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FAWCETT
Phone: + 1 718 310 3084 | Email: wfawcett@fawcett-law.com |
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CORE COMPETENCIES
Executive Leadership Strategy Formulation and Execution Turnaround and High-Growth Strategies Underwriting Oversight
and Risk Management Effective Relationships with Regulators HR Management and Staff Development Transparency and
Internal Control Stakeholder Management and Engagement Board & Committee Management New Business and Market
Development IT savvy Risk Assessment and Mitigation Forming Partnerships and Alliances Multi-jurisdiction legal oversight
Innovative Thinking, Entrepreneurial Attitude, and Project Management Driving innovative and entrepreneurial culture in
close collaboration with claims teams, underwriting segments and corporate functions.
Co-founded and built a new international insurance and reinsurance company, St. Bernard Assure Limited
Built out and launched the first exclusively online personal motor insurance platform in Switzerland.
P&L Responsibilities, Improving Operational Efficiencies and Success on Return on Investments Sound business acumen
with ability to plan and manage budgets and control significant human and financial resources.
AXA Returned AXAs US insurance company to profitability by, inter alia, creating $37M of surplus relief, achieving
over $50M of claim savings, selling portfolios and restructuring claim operations in a single year.
St Bernard Assure Produced a profit every year of this start-up business. Built an assumed reinsurance portfolio that
delivered 24.31% ROE on a combined ratio of 58% in 2014. In 2015, increased GWP by 50% and delivered 13.67% ROE
on a combined ratio of 80.4%. Sold the company at a significant premium to book value and asked by the Purchaser to
lead the new company as executive chairman.
M&As, Capital Market Structuring and Global Legal and Regulatory Compliance Skilled in providing strategic direction
on matters related to business performance, new investments, business opportunities and changes to enhance profitability
and shareholder value.
Acquisition of Lloyds managing agent Marlborough and sale to ANV, re-domestication of holding company to
Luxembourg, restructuring of global organisation to create a unified operating platform in Switzerland, successful
acquisition and integration of operating entities in South Africa and Cyprus.
Established branch and cover holder operations in the UAE, South Africa, Brazil and the US. Created capital market
structures including sidecars and issuance of a multi-tranche catastrophe bond.
CAREER HISTORY
Executive Chairman (2015-2016) / Chief Executive Officer (2012 -2015) | St Bernard Assure Ltd, Gibraltar
2012 2016
Provided enterprise level leadership and oversight of all aspects of the business; including the strategic plan, risk appetite,
underwriting strategy, recruiting key personnel, investment strategy, technology build out, marketing & development, etc.
Grew company from start-up to an active underwriter of personal auto insurance, surety & performance bonds and treaty
reinsurer (i.e. property, marine and aviation catastrophe)
Delivered solid performance making a profit and increasing book value per share in each year of operation.
Formed the first exclusively online personal auto insurer through a FINMA regulated Swiss branch and passported the
company into the Italian, French, Irish and UK markets.
Sold company at substantial premium to book value in third year; was asked to stay on as Executive Chairman by
Purchasers.
2014 2015
Responsible for the performance of all entities in the Haverford group of re/insurance, financial, service, aviation and
manufacturing companies in Bermuda, Canada, England, Gibraltar, India, the Philippines, Singapore and Switzerland.
The Haverford group provides specialty insurance and reinsurance solutions through Haverford (Bermuda) Limited (Class 3A
reinsurer) and St. Bernard Assure Limited (please see above).
General Counsel and Secretary | Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings, SA, Luxembourg
2008 2012
Provided holding company level supervision for all legal activities while advising on corporate strategy, maintaining proper
governance, managing board process for holdings company and subsidiaries, ensuring global compliance, overseeing
securities transactions, human resources, claims, litigation and M&A activity.
Representative transactions include: acquisition of Lloyds managing agent, Marlborough Underwriting, and its subsequent
sale to ANV; sale of Island Heritage to BF&M; re-domestication of holding company to Luxembourg, restructuring of global
organization to create a unified operating platform in Switzerland, successful acquisition and integration of operating
entities in South Africa, United Arab Emirates and Cyprus. In November 2012, completed the sale of the company to Validus
Re.
Established branch and cover holder operations in United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Brazil and the United States.
Created Insurance Linked Securities (ILS) including sidecars and multi-tranche catastrophe bonds.
Heavily involved in operations throughout the Flagstone group of companies
Senior Vice President (2006) / Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer (2007-8) | AXA, New York
2006 2008
Provided operational and legal leadership for all property and casualty operations in North America.
Exceeded all business objectives in both ongoing and discontinued entities handled by AXA Liabilities Managers.
Oversaw all litigation and over $2 billion of active and run-off claims.
Assumed responsibility for AXA Lifes accident and health (A&H) portfolio incl. unravelling the London spiral.
Returned AXAs US insurance company to profitability through proactive claim management, commutations, selling
portfolios and restructuring the claim operations.
Formed an independent advisory company to manage/sell AXAs discontinued operations in the US and Canada.
Senior Vice President | Endurance Specialty Holdings, Limited, Bermuda
2002 2006
As an Executive Team member grew the company from a start-up to a publicly-traded, significant market competitor.
Participated in the initial public offering (IPO), a secondary, two rights acquisitions and two corporate acquisitions.
As Global Head of Claims imparted legal and technical guidance to the executive team on all claim-related matters including
legal issues, development of initial procedures, reporting protocols, IT development and staff recruitment & retention.
Managed an insurance claim portfolio of excess casualty, professional liability, medical liability, alternative risk transfer, and
property. As well as a reinsurance claim portfolio of property catastrophe, casualty treaty and excess of loss.
Managing Director | Swiss Reinsurance Company, Zurich, Switzerland
2000 2002
As Head of Claims oversaw FSBGs global claim portfolio, claim/legal personnel and third parties service providers (TPAs).
Provided legal, regulatory and claim technical support to the general counsel, executive management team and executive
board on claims, work-out matters and new products (i.e. finite reinsurance, structured financial products, credit default)
In response to the 9-11 claims, created and was appointed as head of the Policy Drafting and Underwriting Support Unit.
Integrated the Swiss Re New Markets claim department with six other units into a Claim Services Management
department.
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Representative claims: September 11 World Trade Center claims (lead), the Enron and WorldComm failures, the StarLink
Corn genetically modified organism claims and mass tort claims (asbestos, pollution, pharmaceutical).
EARLY CAREER
Group Counsel| The St. Paul Companies, Baltimore, Maryland
1994 2000
Head 1st Party Claims / Sr. Counsel Extra-Contractual / Counsel Major Claim / Coverage Counsel
1991 1994
Litigation Associate| Anderson Parkinson Weinberg & Miller, Palm Springs, California
1988 1991
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor of Arts | Colgate University, Hamilton, New York
Juris Doctor | University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law, Sacramento, California
Masters of Business Administration | International School of Management, Paris, France
Basic Class | Judge Advocate General School, Charlottesville, Virginia
1985
1988
Pursuing
1991
2012 2016
2012 Present
2012 Present
2011 2012
2010 2012
2008 2012
BAR ADMISSIONS
Supreme Court of England and Wales
Supreme Court of Bermuda
All State and Federal Courts in Maryland, North Dakota and the District of Columbia
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US Federal Courts: U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Military Appeals; U.S. Court of Appeals 4 Circuit
Government Contracts
Insurance Coverage
Class Action / RICO
Contracts / Fraud
M & A: Acquisitions of a Lloyds managing agency, South African and Cypriot insurance companies, sale of NYSE traded reinsurer
Corporate: Established branch and cover holder operations in United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Brazil and the United States
AWARDS
Insurance Launch of the Year | Offshore Excellence Awards (Winner)
Global In-House Counsel Team of the Year | Association of Corporate Counsel (First Runner Up)
Non-Life Transaction of the Year | Trading Risk Magazine, Montana Re Cat Bond (Winner)
Chairmans Award | St. Paul Companies, Most Significant Global Employee Contribution (Winner)
2014
2011
2010
1999
MILITARY SERVICE
U.S. Marine Corps | Gulf War Veteran, Honorable Discharge
1982 1991