Fidelis Partnership names Woods Ireland CEO as Dublin hub expands

The Fidelis Partnership (TFP) has appointed David Woods as Ireland CEO, as it continues to build out Dublin as a central hub for its European operations.

Woods, who has been with the business for nearly a decade, will relocate to Dublin and take up the role from 1 July, subject to regulatory approval.

He currently serves as group head of portfolio and exposure management and will oversee the continued development of TFP’s Irish platform.

This became its principal EU hub following the transfer of its European entity from Belgium in late 2025.

The firm has also appointed Michelle Raine as chief underwriting officer for its Irish entity, strengthening local underwriting leadership as the platform scales.

Raine joined in 2025 from AXIS Capital and will work closely with Pine Walk MGA platform CUO Peter Williams.

The moves come alongside a broader reshuffle of senior leadership, with Rob Kelly transitioning from Ireland CEO to group director of finance, and Grahame Dawe focusing on Pine Walk’s expansion as UK CFO.

TFP has also made two senior hires in London, with Marc MacGillivray joining as chief accounting officer and Marshall Viegas as group head of financial planning and analysis.

The appointments reflect continued growth across the group and the expansion of its Pine Walk platform, which wrote $1bn of premium in 2025 and recently launched its 17th cell.

Conor O’Riordan, group chief financial officer at TFP, said Woods’ experience will be key to the next phase of growth.

“I am delighted to be welcoming David to the role of Ireland CEO, where his deep familiarity with TFP’s strategic ambitions over the last decade and his core involvement in the execution of TFP’s capital light risk allocation model will prove invaluable to our continued growth in Ireland and Europe,” he said.

“TFP’s Dublin office has rapidly expanded into both a key strategic hub for our European business and a home for some of Ireland’s leading underwriting, actuarial and data talent,” he continued.

“David’s appointment reflects our commitment to building on this momentum and to the development of Dublin as a globally recognised European insurance hub,” O’Riordan added.

Woods said the business sees strong long-term potential in the market.

“I am hugely excited by the growth that TFP has achieved in Ireland since opening our office in 2018 and delighted to be taking on this leadership position in the region,” said Woods.

“We see enormous potential for Dublin to develop its profile as a globally recognised European insurance hub and as a destination of choice for insurance capital, especially across specialty lines,” he said.

“With our exceptional local talent and group-wide reputation for underwriting leadership and innovation, TFP is perfectly positioned to help drive this development while also delivering on our own strategic ambitions,” Woods added.