Pool Re, the UK’s government-backed terrorism reinsurer, has named Richard Roberts (pictured above) to the newly created position of chief finance and investment officer, pending regulatory approval.
Roberts joined the organization in early April and reports directly to chief executive officer Tom Clementi.
The appointment is part of a broader succession plan, as current chief investment officer Ian Coulman and chief finance and operations officer Peter Aves are scheduled to retire during 2025.
Roberts most recently served as head of EMEA and Asia insurance business development at AllianceBernstein, where he was responsible for expanding the firm’s third-party insurance operations in those regions.
Before that, he held the position of investment director at Aberdeen until 2022. From 2007 to 2020, he worked at Zurich Insurance Group in a series of investment and accounting roles, eventually becoming head of balance sheet investments for the insurer’s UK business.
Clementi said Roberts brings a strong track record to the new position and acknowledged the contributions of Coulman and Aves, who have a combined 30 years of service at Pool Re.
The reinsurer’s last major appointment was back in November, when it brought in Andrew Stark to the newly created role of head of underwriting.
Stark joined Pool Re ahead of April 2025’s change from a facultative obligatory treaty to an annual aggregate XOL treaty scheme. He reports to Jonathan Gray, chief underwriting officer.
Recently, Stark conducted an expert peer review for Chaucer's international property cat XL book. He has over 20 years of experience as a Lloyd’s underwriter and was previously head of property at Chord Re.
Earlier this month, Pool Re also completed the placement of its third catastrophe bond, issuing £100 million of collateralized retrocession protection through a UK-based special purpose vehicle, Baltic PCC Limited.
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