 Yassir Albaharna
CEO of Arig
Yassir Albaharna graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor degree in Engineering(Mechanical) from McGill University in Montreal and then in 1986 obtained dual Masters in Engineering (Manufacturing) and an M.B.A (High Honors) from Boston University. He subsequently joined the Arab Insurance Group(Arig) in 1987 and was elected as "Fellow" and "Chartered Insurer" of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) in 1993.
More >>
Yassir worked within the reinsurance division of Arig during his entire working career and assumed various underwriting and managerial positions.
Throughout, he has traveled extensively and represented Arig in numerous regional and international forums.
Yassir is currently the CEO of Arig, Chairman of Arig Insurance Company Limited (UK), Chairman of Arima Insurance Software (Bahrain), Chairman of Gulf Warranties (Bahrain), Board member of Takaful Re (Dubai International Financial Center) and Board member of the Arab Jordanian Insurance Group (Amman). He is also a Board member of the International Insurance Society (New York), Vice Chairman of the Bahrain Insurance Association, Board member of Bahrain's Specific Council for Vocational Training (Banking Sector) as well as Board of Trustees of Bahrain's Human Resources Development Fund (Banking & Financial Sector).
Hide >>
 Marc Slatter BA (Hons), ACII
Managing Director Al Futtaim Willis Co. LLC Dubai
Marc joined Willis Oil and Gas Division in 1982 after working for several Marine Syndicates at Lloyd's of London. While with Willis Oil and Gas he was seconded to work for Global Special Risks in New Orleans, a specialist energy sector broker
More >>
Following the secondment he was responsible as a Divisional Director for broking US energy risks and then as an Executive Director was in addition responsible for dealing with business from West Africa and the Caspian states. Marc was seconded to Al Futtaim Willis Dubai in 1996 as Energy Manager and took over as Managing Director for the region including branches in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in 2000.
Hide >>
 Raj Singh
Member of the Executive Committee and Chief Risk Officer, Swiss Re
Mr Singh, a US citizen born in 1962, holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Winona State University, Minnesota, and an MBA from the Thunderbird American School for International Management, Arizona, from 1984.
More >>
Download 2010 presentation 
Mr Singh joined Swiss Re from Allianz SE, where he held the position of Group Chief Risk Officer from 2002. From 1989 to 2001, Mr Singh worked for Citigroup, where he held a number of senior positions, mainly in the area of credit and structured finance. Lastly he was Managing Director Risk/Merger & Acquisitions for Citibank Northern Europe and with site responsibility for Citibank Belgium.
Mr Singh is a Member of the International Financial Risk Institute and founding Chairman of the Chief Risk Officers Forum.
Hide >>
 Saad Mered
CEO Middle East, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd.
Saad Mered (born 1967) is the CEO Middle East for Zurich Insurance Company ("Zurich"). Joining Zurich in
January 2009, he will oversee all of Zurich's operations in the Middle East and focus on launching General
Insurance capabilities in the region. He will also be introducing Zurich's vast array of specialty products and
solutions to large corporate customers and their local insurers to support them in countering complex risks
in the local market.
More >>
Saad started his professional insurance career at AIG in 1994, where he held various positions during his
long tenure with the company, from financial lines underwriting and running AIG's Egypt operations to
holding a global role in the implementation of their small business strategy.
He holds a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the
University of California, Berkeley.
Hide >>
 Dermot Dick,
CEO, Q-Re
Dermot has been in the insurance industry for 27 year-beginning as a Graduate Trainee with General Accident in the UK in 1982.
He had 16 years with GA –finishing as Senior Manager of the London Market Marine and Energy Operation at the time of the merger with CU that formed CGU.
More >>
Download 2010 presentation
Dermot then lead the Marine and Energy operation of Euclidian Underwriting at Lloyds-Syndicate 1243 –rising to Deputy Active Underwriter of the whole Syndicate.
After five years in Lloyds and a stint studying at Henley Management College he joined Qatar Insurance Company in Doha in 2004. He has held several Executive posts in that organization –the latest being Chief Operating Officer of QIC International LLC –responsible for the International Underwriting Unit . This business had been started by Dermot and his team in 2005.
This business has now been rolled out of QIC International LLC and established as an independent , professional reinsurer called Q-Re .This business was authorized by the QFCRA on December 6th 2009 .Dermot has now been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Q-Re with a clear mandate to grow the business within it's core Afro-Asian footprint and beyond.
Hide >>
 Shashank Srivastava,
Acting CEO and Director of Strategy & Planning
Shashank joined the QFC Authority in April 2006. He has 16 years of global experience in the strategy consulting and investment industries, and has held key positions with Dresdner RCM Global Investors, Andersen Consulting and (in the region) with Abraaj Capital and DIFC. He has also worked for Swiss Re and Prudential of UK.
 Shaun Brook,
Senior Executive Officer, Kane (Bahrain)
Shaun is Senior Executive Officer of Kane in Bahrain and Practice Leader, Kane Insurance Management. He joined the company in 2006, before relocating to Bahrain in July 2008. Shaun has over 20 years of insurance experience, having previously worked as a Professional Indemnity Underwriter and a Broker in the UK. Prior to this, he had been a Captive Insurance Management specialist in Guernsey since 1995.
More >>
Download 2010 presentation
Shaun has a wealth of experience in the design and implementation of structured insurance programmes using reinsurance capacity and a range of non-conventional means of security to provide bespoke solutions for unusual risk financing issues. Shaun has also been involved in the structuring of a number of transformer arrangements between the capital markets and reinsurance markets using Protected Cell Companies, including Credit Default Swaps and Securitisation transactions
Hide >>
 John R. Coomber
Non-executive and independent director, Swiss Reinsurance Company
John R. Coomber, a British citizen born in 1949, graduated in theoretical mechanics from
Nottingham University in 1970.
John R. Coomber started his career with the Phoenix Insurance Company. He joined Swiss Re in
1973. Having qualified as an actuary in 1974, he first specialised in the company's life
reinsurance area. He was Swiss Re UK's appointed actuary from 1983 to 1990. In 1987, he
assumed responsibility for the Life division and, in 1993, was made Head of the company's UK
operations. John R. Coomber was appointed as a member of the Executive Board in April 1995,
responsible for the Group's Life & Health Division. In June 2000, he became a member of the
Executive Committee. He was Swiss Re's Chief Executive Officer from 1 January 2003 until 31
December 2005, when he retired after 33 years of employment with Swiss Re.
More >>
Download 2010 presentation
John R. Coomber was elected to Swiss Re's Board of Directors in February 2007. John R.
Coomber also serves as Chief Executive Officer of Pension Insurance Corporation Limited, and
is a director of MH (GB) Limited, Parhelion Capital Ltd, telent Ltd, and Qatar Insurance Services.
He is also a trustee of The Climate Group, and a member of the Deutsche Bank Climate Advisory
Panel. John R. Coomber is an Honorary Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Hide >>
Philippe Dauba-Pantanacce
Senior Economist, Middle East and North Africa Global Markets
Standard Chartered
Philippe joined SCB Research Team in 2007. As a Senior Economist, Philippe covers the Middle East and North Africa region. He has a wealth experience in dealing with economic and global financial issues, and has specialised in Emerging Markets.
He worked for HSBC in various Asset Management entities both in New York and Paris for around five years and was responsible for their global Emerging Market fund expertise for their Continental Europe clients.
More >>
Prior to that, Philippe worked in Washington DC in diplomacy for the French embassy and as a legislative aide for a member of the US Congress. His education background started with a Bachelor's degree in Applied Economics then a Master in Business Management both from University of Paris Dauphine. He also graduated with a Master's degree in International Relations from Sciences-Po Paris and recently graduated with a Masters in Emerging Market Finance from Columbia University in New York.
He has regular interviews with the local and international press, local radio shows and has been a regular speaker at conferences throughout the region.
Hide >>
|
|
 Christian Kraut
Director at Munich Re of Africa, South Africa
Christian Kraut is Chief Executive for Middle East, Africa in Munich Re's Germany, Asia Pacific and Africa Division. Christian has more than 20 years experience in the reinsurance industry. He joined Munich Re in 1989 as a Marketing Specialist in the Middle East, Far East and Australia Division. Before assuming his current function, he worked as Senior Executive and Client Executive in Munich Re's MENA Department and for 7 years in Munich Re's Taipei Office as Treaty Manager and as from 1999 as General Manager.
More >>
He represents Munich Re in the Board of Directors of Saudi National Insurance Company, KSA, Jordan Insurance Company, Jordan and since May 2009 he is a Director at Munich Re of Africa, South Africa
Hide >>
 Dr. Kai-Uwe Schanz
Chairman and Principal Partner of Dr. Schanz, Alms & Company
Kai-Uwe Schanz is Chairman and Principal Partner of Dr. Schanz, Alms & Company (www.schanz-alms.com), a Zurich-based communications and strategy advisory firm focusing on the financial services industry. He advises companies as well as prestigious institutions such as The Geneva Association, the think-tank of the CEOs of the world's largest insurance and reinsurance companies. Kai-Uwe Schanz holds a Ph.D. degree in International Economics from the University of St. Gallen
More >>
Download 2010 presentation
From 2004 to 2007 Dr. Schanz served as Chief Communication & Corporate Development Officer at Converium, a Top 10 reinsurer. From 1995 to 2004 he worked for Swiss Re, the world's leading reinsurer, performing various senior management roles such as Chief Economist Asia-Pacific, based in Hong Kong, and Global Head of Communications Content and Strategic Issues Management.
In 2003 Dr. Schanz was appointed Research Fellow at the China Center for Insurance and Social Security Research at Beijing University. In 2005 he received the Geneva Association / International Insurance Society Research Award. Dr. Schanz is also a Member of the Board of Governors of the Asia-Pacific Risk and Insurance Association, Singapore.
His record of publications includes leading newspapers such as the Neue Zürcher Zeitung and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung as well as the relevant trade press in Europe, Asia, the US and Latin America. Dr. Schanz was also quoted by The Economist and The Financial Times.
Hide >>
 Bassam Hussein,
General Manager
Bassam has 25 years experience in insurance and reinsurance industry. He is a chemical engineer and an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute of London. He spent ten years as an energy underwriter responsible for an international energy book of business and a further ten years in the direct insurance market being responsible for underwriting government and major accounts.
More >>
Mr Hussein is also an Executive Member of the GCC Insurance Coordination Committee; and a Member of the Technical Committee of AWRIS (Arab War Reinsurance syndicate)..
Hide >>
 Michael Whitwell,
President CHARTIS MEMSA, Middle East, Mediterranean and South Asia
Michael Whitwell is currently the Regional President for CHARTIS MEMSA, Middle East, Mediterranean and South Asia. Since taking up the role in July 2008, Michael has led the region through challenging economic times and the recently announced global rebrand of property-casualty and general insurance operations, formerly AIG.
More >>
Michael Whitwell joined AIG in 1984, managing US multinational customers in Bermuda. Mike moved to London in 1991 and held a number of senior roles in the UK region and was instrumental in organizing and launching the risk management and major accounts functions for the region, and managing the UK's flagship commercial business. Mike was appointed Regional President for Central Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States in April 2006, leading continued growth in the region.
Hide >>
 Shankar Garigiparthy
Director, Insurance Supervision
Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority
Mr Garigiparthy is the Director of Supervision within the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority and is responsible for the supervision of insurance companies within the QFC. Prior to joining the QFC Regulatory Authority in November 2005, he spent 7 years working in the Regulatory Division at Lloyd's of London, where he was responsible for the admission of corporate members to the Society of Lloyd's. He was also responsible for devising the policy to attract reinsurance participation at Lloyd's by way of a quota share reinsurance mechanism. Prior to that he spent 5 years as a portfolio manager at Barclays Stockbrokers in England, where he was responsible for a £50 million investment portfolio managed on a discretionary basis. Mr Garigiparthy holds an MBA from the University of Hull (UK) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Madras Christian College (India). He is also a Professional Member of the International Compliance Association, having completed the International Diploma in Anti Money Laundering.
Glen McKay
Associate Director, Supervision Department,
QFCRA
Glen is an Associate Director in the Supervision Department at the QFCRA. He joined the QFCRA in 2006 from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA). At the BMA, Glen was actively involved in the Captive Insurance sector and in the Policy department, reviewing and enhancing the BMA's legislation to IAIS standards. Prior to joining the BMA, he was an auditor with KPMG and is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
Glen has a Bachelor of Science degree in Organic Chemistry, with a minor in Astrophysics, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Psychology, both from the University of British Columbia. Glen is also a Certified Islamic Accountant.
|
|
 Abdulrahman Ahmad Al-Shaibi
Delegated Member, QFC Authority
Mr. Al-Shaibi is Director of Finance for the Qatar Petroleum Group. He is a member of various Executive Committees, responsible for the ambitious expansion plans of Qatar Petroleum in the LNG sector, petrochemicals and non energy sector projects such as aluminum and steel. He is also part of a select team responsible for developing a suitable business model for Qatar Petroleum International, the international arm of QP.
More >>
Mr Al-Shaibi is a member of the State's Finance Policy Committee, Chairman of Qatar Insurance Services (which trades as Qatarlyst), and is also a Board member of various other companies including Qatargas, its sister companies and QASCO. Mr. Al-Shaibi is the Chairman of QFC Authority Board Audit and Risk Committee.
Hide >>
 Muhammad A. Ghannam,
Managing Director of Qatar Gas Transport Company
Muhammad studied accountancy in U.S., where he qualified as a certified public accountant in New York in 1975. He currently holds the position of Managing Director at the Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat). Established in 2004, the shipping company is a vital contributor to the liquefied natural gas industry in Qatar, servicing the transportation of LNG produced in the North Field region of Qatar. By 2010 Nakilat aims to be one of the largest fleet owners in the world, owning up to 56 LNG vessels (either 100% or partial ownership).
More >>
Download 2010 presentation
Previous positions held by Muhammad include: Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Ltd. (Ras Laffan, Qatar) Chief Operating Officer - Finance; Mobil Exploration & Producing Technical Center-Dallas, USA, Manager Finance & Administration; Mobil Exploration and Producing Services Inc. - Dallas, USA, Manager Finance & Administration; Mobil Oil Indonesia - Jakarta, Indonesia
Financial Specialist/Controller.
Hide >>
 Jonathan Wilton,
Chief Executive Officer ACR ReTakaful MEA
Mr. Jonathan Wilton was born in Cairo and grew up in the Middle East and Balkans. He has lived in Bahrain since 2008.
He entered the reinsurance industry in 1982. He spent eight years working on the Middle East account for Willis Faber & Dumas before moving to the Willis Faber International office in Singapore. He spent the following 18 years working in the ASEAN, India Subcontinent and North Asian region, first as Regional Reinsurance Director for Willis Faber and subsequently in production and managerial roles with Jardine Lloyd Thompson and Arthur J Gallagher.
More >>
Mr. Jonathan Wilton joined ACR in 2008. He holds a Master of Arts (Arabic & Law) from Pembroke College, Cambridge.
Hide >>
 James Sutherland ACII,
Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Insurance Services LLC, trading as Qatarlyst.
James began his career with Sedgwick Forbes in London in 1978 as a management trainee working on UK based multi-national accounts, specialising in Risk Management. In 1984 he moved to Asia with a UK/US insurance company joint venture and spent the next 11 years working in various underwriting and senior management positions in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
More >>
Download 2010 presentation
James moved back to the UK in 1995 to rejoin Sedgwick and then moved to Lloyd's of London where he spent nearly 10 years, latterly as Head of Development and Operations for Lloyd's overseas offices and trading platforms. He joined Qatar Financial Centre in 2008 as Director of Business Development for Insurance and Reinsurance and was appointed as CEO of Qatarlyst in 2009. Qatarlyst, based in Qatar is an innovative subsidiary of the Qatar Financial Centre that is improving business process and access to markets through the creation of a community of insurers, reinsurers and brokers around a web based insurance placement and fulfillment platform.
Hide >>
 Stephen May,
Chief Executive Officer, Kane
Stephen has 30 years of experience in the international insurance and reinsurance markets focusing on the areas of Aviation, Space and Retrocession. During this time he has held a number of senior positions at Johnson & Higgins, Marsh and Benfield Group where he was Team Leader of Global Specialty Reinsurance.
More >>
In 2006, Stephen made the decision to pursue his keen interest in risk and insurance management and left the broking industry. He is now Chief Executive Officer of Kane Group, a management owned risk and insurance specialist with offices in London, Bahrain and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
Stephen is a regular speaker at international conferences, presenting on risk management, captive insurance and emerging insurance markets including the Middle East.
Stephen is married, with five children.
Hide >>
 Chakib Abouzaid
Chief Executive Officer, Takaful Re
Mr Abouzaid first entered reinsurance in 1989 with Best Re and was their Regional General Manager for Middle East and Gulf. His 20 years of experience has focused mainly on Islamic Reinsurance. Mr. Abouzaid holds a Masters degree in Planning and Development from Grenoble University and a Masters degree in Finance and Insurance from the Institute of Development and Financing (IFID) in Tunis. In his spare time, Mr Abouzaid teaches Reinsurance Pricing for Masters Students at the Insurance Institute of St Joseph University of Beirut, Lebanon. He continues to give lectures at seminars and conferences and writes for several insurance magazines/publications.
 Justin Balcombe
Middle East Insurance Leader & Director Ernst & Young, Qatar
Justin is the GCC Advisory Insurance Leader & subject matter expert for EY and has over 22 years experience as Global Insurance Market Leader, with 4 years in the Middle East Insurance Market, specialising in Property & Casualty, Life and Reinsurance.
He has led assignments in Australia, USA, Russia and the Middle East.
More >>
Relevant projects have included:
- Justin led Chopper 2 Phase for MENA region
- He was retained by one of Russia's largest Healthcare and Motor Insurer to
deliver business integration, process improvement and new policy administration
platform to replace legacy applications and process.
- He led transformation of one of UAE largest Insurance companies reporting
direct to CEO and undertaking cost reduction, culture change and performance improvement work streams
- He re –engineered first notification process within UK
Insurance call center and identified fraud within claims operations
- Retained by Insurance Regulator in GCC market to advise on
developing update to regulations and target operating model
- Implemented change program at UK's largest mutual insurer
including new technology processes.
- Delivered business improvement to one of Africa's largest
Insurers including integration of systems.
- Managed Investigations and cost assessment matters following
major terrorist incidents and disasters including Kuwait War,
Asian Tsunami, Kobe Earthquake and London Bombings
- Led global rollout of new policy admin system for leading
international Insurer, crossing multiple countries and requirements
Justin's qualifications include: Lean Six Sigma, Associate of Australian Institute of Risk Management (AAIRM) and Gulf Insurance Institute (GII), insurance business programme optimisation and restructuring, business process and operating model redesign, technology transformation programmes, claims performance & improvement, risk management & fraud determination, strategic partner development, channel management and key account management programmes, cost takeout and alignment, expert witness and Accredited Forensic Claims specialist
Hide >>
Farid Chedid
Chairman and CEO
Chedid Re
Farid Chedid is the Chairman and CEO of Chedid Re, a Middle East Reinsurance brokerage company that he founded in 1998.
Since its inception, Mr Chedid has implemented and driven a successful growth strategy for the group in line with his keen vision of the industry.
Today, after more than a decade since incorporation, Chedid Re has expanded to become a reinsurance broking power house in the region with business emanating from more than 22 countries.
More >>
Chedid Re group of companies has operations in Doha, Dubai, Beirut, Riyadh, and Limassol.
Farid is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute, holds a Masters in Management, a Master in Finance, a Bachelor Degree in Economics, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law.
Hide >>
|
