Swiss Re has signed a memorandum of understanding with RIQ, the AI native reinsurance platform backed by International Holding Company, to build and scale new reinsurance capacity, risk origination channels, and AI-based capabilities across the UAE.
The agreement sets out cooperation over the near and longer term, with a focus on technology-led underwriting and capital use.
RIQ launched in June 2025 through global investment firm IHC, alongside BlackRock and Lunate. Based in Abu Dhabi Global Market, the company is developing an AI-native reinsurance platform designed to sharpen underwriting decisions, deploy capacity more precisely, and support investment activity using advanced analytics.
Under the MoU, Swiss Re and RIQ will work together on capacity solutions and assess wider areas of collaboration as the platform develops.
The arrangement gives Swiss Re a deeper operational foothold in the Gulf while tying RIQ to an established global reinsurer with scale and experience across complex risks.
Swiss Re Group CEO Andreas Berger said the partnership draws on the reinsurerâs long-standing risk expertise, large data assets, and early adoption of AI tools.
He said working with RIQ supports Swiss Reâs ambition to advance AI-native reinsurance capabilities in a region with a fast-growing insurance market and strong appetite for innovation.
Berger added that the collaboration could open paths to new risk-transfer structures aimed at supporting clients exposed to peak risks.
This collaboration builds on Swiss Reâs deep risk expertise, strong data foundation and early adoption of AI. Together with RIQ, we aim to realise an AI-native reinsurance platform and further strengthen our engagement in this dynamic region.
Andreas Berger, Swiss Re’s Group CEO
“By combining our joint capabilities with the region’s strong innovation drive and vibrant insurance market, we can explore novel risk-transfer instruments, creating new ways to support our clients through peak risks,” Andreas Berger said.
RIQ CEO Mark Wilson said Swiss Re brings technical depth and a shared view of how reinsurance can change when capital, data, and technology intersect. He said the two companies plan to speed up development of AI-driven infrastructure and structured reinsurance solutions that respond to shifting market needs.
RIQ’s CEO Mark Wilson said: “Swiss Re brings unparalleled expertise and a shared belief in what reinsurance can become when capital, data, and technology converge. Together, we aim to accelerate the development of AI-native infrastructure and structured reinsurance solutions tailored to the evolving needs of the market.”
According to Beinsure analysts, the agreement reflects rising interest in the Gulf as a testing ground for data-heavy reinsurance models, where capital availability and regulatory frameworks allow new platforms to move quickly.
Established in 2025, RIQ is building an AI-native reinsurance platform launched by IHC, in partnership with BlackRock and Lunate.
Headquartered in ADGM, RIQ is designed to serve global markets with an initial focus on high-growth regions across the Middle East, Asia, and select international jurisdictions.
RIQ has received In-Principle Approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM, marking a key regulatory milestone that enables the platform to advance toward full operational readiness.
With capital backing, advanced analytics capabilities, and a long-term commitment to innovation, RIQ will provide reinsurance solutions across Property & Casualty, Life, and specialized segments.
RIQ signed a memorandum of understanding with Masdar to co build advanced reinsurance solutions for the risks tied to global energy transformation.
Masdar keeps scaling its clean energy footprint across continents, and the two groups want to embed dedicated reinsurance capacity directly into Masdarâs global insurance programs.
The idea is to improve coverage quality, tighten capital efficiency, and get smarter pricing across a fast growing portfolio that never stops shifting.
The collaboration goes beyond capacity alone. RIQ and Masdar will look at ways to link up across the entire insurance chain: risk engineering, primary underwriting, claims support.
