SIGNAL IDUNA Reinsurance (SI Re) has appointed a veteran of Schroders Capital's insurance-linked securities unit to lead its ILS portfolio, as the Zug-based reinsurance company seeks to sharpen its capabilities at a time when traditional pricing is under mounting pressure.
Simon Parten (pictured above), who most recently served as senior underwriter and analyst at Schroders Capital ILS, will take up the role of portfolio manager at SI Re on June 1.
He will oversee the development of the company's Insurance Linked Securities book, which has served as a diversifier within its broader reinsurance portfolio since 2010.
SI Re expanded the ILS portfolio from $89.5 million at year-end 2024 to $111.5 million in 2025, a period in which it also grew its dedicated team. The company has also brought on Sebastian Schulz as an analyst in the same unit.
Dr. Arnold Löw, chief executive of SI Re, said Parten would "further advance our ILS book, leveraging his profound technical expertise in portfolio allocation and construction." He described the securities book as central to the firm's dual strategy of complementing traditional reinsurance risks with an ILS allocation.
The appointment comes amid softening conditions across the reinsurance market. SI Re matched its prior-year record of €222 million in premium volume at the January 2026 renewal, even as risk-adjusted property catastrophe pricing fell 14.7%, Howden Re data shows, the steepest year-on-year decline since 2014.
That environment has strengthened the strategic case for ILS diversification. Cat bond issuance surged 45% to $25.6 billion in 2025, Howden Capital Markets & Advisory figures show, driven by 122 transactions compared to 95 in 2023.
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods research notes that industry executives still view 2026 as potentially the "fifth-best year ever" for catastrophe reinsurance, citing higher attachment points and improved portfolio quality.
Parten's departure from Schroders Capital follows Nuveen's agreement in February to acquire the asset manager for approximately £9.9 billion, a deal expected to close in the fourth quarter. The Schroders Capital ILS unit manages more than $6.5 billion in assets.
Before Schroders, Parten held pricing actuary roles at Zurich Financial Services and positions at Allianz Risk Transfer and Towers Watson. He began his career with Tindall Riley at Britannia P&I, and holds a mathematics degree from Durham University and a Diploma in Actuarial Studies from the UK Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
