Bermuda-based specialty insurer StarStone is to have a direct underwriting presence in Australia to run alongside parent company Enstar’s existing Australian operation.

Announcing the development in Sydney this morning, StarStone Australia MD Robin Barham says the company will operate in the small, mid and multinational markets and will be based in Sydney.

It will focus on specialty marine, property and casualty and specialty products from Australia and New Zealand on behalf of Lloyd’s syndicate 1301.

Mr Barham told insuranceNEWS.com.au that plans to recruit underwriting teams are on hold until regulatory approval is received, but in the meantime “we have a parent in Australia and can lean on some of their resources”.

Mr Barham says he is looking forward to recruiting Australia’s top underwriters to StarStone.

“Australia is a highly sophisticated and mature market with a wealth of talented underwriters,” he said.

“We see exciting opportunities to increase the depth of StarStone’s current product offerings and to provide a tailored local service to existing and future clients.”

Mr Barham has 28 years of insurance experience, including 20 years in London as a specialty space and marine underwriter. He came to Australia in 2006 as National Underwriting Manager Aviation, Marine, Accident and Health with Catlin.

He is also a former regional director for Australasia of Arch Underwriting at Lloyd’s and most recently co-founder and CEO of Agile Underwriting Services.

“I’m keen to get the [StarStone] brand out there and to make people aware of our capabilities,” Mr Barham told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

More detail in our regular bulletin on Monday.