AXIS Capital Holdings has appointed Albert Benchimol as new chief financial officer, effective 17 January 2011.

Benchimol will also join the company’s executive committee and report directly to CEO and president of AXIS Capital John Charman.

Most recently, Benchimol served as executive vice president and CFO at PartnerRe and held this position since he joined PartnerRe in 2000. In 2007, he took on the additional role of CEO of PartnerRe Capital Markets Group.

Prior to joining PartnerRe Benchimol served as senior vice president and Treasurer at Reliance Group Holdings.

AXIS Capital is a Bermuda-based global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with shareholders’ equity at June 30, 2010 of $5.5bn and locations in Bermuda, the US, Europe, Singapore, Canada and Australia.