Christian Vogel appointed CEO of Gulf Re

Gulf Reinsurance Ltd (Gulf Re) announced today the appointment of Christian Vogel as Chief Executive Officer of the company. Vogel, who now serves as Chief Underwriting Officer at Gulf Re, takes over from Michael Gertsch, the company’s Chief Executive, who is stepping down for family reasons to relocate to Switzerland, his home country. The new appointment is effective from December 1, 2013.

The move comes as the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA)- approved reinsurance specialist continues to consolidate the  strong  performance it has recorded since launch.

Focused solely on business opportunities emanating from the Gulf and Mena region, including high-value oil and gas, industrial, utility and transportation assets, Gulf Re supports insurers by writing a broad range of property and casualty lines of reinsurance, including energy, marine, engineered risks and property, on both a treaty and facultative reinsurance basis.

Equally owned by Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) and Arch Capital Group, Gulf Re provides reinsurance support to a range of leading regional firms in the oil and gas, petrochemical, power and manufacturing sectors, as well as portfolio support to many of the region’s largest insurers.

“Christian has been a fundamental component of Gulf Re’s consolidation process in the GCC region and its expansion to the Mena region since he joined Gulf Re in December 2010 and was pivotal in establishing the underwriting platform under Michael’s guidance” said Marc Grandisson Gulf Re Chairman and Chairman of Arch Worldwide Reinsurance Group.

“He is well qualified to lead the company into the next stage of its development and we expect a smooth transition. Our view on Gulf Re’s strategy and mission is unchanged and Christian is well equipped to carry on that vision.”