Willis Towers Watson (WTW) is bolstering its corporate risk and broking position in Western Europe by establishing a facultative reinsurance hub across the German-speaking ‘DACH’ region – Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Gerhard Hurek will lead the hub as head of DACH facultative reinsurance. Hurek previously led the facultative business at Mapfre Re for Germany, Austria and the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region.

Hurek also brings with him from Mapfre R Zeljko Panic, who will take up the position of executive director of the hub. Panic held the position of head of treaty business for the CEE countries at Mapfre Re. Both Panic and Hurek were in their respective roles at Mapfre Re for over a decade.

The new hub will report into WTW Germany head of corporate risk and broking Mathias Pahl, and WTW managing director of corporate risk and broking and regional head of facultative reinsurance for Western Europe Ghassan Mansour.

Mansour commented: “We are sending a clear message to the market that we have the drive and determination to become the leading facultative broker of choice for the DACH region.”

He continued: ”Our aim is to support insurance carriers to help them meet their strategic objectives through delivering technically advanced solutions. We will achieve this by drawing on Willis Towers Watson’s significant analytical capabilities, combined with the strength of experience of Gerhard and Zeljko, and the wider regional broking resource.”

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