Northern Re adds Head of Data Science to enhance modelling and analytical capabilities

Northern Re, the collateralized reinsurance company that provides investors with access to the returns of its long-tail casualty underwriting business, has announced the hiring of Tarek Frahi as Head of Data Science, a move designed to help the company enhance its modelling and analytical capabilities.

The news comes on the heels of two announcements that show Northern Re looking to embrace technology to improve its operations and grow its business.

In April, the company announced it had selected artificial intelligence and software specialist Palantir Technologies as a core platform to support the continued development of its capital intelligence capabilities.

Then, earlier this month, Northern Re announced an expansion of its use of Ultrassure’s platform, from an initial pilot to production deployment, for contract workflows across its reinsurance operations.

Tarek Frahi now brings his expertise as a senior data science leader to Northern Re, with experience gained across quantitative finance, asset management, and reinsurance.

He will be tasked with developing Northern Re’s data science and modelling capabilities, to support continued investment in underwriting, risk analytics, and portfolio management, as the company’s platform scales.

“Tarek’s appointment reflects the importance we place on data and modelling within the business,” explained Anthony McKelvy, CoFounder of Northern Re. “As the platform grows in scale and complexity, the ability to apply these tools consistently across the lifecycle of a transaction becomes even more important. That is an approach we have been deliberate about from the start and one we continue to build on.”

“Northern Re has been deliberate in how it combines technology, data and underwriting judgement,” added Tarek Frahi. “That creates a platform where data and modelling are applied in practical, decision‑driven ways. I’m looking forward to contributing to the continued development of those capabilities as the business grows.”

Frahi most recently held the role of Director of Quantitative Investments at AlphaTrAI, designing and deploying systematic investment strategies, while overseeing advanced modelling across multi-strategy portfolios.

Before that, he was Lead Data Scientist at RBC Reinsurance, where he helped underwriting teams and actuaries to automate pricing workflows, develop risk modelling tools, and embed analytics into their day-to-day decision-making.

Frahi also has a background in senior data science roles at hedge fund and in trading environments, including a focus on developing systems that translate complex analytical models into practical business use-cases.

Northern Re focuses its underwriting and the investment opportunities that creates for investors in the high-frequency, low-severity area of property and casualty risks.

It’s an area where third-party models are often less available, or less mature, and so creating internal systems with rigour and owned-expertise is critical for those hoping to expand in this space.