Robert Lusardi, CEO of XL's Financial Products and Services operations, said: "We believe that credit risk protection will be one of the fastest growing risk transfer markets over the next five years. Credit risk is inherent in corporate trade and buyer/supplier transactions, is embedded in virtually every structured finance transaction and is the dominant issue in the corporate loan and investing communities. The market for credit risk protection, as measured by the credit default swap market, has expanded exponentially over the past couple of years. Primus is a new entrant with large financial capacity and the highest counterparty ratings.
"XL, through our financial guaranty operations, provides credit protection but only on pools of corporate obligations and only on an excess basis. We had been actively studying the single name, ground up credit default insurance market when we were introduced to Primus. In turn, Primus had spent considerable time and effort developing pricing and trading models and credit and control systems and had successfully recruited extremely experienced credit and management executives. Over the past several months, XL and Primus worked closely together to create a corporate structure and develop institutional backing to ensure that Primus becomes one of the stronger entities in the credit risk market, as evidenced by the €˜Triple A' ratings from S&P and Moody's. Primus fits squarely in XL's strategy of developing and investing in businesses that are at the forefront of the €˜convergence' of insurance and capital markets and aligning ourselves with highly talented people."
XL will receive two seats on Primus' Board of Directors. XL Chairman Michael Esposito, Jr. will serve as the Chairman of Primus and Robert Lusardi will serve as a director and Chairman of the Finance and Investment Committee.
Primus' executive management includes: Thomas Jasper, Chief Executive Officer, former Managing Director and Global Treasurer of Salomon Smith Barney Holdings, Inc. and co-founder and former chairman of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association; and Joseph Bauman, Chief Financial Officer, former Head of International Financial Management and Derivatives Sales and Structuring at Bank of America and former ISDA chairman.
Primus Financial Products, Inc., a subsidiary of Primus Guaranty, Ltd., is the only triple-A rated company dedicated to providing investment grade credit risk protection to derivatives dealers and credit portfolio managers. Primus Financial seeks to invest in credit risk by selling protection to its customers in the form of credit default swaps on more than 1,200 investment-grade corporates and sovereigns.
XL Capital Ltd, through its operating subsidiaries, is a leading provider of insurance and reinsurance coverages and financial products to industrial, commercial and professional service firms, insurance companies, and other enterprises on a worldwide basis. As at December 31, 2001, XL had consolidated assets of approximately $28.0 billion and consolidated shareholders' equity of approximately $5.4 billion. More information about XL is available at www.xlcapital.com.