Hiscox forms counter-terrorism team

Lloyd’s insurer Hiscox has formed a counter-terrorism team, which it claims is the first of its kind in the market.

It has also made several new hires to its terrorism underwriting division.

Hiscox said its new counter-terrorism team is an in-house insight and risk management facility for its brokers and customers. It includes a group of five people that have global security and front-line counter-terrorism experience.

The team will supplement the existing securities that Hiscox customers receive from counter-terrorism consultancy Control Risks.

Counter-terrorism unit

The team will be headed by James de Labillière, who will join Hiscox in April after more than 20 years’ experience with the British military.

He will be joined by former Control Risks consultant Marcel Krau as intelligence and security consultant for Latin America.

Laurent Descat will serve as security consultant for Francophone Africa. He joined Hiscox in 2012 after a 20-year career in the French military.

Giles Russell will be the team’s intelligence ad security consultant for Africa. He is a Lloyd’s-approved surveyor specialising in mining and cargo risks in Africa and a retired superintendent of the Royal Hong Kong Police.

Paresh Thakrar, the fifth new member of the unit, joined Hiscox this year as head of strategy and business analysis from McKinsey and Company. He previously worked for the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence across the range of national security issues, covering the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Terrorism underwriting team

In addition to forming the new counter-terrorism team, Hiscox has combined its terrorism underwriting expertise from London, Paris, Guernsey and New York under the leadership of Rob Davies. Davies has been named group head of terrorism, in addition to his current role as group head of kidnap and ransom.

He will oversee both the underwriting and counter-terrorism teams.

Also overseeing underwriting will be Hiscox London Market’s head of property and terrorism Paul Lawrence, who has been underwriting at the company for 21 years.

Charles Rawlins has been promoted to head of terrorism, Hiscox London Market, from the company’s property and energy team.

Richard Halstead has been promoted to deputy terrorism underwriter, Hiscox London Market.

Jeremy Lang has been appointed terrorism product head for the US, in addition to kidnap and ransom product head for Hiscox US.

Alison Wayne has been promoted to vice-president of terrorism and kidnap and ransom at Hiscox US.

Davies said: “The world is an increasingly volatile place to do business; threats from war, terrorism and political violence are definitely on the increase. It’s our business to help clients manage these exposures and this new team will be able to assess terrorism risks ahead of the curve, enhancing our ability to provide cover in politically unstable regions or where there are unusual risk profiles.”