Insurance company Euler Hermes UK has named former Clyde & Co partner Richard Barnett as its new head of legal and company secretary.

Barnett joined Euler Hermes in July from insurance and reinsurance firm RiverStone, where he was claims and litigation director. He will head up a team of seven lawyers and support staff, reporting to UK chief executive Richard Webster.

Barnett takes over from outgoing legal head David Dhanoo, who left Euler Hermes earlier this year to become deputy chief legal officer of the Qatar Financial Centre Authority in Doha.

In a statement, Barnett said: "My immediate aims are to further increase the efficiency of the legal and policy support departments and to enhance the quality and accessibility of advice provided to the company's operational areas."

Euler Hermes UK is part of Euler Hermes, one of the world's largest credit insurance companies. The group employs 5,500 staff globally and has an annual turnover in excess of €2bn (£1.36bn).

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