Global specialty re/insurer Canopius Group has announced the appointment of Charles Cooper as Global Head of Reinsurance and CEO of Canopius’s Bermudian entities.
In his new role, starting from 1 September, Cooper has been tasked to drive Canopius’s global reinsurance business strategy. He will report to Chief Executive Officer Neil Robertson and will join the Canopius Group Leadership Team.
Building on solid foundations and benefiting from attractive market conditions in reinsurance, he will work with Canopius’s teams of reinsurance professionals in Bermuda, London and Singapore to develop a more significant growth driver for the business.
Cooper will also be tasked with further developing Canopius’s Bermuda platform, which was established in 2007. In 2021, Canopius was granted a Class 4 Reinsurer licence by the Bermuda Monetary Authority, which significantly expands the operation’s scope and will allow Canopius to take advantage of more opportunities in the market.
Commenting on his appointment, Cooper said: “It’s a hugely exciting time to be joining Canopius and I am eager to begin developing what is already a well-respected business. Further, I am looking forward to leading a very talented team of reinsurance professionals across Canopius’s businesses in London, APAC and here in Bermuda.”
He will join Canopius from AXA XL, where he most recently served as the Chief Executive for Reinsurance in Bermuda, a role he held since 2017.
During this time, Cooper was responsible for the business’ global reinsurance operations and a member of the AXA XL leadership team and AXA Partners Group. He led a large team and had responsibility for the profitability of a multi-billion-dollar global portfolio.
Additionally, he also established and implemented a global reinsurance strategy and operating model following the acquisition of XL Group by AXA in 2018.
Cooper has worked in the Bermudian reinsurance sector for nearly two decades and is one of the island’s most respected and experienced senior executives.
Robertson, who also serves as the Interim Chief Executive of Canopius Re, said: “I am thrilled to welcome Charles to Canopius. We are gearing up to take full advantage of the opportunities for Canopius in Bermuda and develop it alongside the exciting growth plans we have for our business, and our people in the UK, APAC and the US.”
He added: “We see opportunities where we can be distinctive in the global reinsurance market, and within Bermuda. We believe Charles is the right person to lead these initiatives and position us for sustained success.”
