Liberty International Underwriters (LIU) has brought Jonathan Griffiths from the UK to head its Australian surety business.

Senior VP Noel MacCarthy says there is increasing demand for surety expertise in Australia, particularly in the construction, engineering, oil and gas and transportation sectors.

“Jonathan’s expertise in this field, plus his experience in the London market, makes him the ideal person to launch and grow our Australian surety business,” he said.

LIU will focus on building a physical presence in the region, targeting large publicly traded and privately owned entities.

Mr Griffiths, who will be based in Sydney, began his career in surety with Liberty Mutual Surety in London in 2006, before joining LIU in 2008.