John Van Decker Joins AXIS Insurance as Head of North American Professional Lines

PEMBROKE, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (“AXIS Capital”) (NYSE: AXS) today announced that its AXIS Insurance segment has appointed John Van Decker as Executive Vice President and Head of North American Professional Lines.

In this newly created position, Mr. Van Decker is responsible for oversight of AXIS Insurance’s professional lines underwriting units in the U.S. and Bermuda. He is based in Berkeley Heights, NJ, and reports to Jack Kuhn, Chief Underwriting Officer of AXIS Insurance and Global Practice Leader, AXIS Professional Lines.

In welcoming Mr. Van Decker to AXIS, Mr. Kuhn said, “John has extensive experience leading professional lines insurance operations and he is well respected in the industry. His expertise and unwavering focus on underwriting excellence fit in well with our management team and the outstanding talent we have within each of our professional lines business units. I am confident that John will be instrumental in helping us further enhance our position in the professional lines marketplace.”

Mr. Van Decker joins AXIS Insurance from Catlin U.S. where he developed and led various professional liability and management liability lines. Prior to joining Catlin in 2006, he served as President of the Professional Liability Division of Quanta U.S. Holdings, Inc. responsible for a broad array of management and professional liability insurance product lines. He also previously held management and underwriting positions at CNA Pro and AIG’s National Union subsidiary.

Mr. Van Decker is active in the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) and is a frequent speaker on various professional liability topics. He holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Connecticut.

About AXIS Capital

AXIS Capital is a Bermuda-based global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with shareholders’ equity at September 30, 2011 of $5.4 billion and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, Canada and Australia. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of “A+” (“Strong”) with a stable outlook by Standard & Poor’s and “A” (“Excellent”) with a positive outlook by A.M. Best. AXIS Capital and AXIS Specialty Finance LLC have been assigned senior unsecured debt ratings of A- (stable) by Standard & Poor’s and Baa1 (stable) by Moody’s Investors Service. For more information about AXIS Capital, visit our website at www.axiscapital.com.

Investors:
AXIS Capital Holdings LimitedLinda Ventresca, 441-405-2727
[email protected]
or
Media:
Kekst and CompanyMichael Herley, 212-521-4897
[email protected]

Source: AXIS Capital Holdings Limited