Bermuda-based Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd took another step forward in its global expansion by hiring two executives to underwrite and manage international agriculture reinsurance programmes. The speciality provider of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance has hired Avery Cook and Kristopher Lynn, who will join Endurance later this month.

The company said: “Collectively, they bring to Endurance several decades of experience with major brokers and reinsurers, underwriting and modelling agricultural insurance portfolios on a global basis. Messrs Cook and Lynn will be located in the company’s Bermuda office reporting to Peter Mills, head of Global Specialty and European Property and Casualty Reinsurance. Mr Cook’s appointment is subject to approval by the Bermuda Department of Immigration.”

Mr Mills commented: “The addition of this new team is another milestone as we strategically expand our global speciality capabilities, adding new product expertise to our current offerings. With the underwriting talent and analytic proficiency that Avery and Kris bring to Endurance Re, I am confident that we will quickly become a respected leader in the international agriculture reinsurance market.”

Mr Cook joins Endurance from Aon Benfield where he was managing director of Global Agriculture Analytics since 2010, responsible for modelling Aon’s agriculture risks globally. Prior to that, Mr Cook was responsible for agriculture insurance programmes for Agriculture Financial Services Corporation in Alberta, Canada since 1997.

Mr Cook holds a Master’s degree in Mathematical Finance from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Mathematics and Economics from the University of Manitoba.

Mr Lynn joins Endurance from Tokio Millennium Re where he has served as a vice-president, Specialty & Casualty Lines since 2007. In this underwriting role, he has supported a range of speciality products including agriculture, workers’ compensation catastrophe and property terrorism reinsurance. Earlier in his career, Mr Lynn worked for Ace European Group in London as a terrorism/cat analyst. He holds both Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Risk Management from Glasgow Caledonian University.