AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (“AXIS Capital”) (NYSE: AXS) announced today that Mark Gregory will join AXIS Insurance in London as Chief Executive Officer of International Specialty Lines and Branch Manager of AXIS Specialty London, effective January 1, 2010 and pending regulatory approval. Mark will report to Jack Gressier, Chairman of AXIS Insurance.

Mr. Gressier commented: “We are extremely pleased that Mark will be joining us. His extensive knowledge of global wholesale insurance markets, his broad international experience and his proven leadership abilities acquired over many years with Marsh make him particularly well suited to lead our International Specialty insurance operations. Mark’s addition to our senior AXIS Insurance leadership team signifies the ongoing commitment that AXIS has to the London market and to continued development of our specialty insurance business on a global basis.”

Mark has over 29 years of experience in the international insurance industry. In his most recent assignment, Mark was the CEO of Bowring Marsh, global wholesale placement operation of Marsh formed in July 2008. After joining Marsh in 1994, Mark held several senior roles including CEO of Marsh Global Markets before establishing and subsequently running Bowring Marsh in 2008. Mark started his insurance career with the Sedgwick Group in 1980 and progressed through a variety of broking and placement positions including assignments in Chile and Argentina.

AXIS Capital is a Bermuda-based global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with shareholders’ equity at June 30, 2009 of $4.9 billion and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, Canada and Australia. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of “A+” (“Strong”) by Standard & Poor’s and “A” (“Excellent”) by A.M. Best. AXIS Capital has been assigned a senior unsecured debt rating of A- (stable) by Standard & Poor’s and Baa1 (stable) by Moody’s Investors Service. For more information about AXIS Capital, visit our website at www.axiscapital.com.