New head of catastrophe research at MS Amlin

Sam Phibbs has been appointed as head of catastrophe research at Lloyd’s (re)insurer MS Amlin. Phibbs will oversee the syndicate’s catastrophe modelling capabilities across all perils, from hurricanes and flooding to wildfire and terrorism.

MS Amlin said that with a PhD in atmospheric physics from Imperial College London, Phibbs will help integrate the latest scientific thinking into catastrophe models. He will also lead research into catastrophe risks and strengthen ties with academia and third-party vendors, including through the Lighthill Risk Network, which facilitates the transfer of knowledge from academia to industry.

Phibbs will report to head of risk analytics Jessica Turner. He joins MS Amlin from Guy Carpenter, where he was vice-president of international catastrophe advisory for two years, leading the broker’s climate change physical risk offering. Prior to this, he spent five years at Gallagher Re as divisional director for model research and evaluation, developing and adjusting extreme weather catastrophe models.

Turner said: “This is an important appointment for our business, as we manage increasingly complex challenges from climate change. By adopting the latest advances in science and catastrophe modelling, we aim to stay at the forefront of risk pricing and risk selection in the Lloyd’s market. Sam’s expertise spanning industry and academia will help us to deliver cutting-edge risk insights to our underwriters and clients, and I’m delighted to welcome him to the team.”