Howden taps WTW leader to spearhead major climate resilience push

Global re/insurance broker  Howden has made a key leadership hire in a push to augment its global climate and resilience capabilities to address the spectrum of risks, from physical threats to those tied to de-carbonisation, emerging risks stemming from the transition to low carbon, and escalating legal liability risks faced by public and private sector entities.

Howden has hired Rowan Douglas (pictured) as CEO, Climate Risk & Resilience, based in London and reporting directly to CEO David Howden.

Douglas’ role will be to build an expert, full spectrum function to support the group worldwide, embedding climate and resilience across its specialities and regions. Charlie Langdale will step up as chair, Climate Risk and Resilience.

With more than 30 years of industry experience, especially in the field of climate-related risk, Douglas joins from Willis Towers Watson (WTW), where he most recently led the Climate and Resilience Hub (CRH), which he grew to over 130 climate risk professionals. At the CRH, Douglas drove the creation of the Insurance Development Forum (IDF), and now chairs its Operating Committee, and incubated the Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment.

Previously, he served on the board of Willis Re as CEO Analytics, founding the Willis Research Network that began ground breaking work on climate modelling in 2006. From 2011 to 2016, Douglas served on the UK Prime Minister’s Council for Science & Technology and was awarded a CBE in 2016 for Services to the Economy through Risk, Insurance and Sustainable Growth.

Douglas will continue in his role as chair of the Operating Committee for the IDF, as part of his commitment to mobilising multilateral and cross-industry cooperation as a means to tackling the complex challenges around climate risk and resilience.

Howden said the appointment preludes further significant investment to create a platform for the future that meets the opportunity and scale of market demand over the coming decades. Insurance will be at the heart of how economies understand, manage and share these risks across geographies and generations, it noted.

The move follows Howden’s recent launch of the world’s first carbon credit invalidation product for the voluntary carbon market and its partnership with Resilient Cities Network. It believes the insurance sector plays a critical role in the world’s response to the climate emergency, including the transition to a low carbon economy and supporting exposed populations and industries.

David Howden, chief executive officer, Howden, said: “Tackling climate change requires the most substantial reallocation of capital in history, and insurance has a huge role to play across the mitigation, adaptation and resilience agenda. Meeting the challenge will take a global effort and radical collaboration across all industries, and between both the private and public sectors.

“To have someone of Rowan’s calibre join us demonstrates not only the credentials of our Climate Risk and Resilience team but highlights our desire to use insurance as a force for good. Our goal is to embed climate and resilience expertise across the insurance value chain, for the benefit both of existing clients and those who do not have access to insurance.”

Douglas commented: “I am thrilled to be joining Howden at this remarkable time in its growth and with climate central to its future development. My decision was driven by the company’s recognition, from the very top, that insurance capabilities are essential to de-risk the climate transition and protect lives, assets and livelihoods. I look forward to working with David, Charlie and the wider team and have already been empowered and enthused by the can-do, collaborative and entrepreneurial culture here at Howden. Our focus will be on embedding the work of the Climate Risk and Resilience division across all of Howden’s product lines and geographies, ensuring it supports our clients and partners.”

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