QBE Re appoints Cindy Foo as Asia treaty head based in Singapore

QBE Re has appointed Cindy Foo as Head of Asia, Treaty, to strengthen its treaty reinsurance operations across Asia, with Singapore as the designated regional hub.

Cindy Foo will assume the newly established position effective from 1 December 2025. She will be based in Singapore and report directly to Abdallah Balbeisi, Executive Director of Europe and Growth Markets. The Asia treaty portfolio, under Foo's leadership, excludes Japan, which will continue to be managed from QBE Re's London office.

This appointment is a core element of QBE Re's current strategy to expand its treaty reinsurance footprint in the Asian market. The establishment of Singapore as a hub is expected to facilitate the company's efforts to enhance its presence and service offering across the region.

Cindy Foo brings more than two decades of experience in the reinsurance industry to QBE Re. Her career has included key senior underwriting and client management roles at several reinsurance firms, such as Berkley Re Asia, Asia Capital Re, Swiss Re, and Munich Re. Most recently at Berkley Re Asia, Foo was Head of Underwriting and Branch Manager, where she was instrumental in developing a robust portfolio throughout the region since 2016.

Strategic focus

QBE Re's decision to create this new role highlights its emphasis on expanding within Asia, a region seen as holding substantial potential for growth in treaty reinsurance. The appointment is also intended to ensure close alignment between the treaty and wholesale (facultative) reinsurance operations within QBE's wider Asian strategy.

We are delighted to welcome Cindy to QBE Re. Her breadth of experience, technical underwriting expertise, and strong relationships across Asia will be invaluable as we establish and grow our Asia hub. Cindy's appointment underscores our ambition to build a sustainable, client-focused treaty franchise in the region, while working closely with our wholesale business (facultative) to ensure our renewed focus complements QBE's strategies in Asia.

Foo's leadership in previous roles has included deep involvement with underwriting processes and portfolio building, attributes viewed as significant for the next phase of QBE Re's Asian development. Her appointment is especially notable for her background in the market, with significant networks and expertise that the company believes will accelerate its regional objectives.

QBE Re's Asian presence

With this shift, Singapore's role as a centre for QBE Re's Asia operations is set to increase, with the hub model designed to drive both efficiency and market proximity. Japan remains outside the scope of the new regional strategy, with business in that country continuing to be written from QBE Re's London office.

QBE European Operations is a part of QBE Insurance Group, managing a variety of business insurance needs, from standard property and casualty to specialist insurance lines. QBE Insurance Group reported gross written premiums of USD $22.4 billion for the year ended 31 December 2024.

The appointment of Cindy Foo reflects QBE Re's continuing efforts to adapt to a changing market landscape and respond to growth opportunities in Asia by strengthening its regional senior management.