Global specialty insurer Canopius today announced key hires for its Sydney office, which was recently established to support the growth of its Australian business.

The business also revealed it has received binding authority approval from Lloyd’s.

Suzanne White joined last month as Accident and Health Underwriter. She brings almost two decades of industry experience to the business, having worked in the past for Aon Risk Solutions, Beazley and Ace. She was most recently head of accident and health with Woodina Underwriting Agency in Brisbane.

Jeanene Hill will start next month as Head of Coverholders and Binding Authority Asia Pacific. She was most recently delegated authorities manager and class underwriter property at Talbot Underwriting, which closed its Australian operations recently.

Talbot’s former assistant delegated authorities manager Ann Gi Ho will join her at Canopius as Portfolio Manager, Coverholders and Delegated Authority. Before Talbot, she worked for QBE Syndicate in Singapore.

Subhadra Vasilevski, formerly a senior operations analyst with XL Catlin, has been recruited as Finance, Compliance & Operations Manager.

Head of Australia and Pacific Claudio Saita says further appointments will be announced shortly, “as we continue to develop our proposition as a committed, technology-enabled and locally empowered carrier”.

Canopius plans to have the Sydney branch operate as a local underwriting hub. It intends to target SMEs through coverholders, wholesale direct and facultative, and reinsurance treaty business.

When Canopius announced the establishment of the Sydney office in May, he told insuranceNEWS.com.au the company sees “tremendous opportunity” in the Australian market.