BMS Group has appointed Manuel Almenara as non-executive director of its Latin America and Caribbean division. Almenara will work closely with Aidan Pope, executive chairman, and Jose Astorqui, CEO of BMS Latin American and Caribbean. In his new role, he will advise BMS on expanding its business throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Almenara has more than 30 years of global reinsurance experience and was chairman of Willis Re Latin America and Caribbean, founded in 1995, which he oversaw for 21 years until his retirement in December 2015. More recently, he has been chairman of Peruvian InsurTech start-up Hello ZUM. Commenting on his appointment, Almenara said: “The Latin American market has increased in size and sophistication, with targeted and tailored reinsurance cover becoming ever more vital to sustain the insurance needs of Latin American businesses.” He added: “BMS, as a proudly independent broker with world-class analytical and actuarial capabilities, has the perfect opportunity to provide that much-needed service at a time when clients are calling for truly independent alternatives. I look forward to working with Aidan Pope, Jose Astorqui and the team to continue BMS’s build-out in the region.” Nick Cook, CEO at BMS Group, explained: “We are expanding our market presence globally, with Latin America and the Caribbean being one of our key targets for growth. The team has made several significant hires in 2020, focussing on a number of specialty divisions and areas where we expect an increase in demand for coverage and for the services of a flexible, client-centric broker. Manuel Almenara is a well-regarded market expert in the reinsurance space and we are very pleased to welcome him to BMS.”
