Cedar Trace hires Chris Wilson from Artex, strengthening insurance-linked securities team

Cedar Trace, the Bermuda-based insurance, reinsurance, and asset management group, has announced the hiring of well-known industry executive Chris Wilson to its insurance-linked securities leadership, further strengthening its team and bringing meaningful operation experience in ILS.

Chris Wilson joins as a Managing Director of Cedar Trace Capital Management and will be based in Bermuda for the company.

He will play an important role in Cedar Trace Capital Management’s ILS operational functions, while also while supporting underwriting, investor relations, fund-raising, and new product development.

In addition, Wilson will represent Cedar Trace across Bermuda and international ILS markets, as the company looks to further expand its presence and capabilities.

Wilson most recently held the role of Senior Vice President, Advisory and Head of Underwriting at Artex Capital Solutions in Bermuda.

In that position he played a key role in Artex Capital Solutions management of insurance-linked securities and reinsurance structures, as well as in facilitating both cedent and investor access to ILS capital and opportunities.

Before that role, Wilson spent almost seven years working in Artex’s Guernsey operation, including holding positions as Head of ILS Underwriting and ILS Underwriter.

Prior to that, he worked at reinsurance broker Willis Re as a Divisional Director within the firm’s Japan team.

Wilson spent four years based in Tokyo and is fluent in Japanese, so brings significant experience of the Japanese reinsurance market to Cedar Trace.

With more than two decades of experience across reinsurance and ILS, as well as deep understanding of ILS operations and structures, Wilson will deepen Cedar Trace’s leadership expertise and support its expansion ambitions.

Fergus Reynolds, Head of ILS, commented on the hire, “Chris brings a strong combination of market knowledge and execution experience gained over many years in the ILS sector. His deep understanding of both the underwriting and operational aspects of the market makes him an excellent fit for Cedar Trace. We are delighted to welcome him to the team and look forward to working closely with him as we continue to strengthen and expand our institutional platform.”

Wilson added, “Cedar Trace has built an impressive platform with a clear vision for the future of ILS investing. I am excited to join the team at such an important stage of its development and look forward to working to continue enhancing the firm’s operational capabilities, investor offering, and market presence.”

The company said the new hire shows, “the firm’s continued commitment to building an institutional-grade platform capable of delivering differentiated access to risk transfer opportunities for investors, while maintaining the operational discipline and governance standards expected by institutional capital.”