By Miho Uranaka

TOKYO, July 1 (Reuters) - Athene, the insurance business of Apollo Global Management APO.N, has appointed Larik Hall as head of Japan, as the U.S. asset manager ramps up operations in the country, according to a company document reviewed by Reuters.

Hall, previously a managing director at Goldman Sachs Ayco, will lead efforts to expand Athene's reinsurance business with life insurers in Japan. He has also held roles at firms including AIG AIG.N and MassMutual.

Apollo declined to comment.

Athene did its first Japan transaction in 2020 and has since reinsured $20 billion in assets across eight transactions, including a block reinsurance transaction with Sony Life Insurance.

Apollo sees the Japan market as a priority and is seeking to buy a life insurer to write business directly, the Financial Times reported earlier this month.