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Specialty MGA Appoints 2 Senior Underwriters for Africa & Middle East

Specialty MGA Africa & Middle East, part of MNK Group and a sister company of Specialty MGA UK, announced the appointment of two new senior underwriters as it strengthens its team in Casablanca.

Laila El Bahtouri has been appointed as the new treaty senior underwriter, while Mohamed Bader Bouanani has been named as senior underwriter for Specialty Lines. Both will be in charge of the Africa and Middle East regions. Based in the MGA’s Casablanca office, El Bahtouri is an Actuary Fellow of the French Institute of Actuaries with 19 years of experience, including 14 years in the reinsurance business.

She will drive Specialty MGA Africa & Middle East’s growth in property/casualty reinsurance markets, developing a balanced portfolio of specialist lines as she prioritises meeting client objectives.

Most recently, she worked at Moroccan National reinsurer SCR, spending five years as executive head of Domestic and African P&C Treaties. In this role she developed a deep understanding of the Moroccan and African markets. Before that, she worked more than eight years at SCOR Paris, where she held many positions, including pricing manager for the Middle East.

Mohamed Bader Bouanani will be responsible for driving Specialty MGA’s growth in specialty lines of business, and expanding its market presence in Africa and the Middle East. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Texas Tech University in the U.S., and is an experienced underwriting professional, with a proven track record of more than 15 years in the reinsurance industry. He has held various leadership roles, most recently as head of Specialty Lines at the Moroccan reinsurer SCR.

Specialty MGA Africa & Middle East was launched by CEO Youssef Fassi Fihri in September last year. Headquartered in London, it acts as a bridge between local markets and the London market, offering specific solutions for the African and Middle Eastern markets.

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DUAL Europe Expands Marine Business with New Team in Hamburg, Germany

DUAL Europe is expanding its marine business with a new team in Hamburg, Germany – forming the third marine hub operated by the managing general agent in less than two years.

Marine hubs in Rotterdam and Genoa were established in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

The Hamburg team is led by Klaus Weber, who joins as head of Marine, DUAL Deutschland. With over 30 years of experience in marine insurance and 25 years at the GDV in the Hull Insurance Working Group, Weber brings extensive industry expertise to DUAL. He also contributed to the IVR, a pan-European specialist group for inland shipping, for 10 years, including two years as president.
Weber will be joined by underwriters Steffen Thormann and Tereza Alisch.

DUAL offers access to a comprehensive suite of marine solutions, including ocean and inland hull, builders risks, cargo, and land-based equipment to the international broker market.

“This expansion of our marine business marks a pivotal step in our growth strategy. We are committed to further expanding our marine offer and delivering unparalleled expertise and innovative solutions to our clients,” commented Olaf Jonda, CEO, DUAL Europe. “With marine teams in Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany, we are strategically positioned to continue leading in the Marine insurance market.”

Andrea Cupido, executive chair, DUAL Marine Europe, added: “Expanding our marine business into Germany is a significant milestone for DUAL. Our client-centric approach and commitment to providing tailored solutions make us the partner of choice for brokers in the marine sector: we are always committed to meeting the evolving needs of our clients. Our new hub in Hamburg strengthens our presence in Europe’s leading maritime centers and underscores our ambition in this sector.”

A subsidiary of Howden, London-based DUAL Group, is one of the world’s largest international underwriting agencies with £2.6 billion of GWP. Established in 1998, today DUAL has over 1,800 people in 22 countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, and is one of Lloyd’s’ largest international coverholders. DUAL Europe operates in 13 countries from 19 locations, with more than 350 people.

Topics Excess Surplus Underwriting Europe Insurance Wholesale Germany