David Whiting has taken up the role of president and chief executive for Wind River Insurance Company Ltd., the Bermuda subsidiary of United America Indemnity, Ltd.

Mr. Whiting, who left Bermuda insurer Quanta Capital Holdings in the wake of last year?s Hurricane Katrina to set up new Bermuda reinsurer Ascendant, joined Wind River effective Monday.

Mr. Whiting was forming Ascendant in partnership with former head of Quanta?s global reinsurance operations Rick Pagnani, as well as Richard Black, a former colleague of Mr. Whiting?s when the two worked at Pinnacle Reinsurance and then Centre Reinsurance.

In his post with Wind River, Mr. Whiting will be responsible for establishing and implementing the strategic direction of Wind River, and for overseeing UAI?s Barbados and Luxembourg operations, the company said.

He will report to Joseph F. Morris, president of United America Indemnity.

Mr. Whiting said he continues to hold his original investment in Ascendant, which is still in the midst of raising capital.

Mr. Whiting is a fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society; a member of the American Academy of Actuaries; a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter; a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA); and a member of the International Actuarial Association. He has been based in Bermuda since 1983.

From 2003 until last year, Mr. Whiting was president of Quanta Reinsurance, and previous to that he spent ten years as chief underwriting officer for the non-life and financial lines of Swiss Reinsurance Company?s Bermuda and Barbados-based companies.

He has also served in executive roles with Centre Reinsurance Companies, Pinnacle Reinsurance Company, Ltd. and as consulting actuary with Tillinghast Towers-Perrin.

Mr. Whiting also has held previous positions with the Zurich Insurance Group (Toronto) and the Hartford Insurance Group (Hartford).

Wind River Bermuda recently had its financial strength rating of ?A-? (Wind River Bermuda) and ?A? (Wind River Barbados) affirmed by ratings firm A.M. Best.

The outlook of the ratings is stable, or unlikely to change. United America, a US specialty property and casualty insurer, is listed on the Nasdaq.