# ASR Middle East > Specialty reinsurance and risk solutions for developing markets across Africa and the Middle East\. ## At a glance | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Type | MGA | | Region | EMEA | | Headquarters | London, UK | | Founded | 2020 | | Employees | 51-200 | ## Overview ASR Middle East (Africa Specialty Risks) is a specialty reinsurance MGA and Lloyd's Syndicate 2454 operator providing risk mitigation solutions for insurance and reinsurance buyers across Africa and the Middle East. Founded in August 2020 by Helios Investment Partners alongside Mikir Shah and Bryan Howett -- both with extensive pan-African insurance backgrounds -- ASR operates balance sheets in Bermuda, Mauritius, and through its Lloyd's syndicate to deliver local underwriting capacity backed by international markets. The company writes across a broad range of specialty lines including political violence and terrorism, political risk and trade credit, property and construction, energy, parametric, liability, marine, aviation, security risk, and cyber coverage. ASR's Middle East entity opened as a Lloyd's service company in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in July 2024, enabling underwriting of business in the UAE on behalf of ASR Syndicate 2454. ASR leads the Baobab Consortium, launched in January 2025 as the first Lloyd's Consortium focused exclusively on African risks, with capacity of up to USD 26 million per risk. With operations across 54 African countries and 14 Middle Eastern countries, ASR has de-risked over USD 51 billion in African investments. The company employs over 100 professionals across six global offices, drawing on more than 20 nationalities to support its developing-market focus. Capacity is sourced via Helios Investment Partners backing, the Lloyd's market, and partnership arrangements with carriers including Eureka Re, Sava Re, and other Lloyd's syndicates within the Baobab Consortium. ## Products & services ### Political Violence & Terrorism Insurance Covers businesses and assets operating in volatile regions, focusing on African and Middle Eastern markets experiencing political instability. **Key features:** - Political violence events including riots, strikes, and civil commotion - Terrorism acts and sabotage - War and allied perils *Target users:* Multinational corporations and investors with operations in developing markets *Distribution:* Wholesale brokers, direct partnerships ### Political Risk & Trade Credit Insurance Addresses sovereign and sub-sovereign risks affecting cross-border trade and investment, including currency transfer restrictions and expropriation. **Key features:** - Currency inconvertibility and transfer restrictions - Expropriation and nationalization - Contract frustration and trade credit defaults *Target users:* Exporters, investors, development finance institutions *Distribution:* Wholesale brokers ### Property & Construction Insurance Specialized underwriting for construction and property assets in Africa, covering risks typical of developing infrastructure environments. **Key features:** - Construction all\-risk - Operational property damage - Delay in start\-up *Target users:* Infrastructure developers, construction firms, project finance lenders *Distribution:* Wholesale brokers ### Energy Sector Coverage Dedicated underwriting for oil, gas, and renewable energy projects in emerging markets. **Key features:** - Operational energy risks - Renewable energy projects - Upstream oil and gas *Target users:* Energy companies, project developers, lenders financing African and Middle Eastern energy assets *Distribution:* Wholesale brokers, Lloyd's coverholders ### Parametric Insurance Index-based products that trigger payouts based on measurable events rather than loss assessment, reducing settlement delays in markets with limited infrastructure. **Key features:** - Weather\-based triggers \(rainfall, temperature, wind\) - Commodity price indices - Seismic and catastrophe parameters *Target users:* Governments, agricultural operators, development organizations *Distribution:* Direct and wholesale ### Liability, Marine & Aviation Insurance Comprehensive liability, marine cargo, hull, and aviation coverage tailored for operators in Africa and the Middle East. **Key features:** - General and professional liability - Marine cargo and hull - Aviation hull and liability *Target users:* Shipping companies, airlines, commercial liability holders operating in developing markets *Distribution:* Wholesale brokers ### Cyber Insurance Information security and digital risk coverage for businesses in emerging markets. **Key features:** - Data breach and cyber incident response - Business interruption from cyber events - Third\-party liability *Target users:* Financial institutions, telecoms, and enterprises with digital operations in Africa and the Middle East *Distribution:* Wholesale brokers ### Captive Solutions & Treaty Reinsurance Risk financing and captive management for multinationals with African exposure, alongside treaty reinsurance capacity for insurers writing African risks. **Key features:** - Captive structuring and management - Proportional and non\-proportional treaty reinsurance - Quota share and excess of loss arrangements *Target users:* Multinational corporations, local insurers seeking reinsurance support *Distribution:* Direct, via reinsurance intermediaries ## Links - Website: - Directory profile: - Media: - Linkedin: - Press releases: - Lloyd's profile: --- *Last updated: 2026\-06\-22*