Fidelis strengthens underwriting capabilities with series of senior appointments

HAMILTON, BERMUDA – October 26, 2015 – Fidelis Insurance (“Fidelis”) is pleased to announce a series of senior underwriting appointments. Nick Burkinshaw joins as Chairman of Specialty, Ben Savill takes up his role as Bermuda Chief Executive Officer and Richard Holden his role of Head of North American Underwriting. The three join Fidelis’ underwriting team of Dan Burrows, Philip Vandoninck, Richard Coulson and Ben Fortune, under the leadership of industry veteran Richard Brindle, Group Chief Executive Officer.

Nick brings nearly three decades of underwriting experience in the London market to his new role. He joins from Catlin where he served most recently as Active Underwriter of Syndicate 2003 and Chief Underwriting Officer, London. He joined Catlin in 1992 as Class Underwriter for the specie and fine art accounts before being appointed Underwriting Director in 2000 and then Active Underwriter in 2006. Nick began his career in 1987 with Sturge Syndicate 206.

Ben joins Fidelis from Amlin Bermuda where he led the North America Market Unit. In this role he was responsible for underwriting Amlin’s US reinsurance property portfolio and managing the unit’s specialty lines business.  Ben brings over 18 years’ industry experience to his new role and has been heavily involved in many facets of reinsurance, including the development of internal rating models and portfolio analysis systems, and the integration of proprietary ratings tools and risk analysis methodologies. He began his career with Harvey Bowring.

Rich, who previously served as a Leading Class Underwriter for Amlin Bermuda, brings extensive experience of inwards and outwards reinsurance, portfolio management and of building proprietary pricing tools to his new role. He joined Amlin in 2007, initially specialising in North American treaty reinsurance and played an integral role in the growth of the North American portfolio into one of the largest in the London Market. He began his career in 2001 with Wellington Underwriting.

Richard Brindle said, “Fidelis has made exceptional strides since launch. However, the realisation of our strategy and ambitions depend on the continual enhancement of our team and the appointment of exceptional underwriters who understand the cycle. Success in today’s specialist insurance market requires innovation, a clear direction and the provision of targeted bespoke solutions. Nick, Ben and Richard have consistently marked themselves out as some of the market’s leading underwriters. They have built their reputations on challenging outdated practices and working to forge lasting relationships by providing better solutions for clients. They share our vision and aspirations for Fidelis and provide us with additional expertise to strengthen our offering and target further sectors in which we see unrealised potential. I am very pleased to welcome them to the team”.