Charles J. Catt
CEO of Challenge Group Inc

Charles J. Catt has more than 47 years experience in the London and International insurance and reinsurance industry. He was the managing director of the three UK companies of the NAC Re Corporation until its merger with XL Capital in 1999 and since then has been heavily involved in consultancy activities. Charles a member of many insurance and reinsurance-related institutions such as the Property & Casualty Technical Committee of the International Underwriting Association of London ,the International and Research Studies Committees of the Insurance Institute of London, British Insurance Law Association, Chairman of the Reinsurance training and Education Council and sits on various market committees. Charles is focused on general consultancy, arbitration, mediation, expert witness, training and recruitment requirements in the reinsurance and insurance sectors. Charles is a founding member of Challenge Group and now devotes most of his activities towards directing its positive expansion and development.

George Lavrishchev
Director of Challenge Group - Insurance Consultants and Brokers Ltd

George is a highly qualified expert in reinsurance and finance with an extensive knowledge of the Russian insurance/reinsurance market. He started his career in 2001 when he became CEO of the Far East Forest Insurance Company, Vladivostok branch and a Lecturer at the Far East State University in the Department of Insurance. George became professionally involved in international insurance/reinsurance practice after he gained his second degree at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) in 2005. In addition to his broking activity in the Russian market George is also involved in Captive/Rent-a-Captive programs and the development of reinsurance programs as well as international consultancy.

Elena Bredikhina
Deputy General Director of Challenge Group - Insurance Consultants and Brokers Ltd

Elena is a qualified lawyer with an excellent knowledge of international law and over 10-years operational experience mostly in the field of reinsurance. Elena is responsible for the placement and servicing of treaty reinsurance programs. She also has special responsibility for the management of all business from certain key clients. A profound knowledge of Russian and international law combined with an all-round experience of reinsurance matters allows Elena to achieve the best conditions for our clients both in terms of wording and placement of obligatory reinsurance programs. Utilizing her legal knowledge and experience, Elena also supervises all activity connected with the legal aspects of our business, including loss settlement, disputes involving parties from different jurisdictions, domestic and international arbitration processes, drafting (re)insurance contracts and other documents. She also leads on our activities in assisting clients with difficult reinsurance recoveries

Irina Shevyakova
Director of Challenge Group Inc

Irina has Diplomas of Higher Education as an economist and a linguist. She is a native Russian speaker speaking Belorussian, English and Polish fluently, in addition she has a basic knowledge of German and Spanish. Irina's career began in the banking sector; however, she has now found her true vocation in the reinsurance industry with which she has been closely and continuously connected for more than 5 years. Irina is in charge of broker business in Challenge Group Inc. in Malaysia and directly responsible for all facultative placements of marine, aviation, property, construction-erection and cargo risks, utilizing both Russian and foreign capacities. Irina's activity is also focused on the development of mutual relations with the markets in Southeast Asia and the promotion of the Russian capacity in the region.

Ahmed Farouk Aripen
Director and Principal Officer of Challenge Group Underwriters & Managers (L) Inc

Farouk is a Chartered Accountant from the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, Certified Practicing Accountant from CPA Australia, holds a BA in Accountancy from the University of South Australia and a Certificate in International Risk Management from the Institute of Risk Management, UK. He started his career in 1994 with the international audit firm Coopers & Lybrand and then with Ernst & Young for a total of 4 years and then in 1998 as a the Finance & Accounts Manager of a construction company in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. In 2002 Farouk joined Etiqa Offshore Insurance (formerly MNI Offshore Insurance) in Labuan, as an insurance and underwriting manager where he gained experience of the international reinsurance industry, risk management and corporate governance. Farouk held many positions in Etiqa; his last appointment was as the Principal Officer of the company. Farouk is responsible for Challenge Group's Underwriting Management services for Labuan reinsurance and captive companies, corporate finance and administration and he is also involved in business development for the Group.

Pavel Krasnov
Deputy General Director of Challenge Group - Insurance Consultants and Brokers Ltd

Павел Краснов – высококлассный специалист с 10-летним опытом работы в области как имущественного перестрахования, так и перестрахования жизни. Он начал свою карьеру в 2001 году в Санкт-Петербурге, где получил высшее образование, а также закончил аспирантуру в Санкт-Петербургском Государственном Университете Экономики и Финансов. Многолетний опыт работы в таких компаниях как Munich Re и Aon обеспечил его глубоким знанием международного перестраховочного рынка. Павел возглавляет направление по работе с российским рынком перестрахования и отвечает за построение факультативных и облигаторных программ для российских компаний.

Emin Rzayev
Head of CIS risks

Emin joined Challenge Group in 2011, he has 9 years' experience in property and personal lines insurance with almost 5 year experience as head of the Underwriting Department at one of the largest Azerbaijani insurance companies. Emin has international experience gained from his last position in the Czech Republic with one of the insurance broking companies as a manager for development of property insurance and reinsurance accounts. He has a master degree in international economic relations and possesses DIP CII (Diploma in Insurance) of Chartered Insurance Institute of London. At Challenge Group Emin is responsible for the CIS market and manages large marine, property and liability accounts.

Anton Lavrishchev
Head of agricultural risks

Anton has PHD in Agricultural Science, has extensive expertise and more than 15-year operational experience in the field of the nature and analysis of agricultural risks in the Russian Federation. In Challenge Group he is in charge of our agricultural risks business and is responsible for the analysis of agricultural risks, development of underwriting procedures, maintaining statistical bases, computer modeling, and outsourcing support. Anton successfully combines his practical activities in the Company with scientific research at the Agrology Department of the St.-Petersburg State Agrarian University, where he is an assistant professor and has written a set of publications in academic periodicals of the Academy of Sciences of the Russian Federation and abroad. Anton's academic interests allow Challenge Group to successfully combine the practical and scientific methods of analyzing agricultural risks and to continuously develop in this major sector of our business activities.

Anastasia Babich
Regional Representative in Latin America

Anastasia is a highly qualified specialist in insurance/reinsurance operations with a background gained from working with leading international insurance/reinsurance brokers and major Russian insurance companies. Having graduated from Moscow State University in International Relations (MGIMO) she had post-university internship and practice with leading Russian insurers. From 2006 Anastasia was involved in international insurance and reinsurance practice being an employee in the Moscow offices of leading international insurance brokers, and was in charge of the financial lines operations. Anastasia is the Regional Representative of Challenge Group in South America (main office in Caracas, Venezuela), and is also responsible forfinancial lines of business.

Nadya Perestronina
Regional Representative in Japan / Head of marketing

Надежда по образованию филолог со знанием русского, старославянского, английского и японского языков. Надежда осуществляет представительские функции группы на перестраховочном рынке Японии, а также отвечает за маркетинговые исследования, первичную аналитику и мониторинга рынка страхования /перестрахования. В сферу ее деятельности также входит поддержка офисов группы по переводу документации, литературного редактирования авторских текстов, занимается освещением, написанием новостных материалов и рекламой.