Specialist insurance and reinsurance broker BMS has appointed Chris Harding and James Ferris as new directors of its capital and risk advisory to widen its capital solutions, effective April 2022.
Both hires will be based in London and Bermuda, respectively, and will report to Hannah Watkins, managing director of BMS Re in the UK.
Harding has almost two decades of experience working in and around the insurance industry. Prior to joining BMS, Harding was the head of corporate finance and treasury at Athora UK Services, responsible for capital optimization and financing. Meanwhile, Ferris was most recently the lead partner of PwC Bermuda’s advisory team, having specialized in the (re)insurance market for more than two decades in the company. The appointments come as BMS restructures around Steve Korducki, who has recently taken on the role of chief executive officer for US BMS Capital Advisory in addition to his chairman role. Under Korducki’s guidance, managing directors Bruce Murdock and Alex Orloff now handle banking and research solutions responsibilities. Nick Cook, chief executive officer of BMS, said its capital market presence complements the reinsurance intermediary services offered by BMS Re as it provides clients with access to financing and risk transfer solutions. “At BMS, we recognize that we operate at the intersection of capital and risk and are fortunate to have proven industry professionals leading our capital advisory and legacy solutions,” Cook said. “These appointments mark a serious broadening of our global footprint for our capital solutions units and enables BMS to provide a holistic approach to balance sheet management and capital optimization.” Both appointments are still subject to regulatory approval.