Group CFO's retirement plans and succession pla...

LANCASHIRE HOLDINGS LIMITED

24 May 2019

Hamilton, Bermuda

 Group CFO’s retirement plans and management succession planning

Lancashire Holdings Limited (“Lancashire”) today announces that Elaine Whelan, Lancashire’s Group Chief Financial Officer (“Group CFO”) and executive director, and CEO of Lancashire’s Bermudian subsidiary, Lancashire Insurance Company Limited, plans to retire from her roles and the Group during the course of 2020.

Elaine will continue in her role as Group CFO throughout 2019 and the 2019 financial year end process, and plans to step down as Group CFO and from her executive directorship of Lancashire (and subsidiaries) at the end of February 2020.  Elaine will remain available to assist with transition in the finance department for several months thereafter.

Lancashire will be conducting a process to identify the successor Group CFO, and a further announcement will be issued once that process has concluded. 

Peter Clarke, Lancashire’s Chairman said:

“Elaine joined Lancashire in 2006, became the Group CFO at the beginning of 2011 and an executive director on our Board in early 2013.  Her drive, dedication and insight have helped contribute to the growth and development of our business and she has made an exceptional contribution to Lancashire’s success over many years.  We look forward to working with Elaine over the coming year and we are pleased that Elaine will be assisting the Board in implementing an orderly succession process for the Group CFO role.  I join my Board and senior management colleagues in wishing Elaine well for her life post Lancashire.”

Elaine Whelan, Group CFO, said:

“I have enjoyed the many challenges and savoured the successes we have achieved at Lancashire in my time with the business. It has been a tremendous experience and I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing people.  While I will miss that a great deal, personally the time has come for a change and my retirement from Lancashire gives me that. 

In particular I would like to thank my fantastic finance team and the Bermuda office for their continuing hard work and contribution to the success of Lancashire, and I wish the Group and all our staff well for the future.”

For further information, please contact:

Lancashire Holdings Limited Christopher Head	[phone] [e-mail]
Jelena Bjelanovic	[phone] [e-mail]
FTI Consulting	[phone]
Edward Berry	[e-mail]
Tom Blackwell	[e-mail]

About Lancashire

Lancashire, through its UK and Bermuda-based operating subsidiaries, is a provider of global specialty insurance and reinsurance products. The Group companies carry the following ratings:

	Financial Strength Rating (1)	Financial Strength Outlook (1)	Long Term Issuer Rating (2)
A.M. Best	A (Excellent)	Stable	bbb+
S&P Global Ratings	A-	Stable	BBB
Moody’s	A3	Stable	Baa2

^{(1) Financial Strength Rating and Financial Strength Outlook apply to Lancashire Insurance Company Limited and Lancashire Insurance Company (UK) Limited.}

^{(2) Long Term Issuer Rating applies to Lancashire Holdings Limited.}

Cathedral benefits from Lloyd’s ratings: A.M. Best: A (Excellent); S&P Global Ratings: A+ (Strong); and Fitch: AA- (Very Strong).

Lancashire has capital of approximately $1.4 billion and its common shares trade on the premium segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol LRE. Lancashire has its head office and registered office at Power House, 7 Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton HM 11, Bermuda.

For more information, please visit Lancashire’s website at www.lancashiregroup.com.

The Bermuda Monetary Authority (“BMA”) is the Group Supervisor of the Lancashire Group with effect from 1 January 2019.

Lancashire Insurance Company Limited is regulated by the BMA, with its registered office at Power House, 7 Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton HM 11, Bermuda.

Lancashire Insurance Company (UK) Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (“PRA”) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) and the PRA, with its registered office at Level 29, 20 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 3BY, United Kingdom.

Cathedral Underwriting Limited is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and the PRA. It is also authorised and regulated by Lloyd’s, with its registered office at Level 29, 20 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 3BY, United Kingdom.

Kinesis Capital Management Limited is regulated by the BMA, with its registered office at Power House, 7 Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton HM 11, Bermuda.

This release contains information, which may be of a price sensitive nature that Lancashire is making public in a manner consistent with the EU Market Abuse Regulation and other regulatory obligations. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 07:00 BST on 24 May 2019.

NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

CERTAIN STATEMENTS AND INDICATIVE PROJECTIONS (WHICH MAY INCLUDE MODELLED LOSS SCENARIOS) MADE IN THIS RELEASE OR OTHERWISE THAT ARE NOT BASED ON CURRENT OR HISTORICAL FACTS ARE FORWARD-LOOKING IN NATURE INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, STATEMENTS CONTAINING THE WORDS “BELIEVES”, “ANTICIPATES”, “PLANS”, “PROJECTS”, “FORECASTS”, “GUIDANCE”, “INTENDS”, “EXPECTS”, “ESTIMATES”, “PREDICTS”, “MAY”, “CAN”, “LIKELY”,  “WILL”, “SEEKS”, “SHOULD”, OR, IN EACH CASE, THEIR NEGATIVE OR COMPARABLE TERMINOLOGY. ALL SUCH STATEMENTS OTHER THAN STATEMENTS OF HISTORICAL FACTS INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE GROUP’S FINANCIAL POSITION, TAX RESIDENCY, LIQUIDITY,  RESULTS OF OPERATIONS,  PROSPECTS,  GROWTH, CAPITAL MANAGEMENT PLANS AND EFFICIENCIES, ABILITY TO CREATE VALUE, DIVIDEND POLICY, OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY, COMPOSITION OF MANAGEMENT, BUSINESS STRATEGY, PLANS AND OBJECTIVES OF MANAGEMENT FOR FUTURE OPERATIONS (INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND OBJECTIVES RELATING TO THE GROUP’S INSURANCE BUSINESS) ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS INVOLVE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN RISKS, UNCERTAINTIES AND OTHER IMPORTANT FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE THE ACTUAL RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GROUP TO BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT FROM FUTURE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS.

THESE FACTORS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: THE ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF LOSSES AND EXPENSES IMPACTING ESTIMATES FOR HURRICANE MICHAEL AND THE WILDFIRES WHICH IMPACTED PARTS OF CALIFORNIA DURING THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2018, HURRICANE FLORENCE, THE TYPHOONS AND MARINE LOSSES THAT OCCURRED IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2018, HURRICANES HARVEY, IRMA AND MARIA AND THE EARTHQUAKES IN MEXICO THAT OCCURRED IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2017 AND THE WILDFIRES WHICH IMPACTED PARTS OF CALIFORNIA DURING THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2017; THE IMPACT OF COMPLEX AND UNIQUE CAUSATION AND COVERAGE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH ATTRIBUTION OF LOSSES TO WIND OR FLOOD DAMAGE OR OTHER PERILS SUCH AS FIRE OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION RELATING TO SUCH EVENTS; POTENTIAL UNCERTAINTIES RELATING TO REINSURANCE RECOVERIES, REINSTATEMENT PREMIUMS AND OTHER FACTORS INHERENT IN LOSS ESTIMATION; THE GROUP’S ABILITY TO INTEGRATE ITS BUSINESSES AND PERSONNEL; THE SUCCESSFUL RETENTION AND MOTIVATION OF THE GROUP’S KEY MANAGEMENT; THE INCREASED REGULATORY BURDEN FACING THE GROUP; THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF INSURANCE AND REINSURANCE CONTRACTS THAT THE GROUP WRITES OR MAY WRITE; THE GROUP’S ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT SUCCESSFULLY ITS BUSINESS STRATEGY DURING ‘SOFT’ AS WELL AS ‘HARD’ MARKETS; THE PREMIUM RATES WHICH MAY BE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF SUCH RENEWALS WITHIN THE GROUP’S TARGETED BUSINESS LINES; THE POSSIBLE LOW FREQUENCY OF LARGE EVENTS; POTENTIALLY UNUSUAL LOSS FREQUENCY; THE IMPACT THAT THE GROUP’S FUTURE OPERATING RESULTS, CAPITAL POSITION AND RATING AGENCY AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS MAY HAVE ON THE EXECUTION OF ANY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES OR DIVIDENDS; THE POSSIBILITY OF GREATER FREQUENCY OR SEVERITY OF CLAIMS AND LOSS ACTIVITY THAN THE GROUP’S UNDERWRITING, RESERVING OR INVESTMENT PRACTICES HAVE ANTICIPATED; THE RELIABILITY OF, AND CHANGES IN ASSUMPTIONS TO, CATASTROPHE PRICING, ACCUMULATION AND ESTIMATED LOSS MODELS; INCREASED COMPETITION FROM EXISTING ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PROVIDERS, INSURANCE LINKED FUNDS AND COLLATERALISED SPECIAL PURPOSE INSURERS AND THE RELATED DEMAND AND SUPPLY DYNAMICS AS CONTRACTS COME UP FOR RENEWAL; THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE GROUP’S LOSS LIMITATION METHODS; THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF KEY PERSONNEL; A DECLINE IN THE GROUP’S OPERATING SUBSIDIARIES’ RATING WITH A.M. BEST, S&P GLOBAL RATINGS, MOODY’S OR OTHER RATING AGENCIES; INCREASED COMPETITION ON THE BASIS OF PRICING, CAPACITY, COVERAGE TERMS OR OTHER FACTORS; CYCLICAL DOWNTURNS OF THE INDUSTRY; THE IMPACT OF A DETERIORATING CREDIT ENVIRONMENT FOR ISSUERS OF FIXED MATURITY INVESTMENTS; THE IMPACT OF SWINGS IN MARKET INTEREST RATES, CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES AND SECURITIES PRICES; CHANGES BY CENTRAL BANKS REGARDING THE LEVEL OF INTEREST RATES; THE IMPACT OF INFLATION OR DEFLATION IN RELEVANT ECONOMIES IN WHICH THE GROUP OPERATES; THE EFFECT, TIMING AND OTHER UNCERTAINTIES SURROUNDING FUTURE BUSINESS COMBINATIONS WITHIN THE INSURANCE AND REINSURANCE INDUSTRIES; THE IMPACT OF TERRORIST ACTIVITY IN THE COUNTRIES IN WHICH THE GROUP WRITES RISKS; A RATING DOWNGRADE OF, OR A MARKET DECLINE IN, SECURITIES IN THE GROUP’S INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO; CHANGES IN GOVERNMENTAL REGULATIONS OR TAX LAWS IN JURISDICTIONS WHERE THE GROUP CONDUCTS BUSINESS; LANCASHIRE OR ANY OF THE GROUP’S BERMUDIAN SUBSIDIARIES BECOMING SUBJECT TO INCOME TAXES IN THE UNITED STATES OR IN THE UNITED KINGDOM; THE IMPACT OF THE CHANGE IN TAX RESIDENCE ON STAKEHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY; AND THE IMPACT OF “BREXIT” (FOLLOWING THE UK’S NOTIFICATION TO THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL UNDER ARTICLE 50 OF THE TREATY ON EUROPEAN UNION ON 29 MARCH 2017) AND FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS REGARDING THE UK’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EU ON THE GROUP’S BUSINESS, REGULATORY RELATIONSHIPS, UNDERWRITING PLATFORMS OR THE INDUSTRY GENERALLY.

ALL FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS IN THIS RELEASE SPEAK ONLY AS AT THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. LANCASHIRE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY OBLIGATION OR UNDERTAKING (SAVE AS REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH ANY LEGAL OR REGULATORY OBLIGATIONS INCLUDING THE RULES OF THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE) TO DISSEMINATE ANY UPDATES OR REVISIONS TO ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT TO REFLECT ANY CHANGES IN THE GROUP’S EXPECTATIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES ON WHICH ANY SUCH STATEMENT IS BASED. ALL SUBSEQUENT WRITTEN AND ORAL FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE GROUP OR INDIVIDUALS ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP ARE EXPRESSLY QUALIFIED IN THEIR ENTIRETY BY THIS NOTE. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD SPECIFICALLY CONSIDER THE FACTORS IDENTIFIED IN THIS RELEASE WHICH COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER BEFORE MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION.