Gallagher/Artex Middle East joint venture gets new SEO
Gallagher has that announced Hassan Ashtari has been appointed senior executive officer (SEO) of its Middle East joint venture with Artex which offers alternative risk management solutions in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). In his role he will lead the expansion of this business, manage key client relationships, and oversee the team.
Alongside this, Ashtari will continue in his role as chief client officer for Gallagher’s Middle East and Africa specialty and facultative reinsurance broking business where he has worked since 2024.
Ashtari has two decades of experience and a track record of designing and delivering local, regional and international re/insurance programmes for multinational entities across various industry sectors in the Middle East.
Since 2024, Gallagher and Artex have been collaborating to provide alternative risk and captive management services in the Middle East region. Artex is a wholly owned subsidiary of Gallagher and is a market leader in alternative risk solutions, providing a wide range of services to clients globally, including insurance and captive management, programme and facility management, insurance-linked securities (ILS), and structured transaction administration.
Gallagher has a significant client base in the Middle East having had on-the-ground teams based regionally for a number of years. Along with its captive team, the firm employs more than 100 specialty, facultative and treaty risk professionals and has extensive experience in sectors including aerospace, construction, marine, energy, power, renewables, marine, special risks, crisis management and financial lines.
The firm also has retail broking operations through its joint partnership with ACE Gallagher, a pioneer in the MEA regional insurance industry, with roots dating back to 1952 and offices in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Lebanon and Greece.
Commenting on his new role, Ashtari said: “The expansion of my role to work across both teams is a fantastic opportunity and will ensure clients can access the best possible insurance solutions for their needs, be that a captive or more traditional insurance products and services. With many complex multinational firms operating in the region our team can provide holistic advice and solutions to any range of risks that firms need to manage.”
Paul Eaton, chief executive of Artex EMEA, added: “I’m delighted that Hassan has taken on this role in the local market, which reflects both Artex and Gallagher's commitment to enhancing our client offering for alternative risk solutions whilst strengthening our presence in the region. We believe there is real appetite and strong growth opportunities for our professional range of services, spanning the full cycle of the captive life from feasibility to management, and run off.”
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