AXA XL beefs up its London reinsurance team

AXA XL has made three senior appointments to its London reinsurance team.

Megan Kempe has been promoted to head of US property in London, effective September 1. She joined XL Re in Bermuda in 2004 as a catastrophe model analyst, and after a short stint at D. E. Shaw & Co re-joined XL Re in 2009 as an associate underwriter. She was later promoted to vice president and significantly increased the company’s re/insurance business in emerging markets.

Meanwhile Nick Pascall joins AXA XL from Hiscox Re in London, where he was head of casualty reinsurance, to become head of US casualty treaty, effective October 1. He brings 27 years of international re/insurance experience, having worked in London, Bermuda and Chicago. He began his career as a treaty underwriter at CNA Re in 1992, and has since held senior roles at Catlin Underwriting Agencies and American Safety Re.

Conor Gaffney joins as head of specialty. He was previously at Greenlight Reinsurance Ireland in Dublin, where he was head of reinsurance underwriting, and takes up his new role on September 1. Gaffney has nearly 15 years’ experience in the re/insurance industry, and began his career as a reinsurance pricing actuary at Imagine Group. He has also held senior actuarial roles at AmTrust International Underwriters and PwC.

All three appointments will be based in London and report to Rob Littlemore, chief executive of London Reinsurance.

Littlemore said: “Each one of these highly talented individuals has the right credentials and leadership skills to continue our drive for profitable growth while ensuring clients receive the same, consistent high level of service and flexibility they have grown to expect from us.”