William Casey has been appointed managing director of Catlin US and senior vice-president of Catlin Scottsdale.

Catlin US is a part of international specialty property/casualty insurer and reinsurer Catlin Group, while Catlin Scottsdale is a unit of Catlin US, which writes excess and surplus property and casualty insurance through general agents.

Mr. Casey was most recently senior vice-president of brokerage operations with Geo. F. Brown & Sons in Chicago. Previously he spent 10 years building and directing the excess and surplus lines business underwritten by CNA Insurance Companies and had earlier led CNA's architects and engineers E&O business.

Mr. Casey began his insurance career with the Continental Insurance Company and has a BA degree from Loyola University of Chicago and an MBA from Benedictine University. He has also attained CPCU and ARM designations.

Richard Banas, president and CEO of Atlanta-based Catlin US, said: "I am delighted that Bill Casey is joining Catlin US to head Catlin Scottsdale. Bill's leadership skills, his intimate knowledge of the E&S market and his experience in the marketplace will prove invaluable as we continue to build upon Catlin Scottsdale's success."

Catlin US underwrites a wide variety of specialty property/casualty insurance and reinsurance products from a network of offices nationwide. Catlin US includes Catlin Insurance Company and Catlin Specialty Insurance Company, both of which are rated 'A' (Excellent) by AM Best.

• Catlin Group has welcomed AM Best's decision to upgrade the outlook to stable from negative on the ratings assigned to the Catlin Group and its subsidiaries.

In its announcement, AM Best noted that the improved outlook reflects the satisfactory resolution of the agency's concerns regarding integration risk following Catlin's acquisition of Wellington Underwriting in December 2006.

They also noted that Catlin's financial results for the period ended June 30, "reflect sustained strong performance", and that AM Best expects Catlin "to produce an excellent technical result at year-end 2007".

Stephen Catlin, CEO of Catlin Group, said: "I am delighted that AM Best has upgraded its outlook on the Catlin's ratings to 'stable'.

"This action not only affirms our successful integration of Wellington's operations but also attests to Catlin's strong financial performance during the first half of 2007."

The upgraded outlook applies to the financial strength ratings of 'A' (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings of 'a' assigned by AM Best to Catlin Bermuda, Catlin UK, and Catlin Insurance Company and Catlin Specialty Insurance Company in the United States.

In addition, AM Best has issued a debt rating of 'bbb' to Catlin Bermuda's $600 million in non-cumulative preferred shares and an issuer credit rating of 'bbb' to Catlin Group Limited.

AM Best has separately assigned a financial strength rating of 'A' (Excellent) to the Catlin Syndicate at Lloyd's (Syndicate 2003).