press release from QBE Re announces the appointment of Mohamed El Sabri as Head of Life Reinsurance for Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Subject to regulatory approval, he joins the office in Dubai and will be responsible for developing and managing the life reinsurance portfolio in the region. In his new role, he reports to Abdallah Balbeisi, Senior Executive Officer, Head of MEA. The newly created role marks an expansion of QBE Re’s offering in the region to focus on growing opportunities in the MENA life reinsurance market. Mohamed has more than 14 years of life & medical reinsurance experience in the Middle East, most recently as Senior Business Development Manager for Munich Re in Dubai. Prior to that, he served as a Senior Market Manager at SCOR SE in Germany. He holds an MBA in Actuarial Sciences and FCII. Abdallah Balbeisi, Senior Executive Officer, Head of MEA said: "As QBE Re continues to expand its reinsurance activities globally, Mohamed’s technical expertise, coupled with his detailed knowledge of the MENA region’s business environment, will widen our product offering to our partners. Mohamed’s appointment to this new role is a significant step in our growth strategy and commitment in the region. I am delighted to welcome him aboard."