General/Cologne edge closer

US reinsurance group and Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary General Re has implemented a wide-ranging reorganisation of the group, merging its operative units with those of German subsidiary Kölnische Rückversicherung (Cologne Re). In future, the whole group will trade under the label GeneralCologne Re and the individual brands will disappear. The near-merger will most likely be followed by a full merger in 2002.