London-based insurance broker Howden has brought in former Swiss Re director Azman Noorani to lead its newly launched global surety practice. 

Noorani joins the firm after nearly three decades at Zurich-headquartered Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, most recently as director and global head of surety. 

At Howden, he takes up the role of global practice leader for surety, reporting to Mark Wood, head of global specialty practices. He remains based in Zurich.

The broker’s global surety practice has been launched to build on existing solutions targeting companies that have bond requirements across multiple markets, the company says. 

Wood says Noorani’s appointment “will unify and reinforce” its surety offering globally, and that his “extensive industry experience will be instrumental in driving Howden’s ambitious growth plans”. 

Noorani hails Howden’s ambition “to grow its surety business and to provide broader options for clients by widening its product scope”.  

“Howden’s surety clients will benefit from our specialised expertise and tailored solutions for their complex requirements, including credit and banking products,” he says. 

The move marks another expansion in Howden’s suite of product offerings, after February’s launch of a natural resources desk within its surety team.