Fergus Re appoints Sharmini Samuels as CUO

Bermuda-based collateralised reinsurer Fergus Re has appointed Sharmini Samuels as its new chief underwriting officer, with the casualty underwriting veteran set to take up the role at the start of the new year.

Samuels brings over 20 years of casualty underwriting experience and served as the deputy chief underwriting officer at Convex Re until March 2025. She joined Convex from Hiscox Re in 2019 and was instrumental in the launch and management of Convex’s casualty treaty portfolio covering multiple lines of business.

As CUO, Samuels will work closely with head of business strategy, Ash Noronha, to diversify the company’s reinsurance portfolio beyond the existing lines of business and distribution channels.

The hiring of Samuels represents continued investment in Fergus Re’s capabilities following the hiring of CEO Stewart Ritchie in October 2025.

Ritchie said: “We are delighted to have someone of Sharmini’s calibre join the team. Her extensive experience across multiple lines of business and ability to build relationships beyond our existing markets will be hugely valuable to Fergus Re’s profitable growth strategy.

“Her experience in building systems and processes will be invaluable in harnessing Fergus Re’s investment in a best-in-class reinsurance management database as we continue to build a scalable reinsurance platform.”

Samuels commented: “With a sizeable inforce book and an exciting vision for growth, I am looking forward to using my experience to refine the company’s strategy, open new distribution channels and develop our inforce management capabilities.”

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