Howden lures senior Marsh/Willis talent for key business line

International insurance broker  Howden has brought in a senior Marsh/Willis executive to join the leadership of its new capital, advisory and placement business Howden CAP. The executive leaves Marsh just after eight months of joining it from rival Willis.

Alexander van Kuffeler (Pictured) joins as chief commercial officer (CCO) of Howden CAP, to help accelerate growth of the division that advises clients on the increasingly complex need for insurance and capital solutions.

Van Kuffeler’s role will be to hone the value proposition for Howden CAP, support its delivery of unique and innovative advice and solutions and forge relationships with key clients and markets.

He comes to Howden from Marsh, where he was a client director in Marsh’s private equity and M&A practice, advising on risk transfer solutions for complex M&A transactions. Prior to that, he worked at Willis for 13 years, where he was executive director in political risk and structured credit insurance team. Latterly, he was a senior client executive in the Global Solutions Group with a focus on structuring M&A solutions for private capital investments in infrastructure and real assets, as well as managing lenders' insurance requirements for such transactions.

Mary O’Connor, CEO of Howden CAP, said: “As we build Howden CAP as a world class advisor and solutions provider, it is crucial that we invest in the skills, talent and expertise to support clients in an increasingly challenging macro-economic environment. Having worked with Alex previously, I know he brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise. He joins us at just the right moment, as we take this exciting new opportunity to harness the power of insurance to free up capital and help companies build resilience and grow. I’m delighted he has chosen to come to Howden and look forward to working alongside him once again.”

Van Kuffeler commented: “I joined Howden as I wanted to be a part of this dynamic and energetic team with Mary at the helm, and where we are empowered to build a business that addresses clients’ multifarious future risks. I am excited to be working alongside such a talented team that includes consultants, lawyers, bankers, tax experts, insurance practitioners and ESG specialists, to name but a few, as we blend our expertise to give clients the optimal advice on their ever more complex risk requirements.”

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