Liberty Specialty Markets has rebranded its reinsurance division as Liberty Mutual Re, has begun writing marine business in the U.S. for the first time and is opening for business in Italy.

Scott Johnson, formerly with Munich Re, has been appointed to lead the new marine account in the U.S. as assumed reinsurance underwriting manager – ocean marine. Formerly with Munich Re as vice president, marine and offshore energy, Johnson began his reinsurance career in 1979 with North American Re. He then worked for a range of U.S.-based reinsurers including St. Paul Re and GE Employers Re before joining Endurance in 2003 as senior vice president for marine and energy. In 2006, he moved to Munich Re.

Johnson will report to James D’Onofrio, Liberty Mutual Re’s general manager for the U.S. He will be based in Stamford, Conn.

“The addition of marine to our U.S. products is part of Liberty Mutual Re’s strategic ambition to grow its business in key reinsurance markets,” said Dieter Winkel, president of Liberty Mutual Re, adding that the company has written marine products out of its international offices in the past but wanted to respond to requests from clients and brokers to introduce this class domestically.

Liberty Mutual Re is also launching an Italian operation for the first time. The business will be located in Milan and Rome. Headed by Massimiliano Fantini, who joins from Guy Carpenter Italy, Liberty’s Italian reinsurance team will write property, casualty and specialty business. Fantini becomes Liberty Mutual Re’s general manager of reinsurance for Italy.

Until now, the reinsurance business was simply known as the reinsurance unit under the brand Liberty Specialty Markets. The rebranding as Liberty Mutual Re positions it as the sole treaty reinsurance business within Liberty Mutual Group. The reinsurance division employs 180 people in 14 locations.

Source: Liberty Mutual