Ascot Appoints New Group & US Counsel
Ascot Group Limited, the Bermuda based global specialty insurance company, announced that Michael Sevi has joined the firm as Ascot Group General Counsel, reporting to Group Chief Executive Officer and President Jonathan Zaffino.
A spokesperson said, “Additionally, Ascot Group is pleased to announce that John Gill has been promoted to the position of U.S. General Counsel, with immediate effect.
“Michael Sevi joins Ascot with an impressive legal background spanning private practice, government service, and the re/insurance industry. In his previous role as the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Guy Carpenter, Marsh McLennan’s industry-leading reinsurance brokerage, Sevi led a multi-disciplined legal and compliance team across six countries, managing complex cross-border litigation, M&A activities, and a myriad of corporate governance activities, while also serving as a member of the Guy Carpenter Executive Committee. Prior to that, Sevi served as the group Deputy Chief Compliance Officer of Marsh McLennan, a publicly traded global professional services firm. He has also held the position of Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Rick Scott of Florida, where he acted as the Governor’s senior policy advisor on insurance, reinsurance, financial regulation, and taxation.
“Sevi will lead a talented Legal and Compliance organization, headed by Katy Wilson, General Counsel, U.K. and Bermuda, and John Gill, General Counsel, U.S. Gill will report to Sevi, and Wilson will report to both Sevi and Ian Thompson, Chief Executive Officer and Director of AUL. Thompson’s recently appointed role is subject to regulatory approval.
“John Gill has been promoted to U.S. General Counsel. Gill joined Ascot in 2021 and has demonstrated exceptional expertise in legal, business, and compliance during his tenure, including most recently as U.S. Associate General Counsel, SVP, Regulatory & Compliance. Gill has extensive experience working as legal, regulatory, and compliance counsel for large commercial insurance companies including Aspen, Berkley, and Beazley. He began his legal career as a Claims Correspondent Attorney for marine insurance services firm Lamorte Burns.”
“I send my congratulations to John on his well-deserved promotion. John’s legal expertise, coupled with his knowledge of the Ascot US business and trust and respect of his colleagues make him an obvious choice for the role,” said Jonathan Zaffino, CEO and President of Ascot Group. “I also warmly welcome Michael Sevi to Ascot and our first-rate team. I am confident that Michael’s extensive experience in the re/insurance industry will serve him well as he assumes the Chief Legal Officer role at Ascot Group. Both of these individuals bring a passion for the law and its application to our industry, a commitment to leadership and colleague development, and a deep appreciation of the importance of culture.”
The spokesperson said, “Under Sevi’s leadership, the team will continue to provide the first-rate legal, regulatory, compliance, corporate secretarial, and product development services to Ascot’s growing organization.
