Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM) has hired two underwriters for its fledgling UK and Europe multi-buyer trade credit unit.

Dillon Matthews has joined the insurer as a senior underwriter while Chris O’Brien has come onboard as an underwriter. Both are based in London and report to Jesse van Cleef, head of multi-buyer trade credit for the UK and Europe, in LSM’s financial risk solutions (FRS) division.

LSM debuted the multi-buyer trade credit product in the UK and Europe last year.

“FRS’s trade credit operations in Europe have grown at pace since launch, and we continue to see further opportunities across the European and UK markets,” van Cleef says.

“Dillon and Chris are fantastic professionals who will significantly contribute to the growth of the division as we continue our build-out. Trade credit is a strategic growth opportunity for FRS, and we have high ambitions for the team.”

Matthews joins LSM from payments company Stripe, where he was a credit risk strategist in Dublin. He has previously held underwriting roles at Markel and Atradius in Singapore and Amsterdam.

O’Brien’s shift marks the end of a 15-year stint at Atradius, most recently as a senior credit risk analyst focusing on multi-buyer and single risk trade credit transactions.