West P&I Club, an insurance provider to the global maritime and offshore industries, has announced plans to open to a new regional office in Dubai, set to be led by Captain Gagan Dhillon, who has been recruited as CEO (Dubai).
With this, West will reportedly be the first International Group Club to have a presence in Dubai, clearly demonstrating the area’s importance to the Club, as well as its continued significance to the wider maritime industry.
West has confirmed that the office, located in DIFC, will be operational by this coming autumn.
An experienced veteran across the sector, Gagan has been in the shipping industry for the past 27 years, with 13 years spent working onboard tankers before moving shoreside in 2010.
From what we understand, West’s new office will have a direct focus on claims handling and communications for the UAE, Gulf region and Indian subcontinent, which will support the Club’s existing claims teams in London and Piraeus, which will continue to service within this market alongside the company’s newly formed Dubai team.
In addition, joint Regional Heads, Nigel Burridge and Gary Henderson, will manage and coordinate underwriting and business development from London, as they will work closely with Gagan in his new role.
West’s new team in Dubai will also offer Members the immediacy of service closer to their own time zones, as well as access to industry experts who understand both the expectations and demands of the local marine industry.
Tom Bowsher, Group CEO of West P&I, commented: “Regionalisation is a key part of our strategy, and this office will further enhance the quality and personal touch of our services to existing Members, as well as supporting our new business development in the region. A strong local presence will assist us in continuing to build deep and long-lasting business relationships with both Members and brokers, as well as ensuring we remain more agile than our competitors in responding to regional market developments.”
Captain Gagan Dhillon, CEO (Dubai) of West P&I, said: “I am very much looking forward to being part of West in this increasingly important maritime region. This office and local team will position us at the heart of a growing maritime hub for owners, charterers and traders making it an attractive location in the Club’s regional network of offices.”
Furthermore, West has also promoted Enam Hussain to Head of Middle East Operations and Offshore, a new position for the company, where he will work alongside the Dubai office, Underwriting and the Claims Teams in London and Greece.
Hussain’s role will be to coordinate the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Turkey and Africa (MITA) team to ensure alignment with the Clubs overall strategy.
As well as this, the role will also see him create and manage an Offshore Team with a global reach across the Club.
Bowsher concluded: “I am delighted by the comprehensive team we have assembled in this important area for the Club, and I extend my warmest welcome to Gagan and congratulations to Enam in their new positions at West. Our service to existing Members is key, and Gagan and Enam perfectly complement our claims office in Greece and our Underwriting function in London. Being the first International Group Club to have an office in Dubai is a clear statement to the market of how much significance and focus we place on this exciting and important area, and we look forward to continuing our investment in this new office and the wider team to ensure we remain the leading P&I insurer in this region.”
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