Transatlantic Holdings, Inc. Elects Messrs. John L. McCarthy and William J. Poutsiaka to Board of Directors

Business Wire, May 27, 2008

NEW YORK -- Transatlantic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TRH) is pleased to announce that Messrs. John L. McCarthy and William J. Poutsiaka were newly elected to its Board of Directors at its Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Mr. McCarthy presently serves as the President of the Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions, Inc. (RMF), a service company that manages the defense of claims and provides risk management, research and education services to the Harvard medical community. Prior to his service to RMF, which began in 1989, Mr. McCarthy headed a health care consulting firm, McCarthy & Associates, was a founding partner of another health care consulting firm, Health Ventures Corporation and held a key management role with the Rhode Island Group Health Association, an HMO. Mr. McCarthy has provided distinguished service to the healthcare community during his entire professional career, including service to the United States Air Force as the Chief Financial Officer of the Tactical Air Command hospital in Phoenix. His background includes current and prior Board service to professional and civic organizations.

Mr. McCarthy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Villanova University and a Master of Business Administration degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Poutsiaka is the Retired President and Chief Executive Officer of PanAgora Asset Management, a quantitative investment advisory firm, having served PanAgora through 2005. For approximately ten years prior to his service there, which began in 1999, Mr. Poutsiaka, served in senior executive capacities with Arkwright Mutual Insurance Company, a global property insurance and risk management company, with his most recent position being President and Chief Executive Officer. He began his career with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, serving as an investment executive. His background includes prior public and private Board service.

Mr. Poutsiaka holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Muhlenberg College and a Masters of Business Administration degree from Boston College.

"We are delighted that John and Bill have agreed to join our Board," commented Martin J. Sullivan, TRH's Chairman. "These senior executives bring to Transatlantic the benefit of their robust insurance industry and finance backgrounds obtained over lengthy and distinguished careers. We look forward to benefiting from their good counsel and welcome them to Transatlantic's Board."

Transatlantic Holdings, Inc. (TRH) is a leading international reinsurance organization headquartered in New York, with operations on six continents. Its subsidiaries, Transatlantic Reinsurance Company(R), Trans Re Zurich and Putnam Reinsurance Company, offer reinsurance capacity on both a treaty and facultative basis -- structuring programs for a full range of property and casualty products, with an emphasis on specialty risks.

Visit --- www.transre.com --- for additional information about the Company.