Risk and Capital

Nick Ford

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Nick Ford, Head of Risk & Capital

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Straightforward advice on complex topics

Our expertise in capital modelling and regulatory application processes, our understanding of asset classes and investments strategies, our Regulated Roles activities and our market-leading longevity expertise, means we are perfectly placed to support insurers’ organic and inorganic growth and, ultimately, generate value. You can find out more about how we can help you below.

Risk & Capital Management

The management and modelling of risks is one of the most important areas for our clients. A firm’s risk profile – and how this is managed – not only affects the security of policyholders, but also drives returns to shareholders.

We have extensive experience of developing, building and validating risk-based capital models – including Solvency II Internal Models and Economic Capital models. We also have experience of performing model review and simplification – covering asset models, liability models and bonus setting models. We provide straightforward, practical advice that is based on our knowledge and experience from across the industry. We can provide insights and advice to help you optimise your balance sheet, whilst complying with your regulatory requirements.

We provide straightforward, practical advice that is based on our knowledge and experience from across the industry.

How we can help

We have worked with our clients to help them make the most efficient use of capital via specific capital management and optimisation initiatives and capital modelling – helping them to understand the balance sheet impacts in an ever changing regulatory environment. We also have some of the leading with-profits specialists in the industry. 

Our risk and capital consultants can support you with a full risk of services including: 

  • Developing, validating, and managing risk-based capital models
  • Acting as an Independent Expert or Actuary
  • Supporting new entrants to the insurance market
  • Strategic support on the management of with-profits fund
  • Acting in regulated roles, such as Chief Actuary and With-Profits Actuary; and
  • M&A due diligence and transaction support

Regulated Roles

We are highly experienced and deeply knowledgeable in matters of Solvency II prudential regulation and FCA conduct of business. Whether it be developing a solution for you, giving an independent second opinion on a solution you’ve already developed, or providing the experienced back-up you need to get the regular jobs done, we have the right people to support you in solving the technical actuarial problems confronting your business.

We’re able to act as Chief Actuary and With-Profits Actuary on an outsourced basis, having directly acted in these roles, and other senior support roles, for several UK insurers. We offer a full range of service options from a Chief Actuary supported by your in-house team through to a fully outsourced function.

We also have the skills and experience to act as Independent Expert and Independent Actuary on business transfers and transformations. Our team of specialists have played various key roles in some of the most high-profile transfers, restructuring projects and business reorganisations in the UK insurance industry.

Our team of specialists have played various key roles in some of the most high-profile transfers, restructuring projects and business reorganisations in the UK insurance industry.

How we can help

Our market leading team have the relevant experience and qualifications to perform regulated roles and can help you by acting as:

  • Chief Actuary and/or With-Profits Actuary roles on an outsourced basis
  • Independent Expert for Part VII transfers and Part 26 Schemes of Arrangement
  • Independent Actuary for complex business transformations
  • Skilled Person for Section 166 regulatory reviews
  • Independent actuarial peer review services

Insurance Transactions

The past ten years has seen a lot of mergers & acquisitions (M&A) activity in the life insurance sector – alongside broader capital management activity. The drivers of this activity (primarily low interest rates and inefficient operating models for run-off portfolios) do not look likely to change in the short- or medium-term. Combined with changing solvency regulation in the UK (post-Brexit) and Europe (via the EIOPA 2020 review), we fully expect this activity to continue both in the UK and in Europe.

We can support insurers in all aspects of capital and M&A transactions from the design or identification stage, through the due diligence and pricing process, to the post-transaction implementation, integration and monitoring.

We have also been helping a number of potential new entrants to the UK insurance market by supporting with business cases, target operating model support and producing key financials.

We can support insurers in all aspects of capital and M&A transactions from the design or identification stage, through the due diligence and pricing process, to the post-transaction implementation, integration and monitoring.

How we can help

Our team has extensive M&A experience and can help you with the following:

  • Buy-side and sell-side actuarial due diligence
  • Deal model support
  • Market scanning
  • Working capital reports
  • Strategic buy-side and sell-side advice
  • Post-acquisition harmonisation and integration.

Recent assignments

Providing Internal Model Validation services covering market and non-market risks

Providing Internal Model Validation services covering market and non-market risks

Providing market insights for an insurer looking to enter the UK bulk annuity market

Providing market insights for an insurer looking to enter the UK bulk annuity market

A secondment to help with the development of a major model change application

A secondment to help with the development of a major model change application

Providing Independent Reviews of pricing for several internal transfers of annuities

Providing Independent Reviews of pricing for several internal transfers of annuities

Acting as Head of Model Validation on an interim basis

Acting as Head of Model Validation on an interim basis

Acting as Independent Actuary on an internal merger of two with-profits funds

Acting as Independent Actuary on an internal merger of two with-profits funds

Acting as Independent Expert on a number of Part VII transfers

Acting as Independent Expert on a number of Part VII transfers

Acting as outsourced With-Profits Actuary

Acting as outsourced With-Profits Actuary

Development and build of a credit risk model and aggregation tool

Development and build of a credit risk model and aggregation tool

Building a model to produce an indicative Solvency II balance sheet for potential UK bulk annuity entry

Building a model to produce an indicative Solvency II balance sheet for potential UK bulk annuity entry

Current issues in insurance and financial servies

Check our latest edition of current issues, where we bring you the latest insights into the UK insurance & financial services market.

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