Marsh EMEA chief heads international unit

Marsh has promoted David Batchelor to head of the international division, effective immediately.

The business comprises all Marsh’s operations outside North America. It includes the Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA); Latin America & Caribbean; Asia; and Pacific regions.

Batchelor will retain his current position as chief executive of Marsh’s EMEA region for the rest of this year. He will relocate to New York from London early next year and report to Marsh chief executive Peter Zaffino.

The international head role was vacated by Alex Moczarski in April this year, when he moved to head up reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter, Marsh’s stablemate in the Marsh & McLennan Companies (MMC) group..

“With his deep expertise and broad global experience, I am delighted to have a leader such as David to guide our International business into a new era,” Zaffino said in a statement. “With over 30 years in insurance and risk management consulting, David is respected and trusted by colleagues, clients and industry peers alike.”

Batchelor began his career in 1976 with Bowring, which was acquired by MMC in 1980. Since then, he held a variety of senior positions in the Asia-Pacific region, North America, Bermuda and Europe before returning to Hong Kong to lead Marsh’s operations in Asia and was appointed CEO of the broader Asia-Pacific region in 2006. He took up his most recent responsibilities as CEO of Marsh’s EMEA region in April 2008.