McLarens has strengthened its Middle East leadership footprint with two senior appointments, underscoring its long-term commitment to high-growth markets such as Dubai and the wider Middle East. The company has named Mahesh Ganesan as Operations Director and Ollie Waterman as Commercial Development Director, both based in Dubai.
These appointments come at a time when insurance and risk management demand is rising across key economies, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. As a result, McLarens aims to deepen its regional presence while delivering consistent, high-quality services across an increasingly complex and evolving market landscape.
Mahesh Ganesan to lead regional operations
Mahesh Ganesan has been named Operations Director – Middle East, a newly created role aimed at streamlining delivery and enhancing service quality.
He will oversee regional operations and drive consistency across markets. In particular, his mandate includes improving efficiency and strengthening client outcomes.
Mahesh brings deep institutional knowledge. He joined McLarens in 2009 as an intern in the UK. Since then, he has held technical, operational, and leadership roles. Moreover, he relocated to Dubai in 2024 and played a key role in expanding the firm’s regional footprint.
As a result, his appointment reflects both continuity and operational depth within the organisation.
Ollie Waterman to drive commercial growth
Alongside this, Ollie Waterman has been appointed Commercial Development Director – Middle East.
He brings extensive experience handling complex losses across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Previously, he served as Head of Property for the Middle East at an international loss-adjusting firm.
In his new role, Ollie will lead commercial strategy. Specifically, he will focus on client engagement, service excellence, and expanding McLarens’ presence in key regional markets. Therefore, his appointment strengthens the company’s commercial capabilities at a critical time.
Strategic push amid evolving regional dynamics
Both executives will be based in Dubai. Their appointments come as the Middle East faces geopolitical shifts and a rapidly evolving insurance landscape.
According to Steven Wallace, the region remains a strategic priority.
“The Middle East is an important region for McLarens. These appointments reflect our commitment to investing in the right leadership to support our clients and grow sustainably,” he said.
He further highlighted that Mahesh’s internal journey and operational expertise position him strongly to lead. Meanwhile, Ollie’s commercial insight and technical credibility will support long-term growth.
McLarens expands regional capabilities
Founded in 1932, McLarens operates in 45 countries. The company specialises in loss adjusting, claims management, and risk services across complex and niche markets.
Its continued investment in leadership underscores a broader strategy. Not only does it aim to scale operations, but it also seeks to deliver consistent, high-quality service across geographies.
