AFL Sud America – the partnership between Special Division Re and AFL in South America announced at the end of 2018 – hosted a glittering launch event on 10th April at the Faena Arts Centre in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Attended by over 380 guests, as well as AFL Chairman Toby Esser and AFL Sud America CEO Guillermo Pastore, the event was an opportunity to celebrate the continuation of a successful relationship.
The event also included a charity auction which raised US$25,000 for 20 different local children’s canteen foundations which feed between 20 and 100 children each. AFL would like to thank everyone who made this event a success, and contributed to this fantastic fundraising effort.
Addressing the audience of senior (re)insurance professionals, Toby Esser explained why he had returned to the market:
“I’ve always enjoyed doing business in Latin America, I placed my first piece of business from this region back in 1986. One of the great things about doing business down here is that not only is there a lot to be done – our services are needed – but we can also work with friends.
It’s one of the things I thought about a lot when I came back to the market with a controlling interest in AFL – I love the business, I’m very lucky to be able to say at this point that I’m doing it because I want to.
I think we’re in a fantastic industry and I don’t think there are many other businesses like this in the world that has so many good people, people who enjoy doing what they’re doing, work hard and succeed.”
Toby also emphasised the growing need for truly independent London Market broker, amid a wave of significant consolidation in the sector.
“One by one the traditional independent London brokers are disappearing. I think there’s a lot of room in the market for a new one, and I believe that new one is AFL. And I believe that in conjunction with Guillermo we have the opportunity to build a very significant business across South America,” he said.
