NU Online News Service, Feb. 14, 12:02 p.m.EST

Willis Re, the reinsurance arm of Willis Group Holdings, says itnamed Tony Melia as chief executive officer of Willis ReInternational.

Melia, who has been with Willis Re since 1988, will lead theInternational Business Unit, which covers Europe, Asia,LatinAmericaand emerging markets business. Based inLondon, Melia willreport to John Cavanagh, CEO Willis Re.

Originally responsible for generating business growth inSouthern Europe, Melia has held a number of posts within Willis Re,including establishing the company's first analytics department andcreating and developing Willis Re's financial modeling platform,Willis iFM.

Most recently, as managing director of European business, Meliawas responsible for reinsurance placements of some ofEurope'slargest insurance groups.

Commenting on the appointment John Cavanagh says, “We see greatgrowth potential in our international business and are fortunate tohave Tony's experience and knowledge to draw on. Tony has beenrunning our European Business for many years establishing ourplatform across the continent and overseeing a period ofsubstantial growth. We made this appointment knowing that he willbring the same focus to our international business unit. With 24years of experience at Willis Re and an excellent track record,Tony has a deep understanding of all our offerings and our clients'needs.”