RenaissanceRe strenghens its finance team with the addition of two SVPs

RenaissanceRe, a Bermuda-based reinsurer, has hired James Fraser as the senior vice president (SVP) as well as chief accounting officer and Helen James as SVP, global corporate controller.

Fraser will be in charge of forecasting, planning and analysis; controls, financial reporting and tax. He will report to Robert Qutub, chief financial officer.

James will be responsible for accounting policy and controls; management of the group-wide controller’s function; and legal entity, regulatory and financial reporting, and will report to Fraser.

In addition to these appointments, Mark Wilcox, current SVP of RenaissanceRe and chief accounting officer and corporate controller, will be leaving the company at the end of the year to return to the US to pursue an outside opportunity.

Fraser is a certified internal auditor and chartered accountant, who joined RenaissanceRe in 2009 and served as head of internal audit since 2011.

He has also held leadership positions in finance and risk management at RenaissanceRe, XL Capital and Deloitte.

James is a chartered accountant who joined RenaissanceRe in 2001, and most recently served as SVP and controller for the company’s venture unit since 2013.

“The promotions of Jamie and Helen reflect the considerable breadth and depth of our bench of executive talent,” said Kevin O’Donnell, CEO of RenaissanceRe.

“Both are long-tenured employees, strong leaders and talented professionals. We are also grateful to Mark for his contributions to RenaissanceRe’s success over the past 13 years in his roles as chief accounting officer, corporate controller and, previously, internal auditor. We wish him the best going forward.”

Qutub added: “In the course of my first several months at RenaissanceRe, I have been consistently impressed with the calibre of the entire finance team. The move of Jamie and Helen into these important roles demonstrates how the strength of our existing capabilities will allow us to leverage the strategic value of finance as we go forward.”