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The MECO Group
About

International team

LONDON
Dubai
Shanghai-01
Hamburg

Origins

This year marks our 50th anniversary, originally established in London we operate as one global team across three regional hubs in London, Shanghai, and Dubai. The name MECO is derived from Michael Else and Company Ltd.
Michael Else, who went to sea as a deck cadet and came ashore with a Master’s ticket in 1969, was instrumental in helping to found the company in 1974 with the creation of Transmarine, which is one of The MECO Group’s core brands.
The MECO Group is owned by key members of the current management team, which took ownership of the business in 2007. Our ethos is that of a professionally run and privately controlled company, whose interests are directly aligned with those of our clients, staff, and suppliers.

Hamburg - Germany

London

The company was founded in 1974 with the creation of Transmarine, which is one of The MECO Group’s core brands. Based in Leadenhall Street in the City our London office comprises the operations, underwriting and claims departments, which work across all four brands. The MECO Group's operations includes our finance, accounting and IT departments.

Dubai

Our Dubai office was opened in December 2013 and services primarily clients based in the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. Our CEO, Chris Else, and our Global Underwriting Director, Gavin Ritchie are both based in Dubai. We also have a team of legal and maritime professionals, who operate out of the Dubai office, providing claims management and legal assistance to our clients.

Shanghai

Our office in Shanghai was established in October 2010 and services clients based in China and the Far East. In the Shanghai office we have a team of lawyers, who are able to assist with claims, disputes and insurance matters in general. The head of the Shanghai office is Ashley Xu.

Hamburg

Our office in Hamburg was established in 2023 as the registered office of our European branch, The MECO Group (EEA) GmbH, which is authorised and regulated by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, BaFin. For EEA risks incepting after the 1st of July 2023, all policies and certificates of insurance are issued on behalf of the Underwriters by The MECO Group (EEA) GmbH.

close up of Shanghai Financial District buildings and blue sky background
MECO-operations

OPERATIONS

The MECO Group is an insurance Managing General Agent (‘MGA’) approved and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority, BaFin in Germany and DIFC in the UAE. It owns and manages the Group’s four marine insurance brands as an Underwriting Agent and in 2024 will be celebrating its 5th decade in the marine insurance sector.

All clients benefit from innovative insurances with first-rate security and the commitment of a highly experienced team focused on helping them to identify and manage risk more effectively. We have a dedicated team of professionals in Claims, Underwriting, Finance, IT and Compliance.

Policy Documentation

Worldwide other than EEA

All policies and certificates of insurance other than the EEA domiciled risks, are issued on behalf the Underwriters to the policyholders by Michael Else and Company Limited which is regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 312264).

EEA Risks

For risks domiciled in EEA Countries, policies and certificates of insurance incepting on or after the 1st July 2023 have been issued on behalf of the Underwriters by the groups German subsidiary The MECO Group (EEA) GmbH. This company is authorised and regulated by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, BaFin (registration number D-67D1-2T084-01).

For risks domiciled in EEA Countries with an inception date between 1st January 2021 and 30th June 2023 the policies were issued on behalf the Underwriters by JMM Insurance (Ireland) Ltd, a company that is regulated by Central Bank of Ireland (registration no C176263) and worked in co-operation with MECO post Brexit.

Further details can be obtained by contacting the managers.

Hamburg

BRANDS

The MECO Group
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