Descartes Underwriting has restructured its leadership team in the Asia-Pacific region, promoting Ben Qin (pictured) to the position of head of Asia-Pacific.
Qin, who previously led the company’s North Asia and Australia business, will now be responsible for Descartes’ activities across all APAC markets.
The appointment is part of the company’s strategy to enhance its regional service model and strengthen its relationships with brokers and clients in the region.
Qin has nearly two decades of experience in the insurance sector across the Asia-Pacific, including a tenure at Marsh where he managed the alternative risk transfer function for the region.
At Descartes, he has overseen the launch of offices in Sydney, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, expanding the company’s footprint in key markets.
In his new capacity, Qin will focus on providing parametric insurance solutions tailored to the needs of APAC clients, particularly as the region faces a range of natural hazard exposures.
Commenting on his appointment, Qin noted that Asia-Pacific is highly exposed to risks such as cyclones, typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and droughts.
“Asia-Pacific is one of the most exposed regions globally to natural hazard risks – including cyclones, typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and droughts – further highlighting the importance of Descartes’ commitment to helping clients manage complex, climate-related risks with precision and resilience,” he said.
Sébastien Piguet, co-founder and chief insurance officer at Descartes, commented that Qin’s leadership has been instrumental in the company’s regional expansion.
“Ben has been pivotal in Descartes’ expansion in APAC since he joined the company. I am therefore delighted to work with him and the entire APAC team to further grow our relationship with brokers and clients in the region,” he said.
Supporting Qin in the region will be WeeBeng Seow, who steps in as acting head of Southeast Asia.
Seow, who joined Descartes’ Singapore office as business development director three years ago, has worked closely with broker partners throughout Southeast Asia.
He will continue to focus on expanding Descartes’ value proposition for brokers and clients in the region.
Seow said the timing of his new role coincides with the company’s growth across Southeast Asia.
“It is an exciting time to step into this role as we continue to grow our presence across Southeast Asia, and I look forward to working closely with our broker partners to deliver innovative parametric solutions that truly respond to the region’s evolving risk landscape,” he said.
The leadership changes at Descartes come as the insurance sector continues to contend with high catastrophe losses.
According to the latest Willis Natural Catastrophe Review, insured losses from natural disasters are projected to exceed $100 billion globally in 2025, marking the seventh consecutive year at or above this level.
The report highlighted several major events in 2025, including wildfires in Los Angeles that have resulted in insured losses estimated at over $40 billion. This event alone represents a significant portion of the year’s global catastrophe losses.
Other notable incidents include severe wildfires in Japan and South Korea, a record tornado season in the US, and Australia’s first cyclone landfall near Brisbane in five decades.
In addition, recent findings from NASA’s GRACE satellite program indicate a marked increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events globally, including droughts and floods.
Data from 2023 showed nearly double the severe weather activity compared to the average from 2003 to 2020.
NASA researchers monitoring global water movement and land moisture levels have observed that the pace of extreme weather is accelerating more rapidly than previously estimated.
