AM Best Europe loses second senior analyst, plus other people moves

• Jose Sanchez-Crespo, general manager of European ratings at AM Best, has resigned. He is rumoured to be returning to his old company Standard & Poor's (S&P). Sanchez-Crespo is the second senior manager to leave the European arm of the rating agency this year. Stuart Shipperlee, its managing director, departed in January to join the risk solutions department at S&P.

But Mike Mackenzie, general manager of business development at AM Best in London, stresses that, while the departure of two of its most senior analysts is unfortunate, the agency is a long way from crisis mode. He says Shaun Flynn, senior vice-president and head of the international division at AM Best, is coming to London to implement a contingency plan. He would not give more details at this stage.

"It is business as usual," Mackenzie says. "It is always sad and unfortunate to lose a...