22 July 2016EMEA analysis

DIMA appoints chairman and CEO


The Dublin International Insurance & Management Association (DIMA), the industry representative of re/insurance captives/captive management, has appointed David Stafford as its chairman and Eddy Van Custem as its chief executive officer (CEO).

Stafford replaces Marco Nuvoloni and is currently CEO of ALD Re, a reinsurance subsidiary of ALD International and a member of the Societe Generale group.

He has been the director of DIMA since 2007 and has served as chairman of DIMA’s conference sub-committee for several years.

Prior to joining ALD Re in February 2012, Stafford spent 20 years with AIG in a range of senior roles, mainly in the insurance management sector.

Stafford is joined by Van Custem, who will be the CEO from August 1, succeeding Sarah Goddard. During his role, Van Custem will work with the DIMA board to develop its feature strategy at a time when the international re/insurance is going through a time of structural change in a challenging environment.

“We really value the depth of experience Eddy brings to DIMA, and his knowledge of the requirements of our members from being a DIMA board member in the past will be invaluable,” Stafford said.

Van Custem was one of the founders of DIMA in 1990 when he worked at Eurco Re, and has over 25 years of senior international re/insurance experience to the role.

He was DIMA’s vice chairman from 2011 to 2013 and served on the DIMA board for many years. He is a non-executive director and chairman of the risk committee of NN RE (Ireland), the Irish subsidiary of Dutch insurer, Nationale Nederlanden (previously ING).

From 2001 until 2004, Van Custem was the managing director of Royal Bank of Canada’s reinsurance company in Ireland. Prior to working in Ireland, he worked in Switzerland and Belgium for a big Belgian banking and insurance group.

Van Custem said: “I really welcome the challenge this role brings in helping DIMA map out a new strategy for the future and also the opportunity to work with colleagues from the industry in a new capacity.”