Lockton Re has appointed Joseph Kotran as head of client strategy for its Middle East and North Africa (MENA) operations, expanding the reinsurance broker's senior leadership in a region where carriers and intermediaries are racing to capture rising demand.
Kotran joins with more than two decades of industry experience and a track record across MENA markets, having cultivated long-standing relationships with cedants and industry peers throughout his career.
The hire reinforces Lockton Re's footprint in MENA, where the broker has been building out capabilities to support regional clients. Kotran will work alongside the firm's existing teams to deliver strategic advice and broaden client partnerships, with a remit centered on deepening engagement with cedants and supporting growth ambitions across the region.
The appointment follows a wider build-out of Lockton Re's regional platform, including the April opening of a Casablanca office aimed at extending the broker's reach across North Africa. The Moroccan operation is led by Mohammed Reda Lahmini and Yassine Bouhlal, anchoring the broker's presence in a market increasingly viewed as a gateway to the wider continent.
Lockton Re also brought on a senior trio of hires to support the North Africa push earlier this year, all of whom joined from Africa Specialty Risk.
Together, the moves point to a sustained investment in regional capability, with Kotran's appointment adding a client-facing dimension to a leadership bench that has been steadily expanding.
The broader Lockton MENA platform, within which Lockton Re sits, employs more than 200 associates across offices in Dubai's DIFC, Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Alexandria, Amman, Muscat and Casablanca, and was the first international broker in MENA to be awarded Lloyd's broker status.
The build-out comes as MENA reinsurance demand continues to climb. AM Best (in coverage earlier this year, for context) projected UAE re/insurance sector growth of up to 20% in 2025, following a 21% rise in insurance revenue in 2024, attributing the momentum to digital innovation and strategic realignments while noting the region continues to attract new reinsurance capacity.
Chedid Re's outlook for 2026 observed that fresh global capital is finding its way into MENA, with new reinsurance entities and managing general agents emerging across key markets, even as natural catastrophe events — including the April 2024 UAE floods and the February 2023 Türkiye earthquakes — have prompted reinsurers to reassess pricing, limits and attachment points, particularly in property, energy and engineering lines.
Gerard Monayer, chief executive of Lockton Re MENA, said the appointment reflects the firm's continued investment in its regional platform. "We are delighted to welcome Joe to Lockton Re, MENA," he said.
Monayer added that Kotran's "depth of experience, strong market relationships, deep understanding of the region, and genuine commitment to helping clients succeed will be invaluable as we continue to invest in capabilities and get even closer to our clients across the region."
