Brown & Brown, a provider of insurance and reinsurance products and services, has opened its new London-based wholesale brokerage unit, Decus Insurance Brokers Limited.

Decus Insurance Brokers (DIB) is Brown & Brown’s first operation based outside of the US. DIB acts as a traditional UK-based insurance intermediary for the distribution of non-investment insurance contracts throughout North America. Its four divisions will be property brokerage, casualty brokerage, professional liability brokerage, and binding authority programs.

Anthony Strianese has been appointed as CEO of DIB with Amy Ranieri as COO and Melanie Alexander as managing director. Mr Strianese and Ms Ranieri are currently senior members of the North American team of Peachtree Special Risk Brokers.

Mr Strianese said: We view everything we do as a marathon rather than a sprint. We have a long-term vision for this venture, and are ready to begin operations and build a solid foundation for future growth. It’s a very exciting opportunity for Brown & Brown, our customers and our business partners.