Ironshore Australia MD William Lewis will serve Liberty Mutual in a new regional role following the merger of the two groups’ specialty underwriting operations.

Liberty Mutual says the two businesses will cease operating separate brands in the Asia-Pacific region.

Thirteen Ironshore employees in the Asia-Pacific region will join Liberty International Underwriters and continue writing business that includes warranty and indemnity, trade credit, political risk, and war and terrorism.

Mr Lewis, who was appointed Ironshore Australia MD last year, told insuranceNEWS.com.au he will continue as Head of Asia-Pacific for Liberty Global Transaction Solutions (GTS).

The new GTS business and regional heads were announced in September, bringing together expertise in mergers and acquisitions insurance solutions. Mr Lewis led the Ironshore mergers and acquisitions team in the region, as well as the Australian business.

Boston-based Liberty Mutual acquired New York-based Ironshore for $US3 billion ($4.1 billion) in May last year.

Liberty International Underwriters Asia-Pacific President and MD Mike Abdallah says it makes sense to integrate the specialty operations of Ironshore as the company consolidates its brands.

“By integrating Liberty’s broader product offering and invested insurance operations with the legacy Ironshore Asia-Pacific team’s earned reputation for entrepreneurial underwriting, we’re confident in our ability to provide holistic solutions to our mutual broking partners and clients,” he said in Sydney last week.

The Ironshore team will start writing business under the associated Liberty brands from January.

Ironshore, Liberty and its London-based managing agency Pembroke will collectively review claims-handling arrangements as the integration moves ahead.

Where there is role duplication, “a small number” of Ironshore employees will depart the group, Liberty Mutual says.