Global investors are continuing to shift their attention towards alternative asset classes such as insurance-linked securities (ILS), according to the third annual Guernsey-hosted ILS Masterclass.
The event, ILS Insight, was held at the Park Hyatt Zurich on 7 July and attracted more than 100 delegates from across the insurance, asset management, wealth management and adviser communities.
It consisted of two panel sessions of ILS specialists from Guernsey, the UK and mainland Europe and a keynote speech from Dirk Lohmann, Chairman and Managing Partner of Secquaero Advisors.
The first session focused on the rise of ILS and examined current themes in the market, the appetite for ILS among investors, rated reinsurers and the impact of Solvency II. It featured:
• Moderator Chris Anderson, Partner, Carey Olsen Guernsey
• Des Potter, Managing Director - Head of GC Securities (EMEA)
• Martin Membery, Partner, Sidley Austin
• Neil Strong, Head of Non-Life, Securis Investment Partners
• Simon Vuille, Portfolio Manager, Lombard Odier.
The second panel session looked at the servicing of ILS funds and considered open-ended and closed-ended structures, options for administration of funds, choice of domicile, benefits of stock exchange listings and the use of delegation agreements for pricing of ILS contracts. The session featured:
• Moderator Fiona Le Poidevin, CEO of the Channel Islands Securities Exchange
• Joe Truelove, Director - Head of Fund Services, Guernsey, Carey Group
• John Marren, Senior Vice President, Northern Trust Global Investments
• Stephen Foster, CEO, Credit Suisse Asset Management (London)
• David Moore, Consultant, Collas Crill.
Pictured: Dirk Lohmann of Secquaero Advisors AG addresses delegates in Zurich