Africa Specialty Risks (ASR), a reinsurance/insurance group, announced on April 20, 2026 the appointment of Mary Driscoll as Regional Head for Southern Africa, based in its Johannesburg office. This appointment is part of the group’s strategy to strengthen its presence in South Africa and accelerate its development in Southern Africa.
In her new role, Mary Driscoll will be responsible for consolidating ASR’s direct presence within the Lloyd’s syndicate, while supporting the underwriting teams in identifying new business opportunities across all specialized lines. She will also help provide local brokers with the strength of Lloyd’s market AA rating, a key asset to support the structuring of complex insurance programs in the region.
Based in Johannesburg, she will work closely with partners and brokers to accelerate ASR’s growth in Southern Africa, particularly in high-value segments such as financial, political, energy, and special risks.
Mary Driscoll has over 35 years of experience in insurance and reinsurance in Africa. She started her career as an underwriter at Munich Re South Africa, before moving into brokerage with several major local players. She then spent a decade as a portfolio underwriter for Africa at Emerald Risk Transfer.
She later held leadership roles in reinsurance, including as Director of Operations at Sanlam Allianz Re in Mauritius, and then at Santam Insurance. This trajectory has given her deep expertise in African markets, distribution networks, and risk structuring challenges on the continent.
With this appointment, ASR reaffirms its commitment to intensifying its local presence and supporting the growth of specialized (re)insurance capabilities in Southern Africa.
