Insurance giant Hiscox appoints new chairman after Bayesian tragedy

Insurance giant Hiscox has appointed a new chairman after Jonathan Bloomer died on the Bayesian superyacht.

Senior independent director Colin Keogh will take over the reins on an interim basis. Bloomer, 70, died when British tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s boat was hit by a tornado off Sicily.

Six other people died, including Bloomer’s wife, Judy Lynch, and their teenage daughter Hannah, Clifford Chance’s attorney, Chris Morvillo, and his wife, Neda, and the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas.

The trip was planned as a celebration after Lynch was acquitted of fraud charges in the United States.

Bloomer, who was also chairman of Morgan Stanley, had been a board member of Hiscox for a year. He was chief executive of Prudential from 2000 to 2005, joining as chief financial officer in 2015.

He also served as a director at investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown and Autonomy, where he befriended Lynch.

Hiscox chief executive Aki Hussain said: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the deaths of Jonathan and Judy.

‘It was a privilege to have known Jonathan and to have benefited from his generosity and wisdom over the past year in his role as Chairman of Hiscox.’

Prudential said yesterday: “We would not be the company we are today if it weren’t for him. We owe a lot to Jonathan.”

Italian authorities have launched an investigation into manslaughter in Monday’s tragedy.

In total, 15 people were rescued, including Lynch’s wife, Angela.