Who we are
We are here to help you embrace risk, and succeed.
Why Inigo?
Our Company is named after Inigo Jones, an architect and innovator. He brought classical proportion and symmetry to British architecture and in the process created some of London’s most iconic landmarks.
It was easy to think of him as we thought about building something amazing, from nothing.
About Us
Focused on the Lloyd’s market, Inigo underwrites a number of specialty lines. Our business philosophy aims to balance the art of underwriting with all that science can tell us; we pair a collaborative and transparent culture with best-in-class risk evaluation tools and analytics.
Having some of the most experienced names in underwriting and high capital strength enables us to act nimbly to provide solutions in a number of areas of the market that are currently under-served.
Inigo is a new insurer operating in the Lloyd’s of London market via its managed Syndicate 1301. It is led by senior industry professionals with significant experience working in the sector.
The business was founded in 2020, with funding from blue chip international investors and the management team, and through the acquisition of certain, non-legacy insurance underwriting assets from StarStone Underwriting Limited.
Inigo is focused on those specialty insurance and reinsurance lines where good underwriters – regardless of age, gender, or background - can help clients embrace risk.
To do this we invest in the best underwriters and systems, research, and analysis that enables them to make great decisions. We value and are proud to celebrate talented underwriting, and we are prepared to take a contrarian view if we see something differently.
As a new business we are not burdened with legacy books or outdated ways of working. Nor are we held back by being part of a larger, complex corporate entity. We see a way forward and we go for it.
We are building a collaborative, agile team, of analytical decision-makers. We are open to learning and sharing, and we will work together across business lines to create great results for customers.
Our People
Founders
Richard Watson
CEO
Richard has over 30 years of insurance industry experience. Prior to founding Inigo, Richard had spent 33 years with Hiscox Ltd, during which time Hiscox grew to be the largest global specialist insurer, with GWP in excess of $4bn. He made his career working through the ranks to become Chief Underwriting Officer, a position he held for 7 years. Prior to becoming Chief Underwriter, Richard’s career encompassed multiple lines of business in insurance and reinsurance culminating in becoming CEO of Hiscox Global Markets before moving to serve as CEO of Hiscox USA during its formative years.
Russell Merrett
Chief Underwriting Officer
Russell has over 25 years’ experience in the insurance sector and a career that spans broking, underwriting and launching an insurtech, Kinsu in 2017. Russell is the former Managing Director of Hiscox London Market, having joined in 1997 as a reinsurance underwriter and spent 16 years with the firm in senior positions, including as Active Underwriter for Syndicate 33. Prior to working at Hiscox, Russell was a reinsurance broker at Greig Fester.
Since 2015 Russell has served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of RenaissanceRe Syndicate Management. He was also previously Chair of the LMA’s Reinsurance Business Panel and served on the Non-Marine Committee.
Stuart Bridges
Chief Financial Officer
A chartered accountant, Stuart’s previous roles include Chief Financial Officer of Control Risks Group, Chief Financial Officer of Nex Group plc (formerly ICAP plc) and Chief Financial Officer of Hiscox plc, a position he held for sixteen years. Prior to Hiscox, he held numerous positions at financial services companies in the UK and US including Henderson Global Investors.
Stuart is a Non-Executive director and chair of the audit committee of Caledonia Investments plc and investment firm UIL Ltd. He has previously been Chair of the LMA Finance Committee and a member of the ABI Finance Committee.
Board
Sir Howard Davies
Chairman
Howard was Chairman of the UK Financial Services Authority from 1997 to 2003 and was Deputy Governor of the Bank of England from 1995 to 1997. From 2003 until 2011 he was the Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science and is currently also a professor of Practice at the Paris Institute of Political Science.
Between 2012 and 2015 Howard was chair of the UK Airports Commission and has also authored several books on financial subjects. Howard was appointed as Chairman of the NatWest Group in 2015.
James Dean
James is a chartered accountant and has spent his entire career working in financial services. He started as a graduate trainee at Price Waterhouse, becoming a partner in 1991. In 1998 he joined Ernst & Young to lead their Insurance Audit Practice, then spent seven years heading up a newly established consulting practice before being made managing partner of the UK Financial Services Audit Practice. Throughout he continued to lead client teams across the Banking, Insurance and Asset Management sectors.
Having a strong interest in professional excellence, James chaired the ICAEW Insurance Committee for many years and was a member of their Financial Reporting Committee. He also led EY’s Global IFRS Insurance Group.
Since 2012, James has gained significant non executive director experience serving on the boards of UK retail insurer LV=, FTSE 250 listed Wealth Manager Rathbones and a small Building Society in his home town, Stafford. He is also Chairman of a leading independent day school, Reigate Grammar School.
Siobhan Cifelli
Siobhan Cifelli has over 30 years’ experience as an HR Director, within the Financial Services sector, working at C-Suite level within Banking, Asset Management and Insurance.
Siobhan now has a portfolio career focusing on her Independent Non-Executive roles (iNED) bringing additional HR and talent management strategic thinking to the Boards she sits on.
Siobhan is currently iNED at Inigo Insurance and also Chair of the Remuneration Committee. In addition, she is an iNED at McGill and Partners, a specialist (re)insurance Broker.
Prior to taking early retirement and commencing her portfolio career, Siobhan spent over 10 years at Aon plc in various global HR roles, culminating in the position of Chief Human Resources Officer, reporting to Greg Case. Prior to this she was Group HR Director of Benfield Group (Reinsurance), HR Director for AXA Investment Managers and prior to that spent many years at NatWest Bank undertaking various senior HR roles.
Siobhan has a passion for helping organisations achieve great performance through people. She is a qualified performance coach and understands the value of leadership capability within any talent strategy.
Tim Hanford
Mr. Hanford is Managing Director of J.C. Flowers & Co. Europe and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. Prior to joining the firm in 2009, Mr. Hanford worked with J.C. Flowers & Co. as Co-Head of FPK Capital and, prior to that, as Head of Private Equity at Dresdner Bank and a member of the Institutional Restructuring Unit’s Executive Committee. Mr. Hanford’s other experience includes serving as a Board Director of Schroders, based in Hong Kong and Tokyo, where he was Head of Structured Finance.
Mr. Hanford serves on the Boards of Directors of Castle Trust Bank, Inigo Limited and Interactive Investor Limited.
Mr. Hanford received a B.Sc. (Honors) in Chemical Engineering from the University of Birmingham and an M.S. in Management from Stanford University Graduate School of Business where he was a Sloan Fellow.