PartnerRe Celebrates Its First 25 Years—When Everything and Nothing Has Changed

September 10, 2018 by L.S. Howard

During PartnerRe’s first 25 years as a reinsurer, everything has changed and nothing has changed. From its roots as a pure catastrophe player, PartnerRe has dramatically evolved—or diversified—over the years.Executive Summary

Executive Summary

"There's been more change over the last two years inside PartnerRe than there's been over the last 10," according to President and CEO Emmanuel Clarke. The reinsurance company's leader discussed its evolution with International Editor L.S. Howard, including its strategy to focus on being a pure reinsurer. He also described a culture of innovation and a decentralized structure—two ingredients that have helped the one-time catastrophe player to be nimble in moving out of commodity business to become a specialty provider of customized coverages. See related article on Clarke's leadership lessons.

“There’s been more change over the last two years inside PartnerRe than there’s been over the last 10,” according to President and CEO Emmanuel Clarke. The reinsurance company’s leader discussed its evolution with International Editor L.S. Howard, including its strategy to focus on being a pure reinsurer. He also described a culture of innovation and a decentralized structure—two ingredients that have helped the one-time catastrophe player to be nimble in moving out of commodity business to become a specialty provider of customized coverages. See related article on Clarke’s leadership lessons.

PartnerRe was one of the new breed of catastrophe reinsurers that set up in Bermuda after Hurricane Andrew in 1993. Today, its property-catastrophe business represents up to 5 percent of net premium, while life and health reinsurance is close to 25 percent of premium, affirmed Emmanuel Clarke, president and CEO of PartnerRe Ltd. and CEO Specialty.