XL Catlin Adds to North American Division of Global Mergers and Acquisitions Insurance Team

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Preparing to capitalize on Merger & Acquisition (M&A) activity in 2017, XL Catlin continues to build out its global M&A insurance team with the appointments of Joseph W. Laws and Michael J. McGowan as Directors of M&A Insurance in North America.  Based in New York, Mr. Laws and Mr. McGowan will report to Brian Benjamin, head of XL Catlin's Global M&A Insurance business.

Mr. Benjamin noted that, "The continued expansion of the global M&A transactional risk insurance market, with both private equity firms and strategic buyers increasingly realizing the benefits of these products as critical to executing on their M&A strategies, offers us an opportunity build on XL Catlin's track record of delivering underwriting excellence and offering innovative solutions for complex risks.   We are excited to enlist Joe and Michael's expertise as we ramp up our M&A insurance operation in North America to deliver best-in-class service and market leading solutions."    

"We look forward to unveiling new transactional risk products  that will allow both deal professionals and clients to maximize deal valuations, enhance the bid process in competitive auctions, and bridge gaps which may otherwise prevent parties from completing a deal," added Mr. Benjamin. "By leveraging the deep transactional M&A expertise and industry relationships that both Joe and Michael bring to our team, we are seeking to build an underwriting platform that will quickly distinguish itself amongst our broker partners for its flawless execution and focused underwriting."

Mr. McGowan joins XL Catlin from Chubb where he most recently served as Vice President helping build out Chubb's Transactional Risk practice and leading the structuring and underwriting of Representations and Warranties insurance as well as other transaction-based products.  Prior to Chubb, he previously held positions as an M&A and Private Equity attorney both in-house at Focus Financial Partners, a middle-market financial services firm, and as an associate at the law firm Vinson & Elkins LLP.  He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College and his J.D. from Duke University School of Law. 

Before joining XL Catlin Mr. Laws spent over five years at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where he advised private equity funds, as well as public and private companies related to mergers, acquisitions, leveraged finance, equity investment, joint venture and other commercial transactions and he most recently spent nearly 3 years at DLA Piper LLP, where he continued to develop his M&A practice and also acted as underwriter's counsel for several representations and warranties insurers.  He received his undergraduate degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.   

About XL Catlin Insurance Operations

XL Catlin insurance companies offer property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty insurance products globally. Businesses that are moving the world forward choose XL Catlin as their partner. To learn more, visit xlcatlin.com.

About XL Catlin

XL Catlin is the global brand used by XL Group ltd.'s  (NYSE:XL) insurance and reinsurance companies which provide property, casualty, professional and specialty products to industrial, commercial and professional firms, insurance companies and other enterprises throughout the world.  Clients look to XL Catlin for answers to their most complex risks and to help move their world forward. To learn more, visit xlcatlin.com.

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SOURCE XL Catlin