Barbados-headquartered reinsurer, Ocean International Reinsurance (Ocean Re), has promoted Diego Cervantes-Knox to Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective July 2nd, 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.
Cervantes-Knox joined the reinsurer in 2025 as its Chief Operating Officer (COO).
“My focus will be on our people and our clients. Ocean Re is what it is because of the talent, commitment, and integrity of colleagues across our Group. Together, they have built an exceptional business, a strong platform for the future, and a culture that makes Ocean Re such a special place to be,” said the new CEO.
Ocean Re said that it remains focused on delivering value to its customers, brokers, partners, and stakeholders. “We look forward to Diego’s leadership during this period and to continuing the execution of our long-term objectives,” said the firm.
Currently, Cervantes-Knox serves as Non-Executive Director & Chair of the Finance & Audit Committee of Plane Saver Credit Union, and as Non-Exec. Director and Board Member of The Growth Company.
He is also an Independent Director and Member of the Finance Committee for King’s College London. In the past, Cervantes-Knox spent over seven years at PwC in senior roles including Equity Partner of Insurance, Asset & Wealth Management, Lead Partner for Technical Delivery, Cloud & Digital Transformation, and as Director and CFO Advisory for Enterprise Finance & Transformation (Financial Services).
Cervantes-Knox was also a Director for Enterprise Performance & Transformation (Financial Services) at EY, Technical Director of Portfolio Management & Transformation for RSA, and Senior Manager for Financial Planning & Analytics at Hiscox and Chubb.
Before re/insurance, he had a decade’s worth of experience at Google (R&D – Financial Services), 3i Group (Private Equity), McDonald’s (Corporate Finance), and consulting roles in performance improvement and finance transformation.
Cervantes-Knox commented, “I am deeply grateful to our Board for the confidence they have placed in me. I would also like to thank Guillermo Eslava for his leadership and for the strong foundation he has helped build. I wish Guillermo every success in his next chapter. I have never taken trust lightly, whether from colleagues, clients, mentors, or shareholders. I know this responsibility must be earned every day through how we lead, how we listen, and how we deliver.”
He continued, “To our clients and partners, thank you for your continued trust. We remain committed to delivering the expertise, innovation, and service you expect from us as we help you navigate an increasingly complex world. I am also deeply grateful to the many people who have invested in my journey over the years, particularly during my time at PwC.
“My sincere thanks to Jim Bichard, Tom Brown, and the incredible PwC team for their guidance, friendship, and support over the last 10 years. A special thank you to Glynn Austen-Brown, Catherine Barton, Paul Cooper, Glenn Caton, Kenny Leitch, and the many others who have challenged, encouraged, and believed in me along the way.
“I take on the responsibility of this new role with optimism and enthusiasm. I am excited for what we will accomplish and look forward to working alongside our exceptional executive and management teams as we continue to build an outstanding global reinsurance business.”
