Kewsong Lee named Chairman of Ascot’s Board of Directors

Bermuda-based global specialty insurance company Ascot Group Limited has revealed that Kewsong Lee, the Founder and CEO of BellTower Partners, will be appointed Chairman of the Ascot Board of Directors.

Lee will succeed Neill Currie, Ascot’s Executive Chairman, who will assume the role of Independent Director.

BellTower is additionally making a minority investment in Ascot to help expand the firm’s resources and support its strategic growth plans.

Ascot noted that the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board will continue to maintain the significant majority ownership position in Ascot following the close of the transaction.

Lee has previously served as lead director on the boards of RenaissanceRe Holdings and Arch Capital.

While serving as Chief Executive Officer of The Carlyle Group from 2018 to 2022, he reportedly initiated and oversaw the group’s strategy to acquire and expand Fortitude Re.

Jonathan Zaffino, Group President and Chief Executive Officer of Ascot, commented on the news, “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I’d like to welcome Kew to the Ascot Board.

“Kew’s appointment as Chairman complements the existing skillsets represented on our Board, and we look forward to benefitting from his additional guidance as a proven leader with a track record of success in the financial and insurance industry.

“As Ascot continues to scale its global platform and expand its ecosystem of talented underwriters, we are confident that Kew’s contributions and unique skills will be highly accretive to Ascot as we continue on the company’s growth trajectory.”

Sam Blaichman, Managing Director, CPP Investments and Ascot Board Director, said, “We look forward to working with Kew and BellTower in this next chapter in Ascot’s growth journey, as the management team continues to develop solutions to help clients navigate today’s challenging risk landscape.

“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Neill for his many valuable contributions as Executive Chairman over many years.”

Lee himself added, “As a global participant in the insurance and reinsurance industries, Ascot is consistently achieving strong results, and I look forward to working with Jonathan and his talented team to continue scaling the business as we focus on long-term, sustainable growth and return on capital.

“BellTower believes there is tremendous opportunity ahead for Ascot, and I am excited to partner with CPP Investments and management to help drive significant value creation.”

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