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Specialist insurer Markel International has made three senior appointments to its Dubai office, as part of its trade credit, energy and maritime markets expansion across the Asia Pacific and Middle East and North Africa (Mena) regions.

Max Robbie (pictured) has been promoted to senior executive officer, Crystal D’souza has been promoted to head of trade credit and Vyankatesh Tak has been hired as a specialist marine underwriter at Markel Dubai.

Both Robbie and D’souza will take over from Leroy Almeida, senior executive officer and head of Asia and Mena trade credit and political risk, who will be leaving Markel at the end of 2022.

In their new positions, Robbie and D’souza will report to Christian Stobbs, managing director of Markel International in Asia, while Tak will report to Colin Fordham, senior executive underwriter and director of marine at Markel International in Asia.

Robbie joined Markel in Dubai in October 2021 and was previously head of upstream energy for Markel in Asia. He started his career at Markel International in London in 2013, before moving to Oman Insurance Company (OIC) in 2018.

D’souza moves to her new role from her previous position as underwriter, trade credit and political risk. She first joined Markel Dubai as an assistant underwriter in 2017.

Tak joins from OIC, where he was head of marine. He was previously client director at Aon Risk Solutions and before that marine hull underwriter at Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company.

“I’m delighted that Max Robbie will be leading Markel on its next phase of growth in Dubai. Since joining our Dubai office in 2021, he has shown exceptional drive and strategic direction. He will be supported by a strong team, and with the hire of Vyankatesh Tak and promotion of Crystal D’souza, I’m confident that brokers and clients in the region will find increasing value in dealing with Markel,” says Stobbs.

“I’d also like to thank Leroy Almeida, whose eight years at the helm of Markel in Dubai has led to the development of a very strong specialty business, particularly in trade credit insurance. We wish Leroy well for a deserved break from the industry,” he adds.