Markel expands Australian presence with new Perth office

Markel International is expanding its footprint in Australia with a new office in Perth, Western Australia.

The insurer has hired two senior underwriters, Jerome Steyn and Pierre Dagnee, to support the local market, with a focus on professional and financial risks. Both bring experience across PFR product lines and the mining and resources sector.

The move adds a fourth location in Australia and brings Markel’s PFR underwriting team in the country to nine.

“The opening of the Perth office reflects our continued focus on profitable growth in Australia. We’re investing in underwriters who truly understand their market and products while giving them the mandate to build a business locally. We saw a great opportunity in Jerome and Pierre both for their technical ability and cultural alignment and having them lead our presence in Perth means we now have nine specialist PFR underwriters across four locations to support clients and brokers throughout Australia.” – Rory Morison, Managing Director of Australia at Markel.