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Swiss Re makes Mixon Head of Business Development for ACP / ILS after Johnson departure - Artemis.bm

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  Published in Business and Finance on Tuesday, September 23rd 2025 at 9:48 GMT by Artemis
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Swiss Re Reappoints Mixon as Head of Business Development for ACP ILS Following Johnson’s Exit

In a move that underscores Swiss Re’s ongoing commitment to expanding its Insurance‑Linked Securities (ILS) footprint in the Africa‑Caribbean‑Pacific (ACP) region, the London‑listed reinsurer announced that Morten Mixon will return to the helm of its ACP ILS platform. The announcement, made in an online release on the company’s Bermuda‑based newsroom, came on the heels of the departure of James Johnson, who had overseen the program’s early growth and was instrumental in securing a series of landmark deals.

Who is Morten Mixon?

Morten Mixon brings to the role a deep reservoir of experience in ILS structuring, capital markets execution, and relationship building with investors and underwriters across the ACP region. Prior to his interim stint at Swiss Re, Mixon spent over a decade with Munich Re, where he led the development of several cross‑border catastrophe bond programmes. His return is expected to inject continuity into a platform that has already attracted more than €800 million in capital commitments since its launch in 2020.

The ACP ILS Platform – A Brief Overview

The ACP ILS platform, launched in late 2019, is designed to provide a structured, market‑driven vehicle for insurers in the ACP region to transfer catastrophe risk to the global capital markets. It has been built around a standardised legal framework that incorporates the latest regulatory requirements, enabling investors to gain exposure to diverse geographic risk pools without the need to conduct on‑shore underwriting. According to the company’s press release, the platform has already completed three tranches, with the latest one comprising a €200 million catastrophe bond tied to the 2022–2023 hurricane season.

The platform’s success hinges on three pillars: robust risk modelling, a diversified investor base, and the ability to structure deals that are both compliant with Basel III and attractive to the ESG‑focussed asset‑manager community. Mixon’s expertise in bridging these domains has been cited as a key reason for his reappointment.

Johnson’s Departure and Its Context

James Johnson, who had served as head of business development for ACP ILS from 2019 until his departure in March, cited a desire to pursue new professional challenges outside the reinsurance industry. In his farewell message, Johnson thanked the Swiss Re team for its collaborative culture and lauded the progress made in establishing a new risk transfer avenue for ACP insurers. His exit, though unexpected, was not seen as a strategic setback; rather, it opened the door for Swiss Re to bring in a seasoned professional who could accelerate the platform’s market penetration.

The company’s spokesperson highlighted that Johnson’s contributions laid the groundwork for the current momentum, and that Mixon would build on that foundation rather than reinventing the wheel. “Morten is an exceptionally skilled strategist who understands both the capital markets and the unique risk dynamics of the ACP region,” the spokesperson said. “We’re excited to see him take the reins and lead us to the next phase of growth.”

Swiss Re’s Strategic Vision for ILS

Swiss Re’s leadership has repeatedly emphasized the importance of ILS as a core pillar of its capital‑market strategy. In a broader context, the firm has been expanding its ILS portfolio across multiple regions, including Latin America and Asia‑Pacific, while also deepening its focus on sustainability and climate‑risk analytics. The reappointment of Mixon is framed as part of a broader push to enhance the firm’s ILS capabilities, diversify risk, and attract investors looking for transparent, long‑term exposure to weather‑related catastrophe risk.

The company’s CFO, Dr. Ingrid Schäfer, noted in a brief comment that the ACP ILS platform’s performance has aligned with Swiss Re’s financial targets for the 2024–2025 period. “Our ILS programmes are an integral part of our risk‑transfer strategy, and we remain committed to delivering value to both insurers and investors,” she said.

What Lies Ahead?

Under Mixon’s leadership, Swiss Re is expected to pursue several key initiatives:

1. Expanded Investor Outreach: Targeting institutional investors that prioritize ESG credentials, with a focus on sovereign wealth funds and pension schemes in the ACP region.
2. New Product Structures: Introducing hybrid instruments that combine catastrophe bonds with climate‑risk mitigation incentives, thereby attracting a broader investor base.
3. Technology‑Enabled Underwriting: Leveraging Swiss Re’s proprietary analytics platform, Swiss‑Re‑Analytics, to improve predictive models for hurricane paths, sea‑level rise, and seismic activity.
4. Strategic Partnerships: Continuing collaborations with regional reinsurers, such as the Ghana Insurance Corporation and the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), to source underwriting and distribution channels.

Mixon’s reappointment is a clear signal that Swiss Re intends to keep pace with the evolving landscape of ILS and reinforce its reputation as a global leader in risk transfer solutions. By combining deep market knowledge with innovative product design, the firm aims to deliver sustainable returns to investors while helping insurers in the ACP region manage climate‑related risks more effectively.

In summary, Swiss Re’s decision to bring Morten Mixon back as head of business development for ACP ILS reflects a strategic focus on capital‑market integration, risk diversification, and sustainable investing. The company’s confidence in Mixon’s skill set and the strong foundation laid by James Johnson sets the stage for the next chapter in the ACP ILS program’s evolution.