Gallagher appointed Philip Frerks Head of Transaction Solutions for Germany, based in Frankfurt, and brought Andrea Karkotis on as Associate Director for Warranty & Indemnity (W&I) in the Netherlands, based in Amsterdam. Announced on 1 October 2026, the appointments add transaction-risk specialists to Gallagher’s Private Equity and M&A (PEMA) practice as the company continues expanding its European presence.
What roles are Frerks and Karkotis taking?
| Executive | Gallagher role | Location | Reported background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philip Frerks | Head of Transaction Solutions, Germany | Frankfurt | About a decade advising private equity and corporate clients on M&A-related risks; most recently Head of M&A at Malakut Group, according to Gallagher’s announcement. |
| Andrea Karkotis | Associate Director, Warranty & Indemnity, Netherlands | Amsterdam | Cross-border deal work at Clifford Chance and earlier legal practice in South Africa, according to Gallagher’s announcement. |
What experience do the new hires bring?
Philip Frerks
Gallagher says Frerks has spent a decade advising private equity and corporate clients on risks related to mergers and acquisitions. He joins from Malakut Group, where he was Head of M&A. Before that, he was a director in a major broker’s M&A and transaction-solutions division and worked as an associate at White & Case and Sullivan & Cromwell. Reinsurance News also names Noerr among his prior law firms in its report on the appointments.
Andrea Karkotis
At Clifford Chance, Karkotis worked on cross-border M&A, infrastructure, renewable-energy and real-estate transactions across Europe and the Middle East. Gallagher cites his experience in commercial contracting, due diligence and transaction management. He previously practised law in South Africa, focusing on commercial and industrial real-estate transactions across South and Sub-Saharan Africa.
What does Gallagher’s PEMA practice do?
PEMA advises on risks and insurance needs connected to private-equity and M&A transactions. Gallagher lists these services:
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How do the appointments fit Gallagher’s European expansion?
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Alistair Lester, Gallagher CEO for Private Equity and M&A, UK & EMEA, described Germany as “one of Europe’s most influential private equity and M&A markets and an important pillar of our growth strategy across the region.” Alex Nagler, CEO of Gallagher in Europe, called Germany “a strategically important market for Gallagher as a group,” pointing to the company’s acquisition of Krose earlier in 2026 and its focus on expansion across Europe, including the Benelux region.
These statements set out Gallagher’s strategic rationale. The company announcement and Reinsurance News report do not provide market-share, deal-volume or client-outcome figures with which to measure the appointments’ impact.
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