QBE, the specialist business insurer, has appointed Esther Felton as the new head of its European legal team.

Felton, who joined QBE in 2006 from City firm Norton Rose, replaces Adrian Williams who has headed up the European legal function since 2004. Williams is set to join Irish firm Matheson Ormsby as a partner.

At Norton Rose Felton was an associate in the non-contentious insurance team for five years and advised QBE as a client on a number of matters.

Felton set up QBE's legal panel which saw six firms handed spots effective from the beginning of the year. The company's European legal team houses three lawyers currently with a further joiner expected in the next few months. The company also takes secondees from its panel law firms.

Steven Burns, chief executive officer of QBE European Operations, commented: "We place enormous value on our in-house legal resource, which provides on the ground, commercially focussed legal advice from colleagues who have a true understanding of the landscape of our business and, at a time when we are looking to invest and develop our legal capability, Esther's experience and knowledge of our business will be invaluable."

QBE, headquartered in Sydney, works in 47 countries globally and is one of the leading insurance specialists in the London Lloyds and company market.