Brit Insurance Opens Japan Representative Office

Brit Insurance Holding plc [77029] is opening a Japan representative office for Brit Insurance Ltd. [86954] and Brit Syndicates Ltd. in Tokyo as part of strategy to build closer relationships in local markets.

Brit Insurance Japan will act as "a vital support" to Brit Insurance's London underwriting operations, said the U.K.-based nonlife insurance and reinsurance group. The new office will support the group's current reinsurance activities in Japan market and it will assist the London office in exploring potential expansion opportunities in primary markets.

"Japan is one of our core markets and Brit Insurance Japan is the next logical step in our expansion, in time adding size, scale and diversity to our existing product offerings in this important marketplace," said Jonathan Turner, chief executive at Brit Reinsurance.

Building a local presence enables Brit Insurance to work more closely with its reinsurance clients and brokers, said Turner in statement.

The Japan office will be headed by Masaru Ito as chief representative. Ito will initially report to Brit Insurance head of international property treaty, James Day.

Prior to joining Brit Insurance, Ito was senior manager at Hannover Re Services with a focus on developing business opportunities. He also worked for Zurich [90544], American Re and Mitsui Bank.

Brit Insurance Ltd. currently has a Best's Financial Strength Ratings of A (Excellent).

(By Iris Lai, Hong Kong bureau manager: [email protected])