James DeSimone Joins AXIS Insurance to Lead Primary Casualty Business in Northeast and Midwest Regions

AXIS Insurance, a business segment of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited AXS, announced today the appointment of James (Jim) DeSimone to a new role as Senior Vice President, Primary Casualty. Mr. DeSimone reports to Janet Jordan-Foster, Executive Vice President, Primary Casualty, AXIS Insurance, and is based out of AXIS' New York office.

Commenting on the appointment, Ms. Foster said, "Jim brings a wealth of underwriting knowledge and talent, as well as great broker and distribution relationships, which support our growth and distribution strategies. He has a proven track record of successfully and profitably working with wholesale brokers across the U.S., and he will be a key leader as we continue to grow and expand our Primary Casualty business."

Mr. DeSimone's appointment is a furtherance of AXIS Insurance's distribution strategy, in which it has placed a strategic emphasis on wholesale brokers and is building out a seasoned management team to lead those broker relationships. In this new role, Mr. DeSimone manages the underwriting team responsible for Primary Casualty in the Northeast and Midwest regions.

Mr. DeSimone has more than 30 years of insurance industry experience, most recently serving as a Senior Vice President at Western World Insurance, where he was responsible for the Primary Casualty and Professional Lines brokerage units. Prior to Western World, he held various underwriting and management roles and responsibilities with Zurich North America, Continental/CNA Insurance and AIG. Mr. DeSimone holds a BA in Economics from The State University of New York at New Paltz.

About AXIS Capital

AXIS Capital is a Bermuda-based global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with shareholders' equity at March 31, 2017, of $6.2 billion and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, Middle East, Canada and Latin America. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of "A+" ("Strong") by Standard & Poor's and "A+" ("Superior") by A.M. Best. For more information about AXIS Capital, visit our website at www.axiscapital.com. Please be sure to follow AXIS Capital on LinkedIn.

About AXIS Insurance

AXIS Insurance — a business segment of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited AXS — provides Property & Casualty, Professional Lines, Terrorism, Marine, Energy, Aviation, Credit & Political Risk, Environmental, Accident & Health coverages and other customized insurance solutions. Our products are offered through our distribution partners, which include wholesale brokers, retail brokers and designated managing general agents/underwriters ("MGAs"/"MGUs") in the U.S. and abroad. Coverages are backed by the financial strength and security of the AXIS Insurance Companies, rated "A+" (Strong) by Standard & Poor's and "A+" (Superior) XV by A.M. Best. For more information, visit our website at http://www.axiscapital.com/en-us/insurance.

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