Fortitude Re opens office in Tokyo

Bermuda-based Fortitude Re has opened a representative office in Tokyo and appointed Hajime Kawafuji as its chief representative.

Kawafuji joins Fortitude Re from global investment firm Carlyle, where he was a senior member of the Japan buyout advisory team. Prior to Carlyle, he spent more than a decade at Nomura in its Investment Banking division. Kawafuji will work closely with Leonard Lin, head of Asia at Fortitude Re.

Alon Neches, CEO of Fortitude Re, said: “Our Representative Office in Tokyo further demonstrates our commitment to clients in Japan. Under Leonard and Kawafuji-san’s leadership, we will build our presence in the Japanese market to ensure local insurers benefit from the best of our firm’s capabilities to support their financial and strategic goals.”