Ariel Reinsurance Company Ltd. (Ariel Re) has appointed Ryan Mather to the newly created role of chief underwriter, property reinsurance.

In this role Mr. Mather will continue to lead Ariel Re's international property reinsurance business and will assume senior management responsibility for the US property reinsurance business.

Mr. Ryan joined Ariel Re at its inception in December 2005 as Senior Vice President, International Reinsurance.

He has over 15 years of property reinsurance experience including senior underwriting positions in both London and Bermuda.

Katie Partington has been promoted to vice president, international property reinsurance. She joined Ariel Re in December 2005, after spending five years with Benfield's reinsurance brokerage and ReMetrics teams in both London and San Francisco.

Argo Group International Holdings Ltd., has promoted senior vice-president of claims Barbara Sutherland as general counsel for Argo Group's US operations.

Prior to joining Argo Group, Ms Sutherland held positions as senior vice-president, secretary and general counsel for six years at PMA Insurance Group following more than 18 years as vice-president, secretary and general counsel for Northland Insurance Companies.

Ms Sutherland succeeds former general counsel Ronald Given, who has left the company to pursue other endeavours.

Everest Re Group Ltd. has appointed Ralph Jones III to its Board of Directors.

Mr. Jones was chairman and CEO of Arch Worldwide Insurance Group from September, 2003 until retiring in July.

Prior to joining Arch as president of Arch Insurance Group Inc. in July, 2003, Mr. Jones held executive level positions within the Chubb Corp., where he began his career more than 30 years ago.

Bermuda-based insurer Catlin Group Ltd. has appointed Michael Hansen president of Catlin Canada Inc.

Mr. Hansen, who will be based in Catlin's Calgary office, most recently served as vice-president and western regional manager for Catlin Canada in Calgary.

He also serves as co-leader of Catlin's Aerospace Business Group, which includes Catlin's aviation insurance operations worldwide.

Mr. Hansen has been involved in the aviation insurance market for more than 25 years and has worked both as a broker and an underwriter.

Before joining Catlin in 2002 as an aviation class underwriter in London, he worked as a broker for Leslie & Godwin, C.E. Heath and Aon and as an underwriter for AIG and Markel International.

Mr. Hansen succeeds Michael Wills, who has served as president of Catlin Canada in Toronto since its formation in 2005.