Markel closes Nephila acquisition

Markel Corporation has completed its  acquisition of Nephila Holdings, the biggest insurance-linked securities (ILS) manager in the world.

Markel stunned the market in August-end when it revealed it would acquire Nephila Capital for an undisclosed sum, becoming the largest manager of funds in this sector in the process.

The combined entities represent some 20 percent of the ILS sector, with assets under management at approximately $19 billion.

Nephila will continue to operate as a separate business unit. The management team, led by Greg Hagood and Frank Majors, will remain in place and will continue to be based in Bermuda, San Francisco, California, Nashville, Tennessee, and London.

"With a proven 20-year track record of success, Frank Majors and Greg Hagood have built the industry's pre-eminent and longest-tenured insurance-linked securities manager," said Richie Whitt, Markel's co-chief executive officer.

"The addition of Nephila to Markel's insurance, reinsurance, insurtech, fronting, and existing insurance-linked securities capabilities will enhance and strengthen the breadth and depth of Markel's offerings to policyholders, producers, and investors. We welcome Nephila to the Markel family and fully expect their track record of success to continue."

Majors, Nephila's co-chief executive officer, said: "Markel shares our strategic vision for the future of the insurance markets, and we are excited to join Markel, a company with a similar culture, strategic outlook, and long-term focus. We are looking forward to working with the Markel team and are excited by the possibilities from our combined strengths."

Hagood, Nephila's co-CEO, added: "As we combine the investment independence of a 20-year, stand-alone insurance-linked securities manager with the additional resources of a well-respected and strongly rated insurer like Markel, we believe this partnership will provide meaningful benefits to our investor base now and in the future."

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