UK-based XL Group's reinsurance segment has announced the establishment of new operations in Dubai to serve the Mena market and act as a regional hub for the business.

Further, XL Group has announced the appointments of Mohamad Alali as senior executive officer and Imen Hamadouche as a property facultative underwriter, both based in its new reinsurance office in Dubai.

David Watson, CEO of XL Re Europe SE, said: "There remains a strong reinsurance purchasing culture among local cedents with large property, industrial and energy exposures in the Mena region as well as growing opportunities in the Casualty and Specialty sectors. What these clients want is a local presence and knowledge supported by global expertise and security, and that is exactly what we plan to deliver."

Watson continued: "We have appointed Mohamed Alali, who has solid experience in the international reinsurance market, to build our local Treaty and Facultative underwriting team and manage the operation. Our second hire, Imen Hamadouche is a great addition to this team; she has significant experience in property and energy facultative lines across markets."

Alali joins XL Group from Willis in Dubai having previously worked in London as an international property broker from 2006. He holds an MSc in Actuarial Science and a BSc in Statistics & Economics from Queen's University at Kingston, Canada.  

Hamadouche joins from Aon Benfield, Dubai, where she held the position of client manager for its Mena facultative business. She has broad market experience having worked as a property underwriter in Europe for some years. – TradeArabia News Service