US insurer WR Berkley has launched a London-based casualty and property treaty reinsurer, Berkley Re UK Limited.

The new company will be headed by Richard Fothergill, who was previously head of international casualty treaty at QBE.

Another former QBE colleague, senior casualty treaty underwriter Elaine Perry, will join as Berkley Re UK’s senior liability underwriter.

Berkley Re UK is expected to begin trading in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Chairman and CEO Bill Berkley says the formation of Berkley Re UK “is a further step in our efforts to expand our global reinsurance footprint”.

The new operation will be complementary to its existing Berkley Re America, Berkley Re Asia and Berkley Re Australia businesses, the company says.

It will sit alongside its European insurer, WR Berkley Insurance (Europe), which mainly writes primary casualty, and its Lloyd’s business, Syndicate 1967, which focuses on property, accident and marine.