Global insurance group Howden has announced the appointment of Rowan Douglas as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Climate Risk and Resilience.
Based in London, Douglas will continue to build an expert, full spectrum function to support the group worldwide, embedding climate and resilience across its specialities and regions.
Charlie Langdale will step up as Chair, Climate Risk and Resilience.
This appointment, the group highlighted, is an important step in accelerating the growth of Howden’s climate and resilience capabilities, and preludes further significant investment to create a platform for the future that meets the opportunity and scale of market demand over the coming decades.
Howden’s climate and resilience capabilities will span physical risks, the risks associated with de-carbonisation, the wider risks stemming from the low carbon transition and growing legal liability risks faced by public and private sector organisations.
Douglas will report to David Howden, CEO, Howden, who commented: “Tackling climate change requires the most substantial reallocation of capital in history, and insurance has a huge role to play across the mitigation, adaptation and resilience agenda.
“Meeting the challenge will take a global effort and radical collaboration across all industries, and between both the private and public sectors.
He added: “To have someone of Rowan’s calibre join us demonstrates not only the credentials of our Climate Risk and Resilience team but highlights our desire to use insurance as a force for good.
“Our goal is to embed climate and resilience expertise across the insurance value chain, for the benefit of both existing clients and those who do not have access to insurance.”
With more than three decades of experience in the re/insurance industry, Douglas brings a wealth of expertise in the field of climate-related risk.
Prior to Howden, he led the Climate and Resilience Hub (CRH) at Willis Towers Watson (WTW) , which he grew to over 130 climate risk professionals.
At the CRH, Douglas drove the creation of the Insurance Development Forum (IDF), and now chairs its Operating Committee, and incubated the award-winning Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment.
Previously, he served on the board of Willis Re as CEO Analytics, founding the Willis Research Network that began ground breaking work on climate modelling in 2006.
From 2011 to 2016, Douglas served on the UK Prime Minister’s Council for Science & Technology and was awarded a CBE in 2016 for Services to the Economy through Risk, Insurance and Sustainable Growth.
Commenting on his appointment, Douglas said: “I am thrilled to be joining Howden at this remarkable time in its growth and with climate central to its future development. My decision was driven by the company’s recognition, from the very top, that insurance capabilities are essential to de-risk the climate transition and protect lives, assets and livelihoods.
“I look forward to working with David, Charlie and the wider team and have already been empowered and enthused by the can-do, collaborative and entrepreneurial culture here at Howden. Our focus will be on embedding the work of the Climate Risk and Resilience division across all of Howden’s product lines and geographies, ensuring it supports our clients and partners.”
The news of Douglas’ appointment comes shortly after Howden announced the expansion of its footprint its Switzerland with the acquisition of insurance brokers argenius Risk Experts AG (argenius) and RVA Versicherungsbroker AG (RVA).
