Ace Australia and New Zealand CEO Giles Ward has been appointed to run a newly formed business region for the company, Eurasia & Africa.

He will operate from a new regional headquarters “based initially in London”, according to a statement issued by Ace in New York today.

The new region includes Ace’s existing operations in Russia, Turkey, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Tunisia and South Africa, and “will encompass future expansion in a broad swathe of territory that stretches from the Black Sea to the Middle East to the African continent”.

Mr Ward joined Ace in 2006 to lead the company’s business in the Middle East and North Africa. He was appointed to his current Sydney-based role in 2010.

John French, currently Country President of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, will take over as Country President Australia and New Zealand.

More information in our regular bulletin on Monday.