AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. hired on veteran Swiss Re executive Steve Arora as the new chief executive officer of AXIS Re.

Arora spent 18 years in a variety of senior positions at Swiss Re, most recently as head of Casualty Reinsurance and as a member of the Reinsurance Executive Committee. He has extensive international experience and leadership capabilities and has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader.

Throughout his career, Arora has held positions in New York, Munich, London, Tokyo and Zurich. He has spent time in a variety of functional roles including finance, risk management, underwriting, sales, and general management. In addition to his role as head of Casualty Reinsurance, he served as president of Swiss Re Japan, managing director to some of its largest global clients, and head of the Engineering & Construction business across the Americas region.

He is a graduate of the GE Capital Financial Management Program, Swiss Re Management Development Program, and STARS Symposium for Leaders of the Next Generation. Arora graduated from Muhlenberg College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. He and his family will be based in Zurich, Switzerland.

“Steve is a remarkable talent and an accomplished and widely respected executive who stands at the forefront of an emerging generation of senior leaders in our profession,” said Benchimol. “He is perfectly suited to be CEO of AXIS Re, bringing breadth and depth of experience on a global scale and a client-centric mentality that matches our culture.”

In addition, the company announced that AXIS Re Interim CEO Jan Ekberg will resume his previous role as president and chief underwriting officer of AXIS Re Europe upon Arora’s formal appointment in January 2018.

Benchimol thanked Ekberg for stepping in as acting AXIS Re CEO, and said his leadership “has and will continue to be integral as we further establish a strong foundation for growth in our key sectors.”

Source: AXIS Capital