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pieces of the business that I have been able to work on and always being challenged. More than any specific moment, the evolution of Nephila and ILS business from being a small niche in reinsurance to a mainstream driver of the industry has been gratifying.
What has been the biggest challenge you have encountered? Laura Taylor
Job: Principal and chief financial officer Company: Nephila Capital Career path
2006—Principal and CFO, Nephila Capital 2004—Chief operations officer, Nephila Capital
Laura Taylor is a principal and CFO at Nephila Capital. As a member of the management executive committee she is involved in all aspects of Nephila’s business, with a focus on strategic initiatives, structuring, finance and operations.
Prior to joining Nephila in 2004 as chief operations officer,
Taylor worked with KPMG’s Alternative Investment and Banking Practice. Her clients included hedge funds, broker dealers, financial institutions, investment managers and venture capital companies. Before moving to Bermuda Taylor obtained a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Victoria in 1997 and the Chartered Accountant designation in June 2000. In November 2000 she obtained the Certified Public Accountant designation and in 2005 she obtained the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Why did you choose to work in this industry initially?
My background is actually in hedge funds and banking, not reinsurance. Nephila was the first example of a hybrid between hedge funds (my background) and reinsurance (the core financial services business of Bermuda), which was interesting to me. Nonetheless, when I had the opportunity to join Nephila the decision was less about the industry and more about the opportunity to join a great team and be a part of building a business.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
I can’t point to one specific highlight or event but I would say that I am thankful for being able to do something I enjoy. The best part of my role over the years has been the variety of projects or
“I know many women in the industry believe we have a responsibility to support the next generation, whether it is in this industry or another, and are doing what they can to make a difference.”
I joined the firm in 2004, and obviously 2005 was a dramatic year to be in the reinsurance business. Being at a smaller company, weathering three hurricanes, paying meaningful claims to cedants, working with existing investors to make sure they were up to date and new investors seeking to enter the market to address the dislocation—it was a challenging time. However, that experience proved the viability of the business model, and being battle-tested now means we are a much stronger organisation than others who have never had that experience.
If you had chosen a different profession/career path, what would it have been?
When I first started university I had intended to get my law degree and work in the UN focusing on the economic empowerment of women. I have obviously taken a very different path and while I would struggle to draw any parallels with my original intentions and where I am today, I have started to direct this energy to the industry. There is a great group of women who are working to bring 100 Women in Hedge Funds to Bermuda with the intention of providing networking and mentoring opportunities for women in the reinsurance and hedge fund industries.
The number of women in these industries continues to grow
which is great to see but retention is still a challenge. I know many women in the industry believe we have a responsibility to support the next generation, whether it is in this industry or another, and are doing what they can to make a difference. ■
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