Coface has appointed Massimo Falcioni as head of Middle East countries.

Falcioni will oversee Coface’s expansion in the region, strengthening and expanding the credit insurer’s Mediterranean and Africa regional management team. Based in Dubai, Falcioni will report to Mediterranean and Africa regional manager, Antonio Marchitelli.

Falcioni has extensive senior management experience. His 24-year career has included senior executive board member and commercial director roles in high-profile corporates such as Volkswagen, Philip Morris and Exxon Mobil. Before joining Coface on September 1 this year, he was CEO of Euler Hermes for Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries in Dubai.

He will replace Jean Christophe Batlle, the former regional commercial and marketing manager of the Mediterranean and Africa. In a statement, a spokesperson tells GTR: “Jean-Christophe is still with Coface and is now responsible for the African region.”

Commenting on his appointment, Falcioni says: “I will focus as a priority on Coface’s expansion strategy of credit insurance in the Middle East, particularly the GCC countries supporting our customers to trade safely in both domestic and international markets.”