Bermuda-based global specialty insurance company Ascot Group Limited has announced the appointments of Patrice Walch-Watson and Christopher Gallagher to its board of directors.
Kewsong Lee, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ascot Group Limited, commented on the appointment: “Patrice and Chris are both outstanding executives whose leadership, insight and global experience will greatly enhance the strength of the Ascot Board. They each bring unique expertise in their respective fields, which will help guide Ascot’s continued strategic development.”
Walch-Watson is a seasoned business attorney and trusted advisor with extensive experience in transactional, regulatory, corporate governance and providing strategic advice.
She currently serves as Senior Managing Director, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of CPP Investments, serving on the senior management team and senior investment committee, leading the global legal, compliance and corporate secretarial functions and providing oversight of the internal assurance and advisory functions.
In addition, the executive serves on the Queen’s University Board of Trustees and is a member of the Queen’s Law School Dean’s Advisory Council.
Gallagher is an accomplished insurance and reinsurance executive who brings three decades of industry experience to his new role.
He most recently served as CEO and Executive Director of Sompo International Commercial Property & Casualty Insurance, where he oversaw the company’s commercial insurance and reinsurance operations outside of Japan, leading a period of rapid transformation and profitable growth.
Gallagher initially joined Sompo International in September 2015 as chief risk officer and group actuary before being promoted in April 2019. Prior to that, he worked at AXIS Capital from 2007 to 2015.
He subsequently served as chief risk officer in the insurance division and as a senior manager in the actuarial practice of Ernst & Young in the UK.
Ascot Group CEO and President Jonathan Zaffino said: “I am delighted to welcome Chris and Patrice to Ascot as we continue to deliver on our mission to be the perfect partner in a less-than-perfect world. Their perspective and unique experience will be a great asset to our colleagues and clients.”
Sam Blaichman, managing director of CPP Investments and director of Ascot, added: “We look forward to working with Chris and Patrice on Ascot’s corporate strategy as the company continues to scale. Their respective experience in the complex global insurance and regulatory environment will be invaluable as the company continues to build on its strong track record and execute on its long-term growth trajectory.”
