W.R. Berkley Forms Berkley Insurance Asia, Naming Gangadharan CEO, Yip as COO

W.R. Berkley Corp. announced the formation of Berkley Insurance Asia. Shasi Gangadharan has been named chief executive officer and Aaron Yip has been appointed chief operating officer. The appointments are effective immediately.

This new operating unit will begin offering specialty commercial insurance coverages to clients in North Asia and Southeast Asia through offices in Hong Kong and Singapore, respectively, subject to relevant regulatory approvals.

Gangadharan has over 25 years of experience in the property casualty insurance industry, predominately focused in financial and casualty lines, in the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions. “He most recently served as the chief executive officer for the Southeast Asia Region of a major property-casualty insurance company,” W.R. Berkley said in a statement. (According to Gangadharan’s LinkedIn profile, he previously worked at Chubb Insurance).

Yip has more than 20 years of experience in the specialty commercial P&C insurance industry. “Prior to joining the company, he served as the chief executive officer for the Greater China Region at a major property-casualty insurance company,” the statement said. (According to Yip’s LinkedIn profile, he previously worked at Chubb).

“We are excited to establish a general insurance practice in Asia that will complement our existing reinsurance presence,” said W. Robert Berkley Jr., chief executive officer and president of Greenwich, Conn.-based W. R. Berkley Corp. “Both Shasi and Aaron have extensive local market experience that will enable us to develop a superior offering of product and services tailored to the specific needs of clients in the region.”

Source: W. R. Berkley Corp.

Topics Property Casualty