Markel opened a Perth office on Wednesday, expanding its Australian footprint to four locations, and appointed two senior underwriters to drive its local growth strategy.
The specialty insurer has appointed Jerome Steyn and Pierre Dagnee as Perth-based senior underwriters focused on the Western Australian market. Both report to Kym Beazleigh, head of professional and financial risks (PFR), and bring experience across PFR product classes as well as the mining and resources sector. The two hires bring the firm’s PFR underwriter count to nine across four Australian locations.
“The opening of the Perth office reflects our continued focus on profitable growth in Australia,” said Rory Morison, managing director of Australia at Markel. “We’re investing in underwriters who truly understand their market and products while giving them the mandate to build a business locally.”
Beazleigh cited Steyn’s and Dagnee’s experience in PFR, combined with deep mining and resources expertise, adding that their appointments build momentum as Markel continues to grow its presence in Perth and around Australia through strategic hires.
Markel’s expansion in Australia coincides with its broader strategic push in Asia-Pacific, with the company last month officially launching its W&I offering in APAC with underwriting hires in Hong Kong and India. That move also follows other key appointments so far this year, including John Bang as its first head of Korea and Japan and Flora Mao as first casualty underwriter in Mainland China.
