Howden Re strengthens regional presence with Dubai license

London, 6 August 2025 – Howden Re, the global reinsurance, capital markets, and strategic advisory arm of Howden Group, has announced that it has secured a full reinsurance license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to operate from Dubai International Financial Centre, the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region.

This license, along with Howden Re’s office expansion, marks a significant milestone in the business’s long-term commitment to the Middle East and other key growth markets. Howden Re’s expanded Dubai operations will build on its current broking services, with a focus on its treaty, facultative and MGA reinsurance offering and reinforcing its regional growth strategy.

The Dubai operations will be co-led by Julian Samengo-Turner, Head of IMEA, who continues to oversee Fac and MGA broking, and Attilio Tornetta, newly appointed Head of Treaty & Regional Retro, MEA. Sheena Kotecha, Head of Operations IMEA, has been appointed Senior Executive Officer to ensure that Howden Re aligns with the highest regulatory and governance standards, in line with the DIFC’s internationally recognised framework.

Tornetta, who joined Howden Re in 2023 as Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, will focus on developing the firm’s Treaty proposition and expanding its footprint across the Middle East and Africa.

Howden Re already has an established facultative presence serving clients across the IMEA region under Samengo-Turner’s leadership. Samengo-Turner will continue to focus on facultative growth and supporting clients across both established and start-up MGAs with reinsurance broking, strategic, and capital advisory services.

Its new Dubai license further strengthens Howden Re’s rapidly growing presence across major growth markets. Recently, Howden announced its entry into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a dedicated reinsurance operation offering comprehensive Treaty and Facultative services, as well as strategic advisory capabilities in data, analytics, and capital markets. Additionally, Howden Re has expanded in South Africa under the leadership of Gary Ankorn and deepened its presence in India under Minesh Jani, Head of Reinsurance India.

Mario Baotic, Head of International Growth Markets, Howden Re, commented: "The Middle East is a rapidly evolving market, where demand for sophisticated reinsurance support is booming. We appreciate DIFC’s ongoing confidence in Howden and their partnership in enabling our growth through this license. This development clearly demonstrates Howden Re’s continued international expansion, our ambition to deepen our regional presence, and our commitment to delivering exceptional value to our clients globally. It marks a significant step forward in strengthening our global footprint and reinforcing our long-term strategy in key markets.”

Attilio Tornetta, Head of Treaty & Regional Retro, EMEA, Howden Re International, added:
"We are delighted to expand into Dubai through DIFC, a strategic gateway to growth across the UAE and the wider MEASA region, supported by a robust regulatory framework. Our enhanced reinsurance operations in Dubai mark a significant milestone in our strategy. I look forward to working alongside Julian to strengthen our presence and deliver innovative, client-centric solutions across the region. Together, we will continue to drive Howden Re’s ambition to build a market-leading platform and deliver long-term value throughout the Middle East and Africa."