UK-based Lloyd’s insurance and reinsurance broker RFIB Group has set up an office in Perth as part of expansion moves in the Australian and Far East markets.

The company says the initiative reflects a development strategy first announced in June 2005, to build its energy operations.

The Perth office will also focus on WA’s mining and energy sectors. It will be headed by Simon Race, who until recently ran the Perth office of Benfield Corporate Risk.

He is joined by former Benfield colleague Matt Gibbs and petroleum engineer Jim Embury.

RFIB energy operations chief Jonathan Lyne says the new office builds on the expansion of the company’s international team of energy specialists, which has seen the creation of offices in Dubai, Moscow and the Ukraine over the past three years.