Markel fortifies Asia business with underwriting hires

Markel International has appointed Zita Fok (pictured above left) as specialist marine underwriter and Dawn Soh (pictured above right) as fine art and specie assistant underwriter.

The new recruits will join a 12-member marine team in Asia, which Markel considers a vital growth market.

Fok will be based in Hong Kong and report to Colin Fordham, senior underwriter and director of marine at Markel International in Asia. She has almost a decade of marine underwriting experience and was previously an executive director at Willis Hong Kong, working with various international ship owners and ship management companies.

Soh will be based in Singapore and report to Janita Leu, senior underwriter of fine art and specie at Markel International in Asia. She joins from QBE, bringing eight years of marine underwriting experience, as well as substantial skills in stakeholder and client management.

According to Markel, the additions will strengthen its marine underwriting capabilities and emphasise its commitment to the Asia-Pacific region.

“In line with our commitment and expansion in the Asia-Pacific region, we are looking forward to having Zita and Dawn join our marine team,” said Christian Stobbs, managing director of Markel International in Asia. “With these two great appointments and their respective specialist expertise, Markel will be able to better support our brokers and clients from Hong Kong and Singapore. We strongly believe that Zita and Dawn will help raise our knowledge and technical skills as a specialist insurer for our marine solutions within the region.”