Everest International Reinsurance has been granted a general insurance licence by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

The business is part of the New York-listed Everest Group, a general and specialty reinsurance underwriter. President and CEO Juan Andrade said in February the company was looking to grow its Australian presence.

“We advanced our disciplined international strategy ... we are on track for new openings this year in Colombia, in Mexico, in Australia,” he said.

Last June, the business announced it had hired Scott Leney as head of Asia-Pacific, based in Sydney. Mr Leney, who started in November, was previously Marsh’s head of risk management for the region.