THE JOB with CHRIS JACKSON
Age: 38
Title: Assistant vice-president and assistant treasurer, Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd.
What is your job? To assist our treasurer in looking after the company's investments and capital base. It's our job to ensure that assets earn a suitable rate of return while not exposing the company to any unanticipated risk of loss. The role also includes making sure the company always has enough cash on hand to meet its obligations as they fall due. My job involves a lot of interaction with bankers, lawyers and investment managers, and when deals are closing the day can seem only a couple of minutes long. At the end of each quarter and fiscal year, the company's accounts must be completed and filed, and during these periods I work closely with our finance department to ensure the investment-related numbers and supporting schedules are both accurate and on time.
What is your favourite part of the job? Working with a very talented set of colleagues from all over the world. It's the type of experience you would normally only get working in a big city like New York or London, but it's an incredible opportunity to be able to learn from them while living at home in Bermuda.
What is your least favourite part of the job? International businesses have to constantly evolve in order to compete effectively and sometimes the pace of change can be overwhelming. It's a tough lesson to learn, but it's absolutely vital.
What is your most interesting experience at work? Reading some of the reinsurance claims when they come due for payment. We're a property/catastrophe reinsurer, so claims can cover anything from a hurricane damaged casino, to a helicopter crash, to a celebrity's party injury. All very interesting reading when signing the cheque.
What would you be doing otherwise? Riding my motorcycle around the world, the more exotic and remote the locale the better. I love the sense of freedom it can bring and it's the best way to experience a new country.
