ACE South Africa, a legal entity reporting into ACE European Group, is strengthening its capability to provide specialist cover to the engineering field with a key appointment. Industry veteran Trevor Kerst brings a wealth of experience to the company and will spearhead growth in this key division through targeted activities focused on mid to high profile projects.
As a professional registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa, Kerst completed his Bachelor of Science (Engineering) degree at the University of Witwatersrand and a Master of Business Leadership through Unisa He also holds a Government Certificate of Competency, is the Chairman of the South African Machinery Insurers Association and a fellow of the Insurance Institute of South Africa.
“As as a relatively young brand in South Africa and therefore starting its engineering insurance operations from a small base, the prospects for ACE Insurance in this country are sound,” says Kerst. “The organisation enjoys global respect; what attracted me to ACE include its core values of integrity, a responsible and somewhat conservative approach and financials which indicate that the company has weathered the economic storm very well,” he says.
In his capacity of Senior Underwriter for Technical Lines, Kerst brings a wealth of both professional engineering and insurance-specific experience to ACE. He began his career working in the field of engineering before moving towards insuring construction and other projects at Mutual & Federal, where he rapidly moved through the ranks.
His experience covered technical risk assessment survey, on to underwriting, before he took responsibility for running the engineering division of that company’s Johannesburg branch. After assuming the position of Group Manager for Engineering countrywide at Mutual and Federal, Kerst moved to SwissRe, again in an engineering role, where he got to grips with reinsurance in treaty and facultative business, expanding SwissRe’s horizons beyond South Africa and implementing its strategy across sub-Saharan Africa.
"With Trevor Kerst on board at ACE Insurance Limited, we are offering the best of both worlds, the global balance sheet strength of ACE and local underwriting expertise and authority. This underpins our strategy of continuing diversification to offer brokers a blue-chip underwriter for their customers,” notes Mike Durek, CEO of ACE Insurance Limited, South Africa.
Commenting on the state of the market, Kerst notes that despite major engineering and construction projects underway as a result of the World Cup and Gautrain, this country has not escaped the world wide recession. “The market for specialist insurance is substantially competitive with a number of competent players. Together with limited opportunity,that does make for a tough environment; however, by focusing on our value proposition and ability to accurately meet the needs of clients, ACE will shine through,” he says.
Kerst says a conservative approach in terms of which ACE will leverage its position as a specialist niche player will define its strategy. “The focus will fall squarely on the creation of value in covering specific mid to upper market risks in the commercial environment.”