XL Group plc Announces Appointment of Deputy Chief Enterprise Risk Officer

HAMILTON, BERMUDA - December 15, 2010

XL GROUP PLC ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY CHIEF ENTERPRISE RISK OFFICER Hamilton, Bermuda – December 15, 2010 - XL Group plc (NYSE: XL) (“XL” or the “Company”) announced today that it has appointed Fielding (Fid) L. Norton III as Senior Vice President, Deputy Chief Enterprise Risk Officer, effective immediately.Mr. Norton will report to XL’s Chief Enterprise Risk Officer Jacob Rosengarten. Among Mr. Norton’s key responsibilities will be providing comprehensive oversight to XL of existing and emerging risks and developing and implementing appropriate risk management techniques to enhance internal controls that manage the effects of risk on XL’s capital, earnings, credit ratings and reputation.Prior to joining XL, Mr. Norton served as Chief Risk Officer at Bermuda-based Ironshore Inc. where he led all aspects of enterprise risk management for the group from its beginning in 2007. In 2006, Mr. Norton was Chief Risk Officer of Commercial Insurance at Swiss Re’s Kansas office. Before that he held progressively senior roles at Employers Reinsurance Corp (GE Insurance) in Kansas City, Missouri and Overland Park, Kansas.Mr. Norton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Kansas, along with a Master of Science degree in Applied Physics and a Ph.D in Earth & Planetary Sciences from Harvard University. He also earned a Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter designation from the American Institute for CPCU and a Six Sigma Black Belt from the Executive Band Plus Program at General Electric Company.Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Rosengarten said: “XL is extremely pleased to welcome Fid to XL. His wealth of knowledge and extensive experience in risk management is a valuable addition to the XL team and to our goal of having XL be a thought leader in all matters related to enterprise risk management.”XL Group plc, through its subsidiaries, is a global insurance and reinsurance company providing property, casualty, and specialty products to industrial, commercial, and professional firms, insurance companies and other enterprises on a worldwide basis. Its principal executive offices are located at No. 1 Hatch Street Upper, 4th Floor, Dublin 2, Ireland. More information about XL Group plc is available at www.xlgroup.com