AXIS Re, the reinsurance business segment of AXIS Capital Holdings, has named Gino Smith as head of property for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Latin America (LatAm), effective November 2019.

Based in Zurich, smith will oversee the firms Property Treaty reinsurance business in EMEA as well as LatAm. Smith will report to Andy Hottinger, president EMEA LatAm.

He will join AXIS Re after 19 years with AXA XL RE, most recently serving as head of property retro from International RE and chief underwriting officer of XL Re Europe SE, based in Zurich.

Prior to this, he was chief underwriting officer of XL Re Latin America, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Smith also held several senior underwriting roles for XL Re in Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and Bermuda, commencing his career in Buenos Aires as a property treaty underwriter.

Hottinger, shared: “Gino is a talented underwriter with a diverse professional background and underwriting experience that spans multiple geographies, including Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States. He is well-respected by his peers and brings leadership and people skills that will benefit our EMEA LatAm Property reinsurance team and our clients.”