Howden draws top talent in APAC — and he has no experience in insurance industry

International re/insurance broker  Howden has tapped a 20-year global banking and structured finance veteran with “prior experience not necessarily in the insurance industry” to build out its capital, advisory and placement business capabilities in the Asia Pacific market.

Christopher Evans joins the group as executive director of Howden CAP. Based in Brisbane, his role will focus on advising, designing and executing structured credit risk insurance solutions for Howden’s financial institutions and corporate clients.

Evans joins Howden from National Australia Bank, and brings over 20 years of experience in global banking and structured finance. He was most recently responsible for procuring credit risk insurance within the Corporate & Institutional division, supporting frontline bankers to manage capital and credit exposure in a variety of high-profile transactions. With his appointment, Howden is now able to provide seamless client coverage across the APAC and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regions.

Drew Wardrope, managing director of Howden CAP said: “Christopher’s appointment reflects the fact that Howden CAP can offer an exciting, alternative career path for talented individuals whose prior experience is not necessarily in the insurance industry. Our new recruits are attracted to the unique proposition that we are putting in place to help clients meet the increasingly challenging macro-economic environment. Christopher’s significant industry experience will enable him to deliver solutions that meet the complex and intricate needs of our clients’ businesses in Asia Pacific. We look forward to working with Christopher as we become the insurance advisor and structurer of choice for the global banking community.”

Matt Bacon, CEO of Howden Pacific, said: “We are very excited to have Christopher join Howden. The need for Structured Credit Risk Insurance is at the forefront of our clients’ priorities, as regulatory capital and exposure management remain elevated risks in the current environment. With a deep understanding of both insurance and banking, Christopher will be a key asset to our clients, helping them to harness the power of insurance to optimise their exposure management, regulatory capital and to achieve strategic aims.”

Evans commented: “The move to Howden represents a hugely exciting opportunity to join an entrepreneurial firm and a talented team where we are empowered to build a business for the long term. I look forward to developing strategies for servicing our international banking clients in the region that will enable them to do so much more with their capital.”

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