Howden Re expands Latin America and Caribbean push with senior hires

Howden Re is strengthening its Latin America and Caribbean operations with the appointments of Carlos Garcia as Managing Director and Karina Lopez as Director, both set to join in May and based in New Jersey.

The hires signal continued investment in a region that is becoming increasingly important for reinsurance brokers. Garcia brings over two decades of experience across retail insurance and reinsurance, including roles at Marsh and Guy Carpenter, with a focus on structuring reinsurance solutions across Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, North America, and Latin America. Lopez joins from Guy Carpenter with 14 years of experience in treaty reinsurance, specializing in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Both executives bring established relationships with multinational and regional clients, which Howden Re is looking to leverage as it expands its footprint across the region.

Strategically, the move reflects growing demand for more sophisticated reinsurance solutions in Latin America and the Caribbean, where insurers range from global players managing complex cross-border programs to local carriers requiring tailored, market-specific coverage. The region’s exposure to catastrophe risk and evolving insurance markets is driving demand for brokers with both technical expertise and local access.

Howden Re already maintains a presence in Brazil and Peru, and the additions are intended to deepen its reach across a broader set of cedents and markets. The company is positioning itself to capture growth in what it views as a large, complex, and underserved market increasingly seeking global capacity paired with regional expertise.

The expansion aligns with Howden Re’s broader strategy to build out international growth markets and strengthen its role as a reinsurance partner in regions with rising risk complexity and insurance penetration.