Euler Hermes, the worldwide leader in trade credit insurance, today announced the appointment of Luca Burrafato as head of the Mediterranean Countries, Middle East and Africa (MMEA) region, and Anil Berry as CEO, World Agency, dedicated to multinational clients. These appointments are effective April 1, 2016, pending the required regulatory approvals.
Luca Burrafato succeeds Michele Pignotti who, as previously announced, is joining the Euler Hermes Board of Management in Paris, with responsibilities for Market Management. Burrafato, appointed country manager for Euler Hermes Italy in July 2015, becomes responsible for the development of the 14-country MMEA region, which also includes Italy. He will report to Pignotti.
Anil Berry, head of Market Management, Commercial and Distribution (MMCD) at World Agency, is promoted to chief executive officer of that organization, following the retirement of Nicolas Delzant after a Euler Hermes career spanning close to 40 years in a wide range of management roles. Berry will report to Wilfried Verstraete, chairman of the Euler Hermes Board of Management.
“The MMEA region and the multinational clients World Agency serves are important long-term growth markets for Euler Hermes,” said Wilfried Verstraete. “Each involves both mature and developing markets, as well as different and often contrasting economic scenarios. The knowledge we offer clients across these markets -- and our ability to anticipate or react swiftly to changes -- is increasingly important. MMEA and World Agency clients will therefore benefit from the international experience Luca and Anil bring to their new roles. I would also like to thank Nicolas Delzant for his many contributions and unwavering commitment to Euler Hermes for almost four decades.”
Burrafato began his career in 1993 at Banca Nazionale del Lavoro; he then joined Deutsche Bank as head of Strategic Direction of the CO.R.E. Division (corporate banking, factoring, leasing and real estate). In 2000 he became senior manager at Accenture, and in 2003 joined UBI Banca as head of strategic organization, becoming sales director of UBI Factor with responsibility for domestic and international business in 2008. In 2011 he was appointed CEO of GE Capital Finance, a factoring company held by GE Capital Interbanca group. Burrafato holds a degree in Economics from Bergamo University and a Master of Business Administration from Bocconi University in Milan.
Berry was appointed head of World Agency MMCD in April 2015, having previously served as MMCD director for the Euler Hermes Asia Pacific region. After beginning his career at Sun Alliance Insurance, Berry joined Euler Hermes UK in 1997 as a commercial underwriter. He then held various management positions before being appointed CEO for the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) in 2008, and CEO of Euler Hermes Hong Kong and head of MMCD for the Asia Pacific region in 2012. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of East Anglia in the UK.