Hiscox has appointed an Oxford University scholar as the head of research and analytics for its Bermuda operations.The international speciality insurer appointed Dr Michael Palmer to take charge of the analytics team reporting to Damien Smith, Hiscox Bermuda’s underwriting director.Dr Palmer, who originally joined Hiscox’s London office in 2005 where he was catastrophe research manager, will help develop the company’s understanding of all aspects of catastrophe risk.“Bermuda is an exciting place to be when it comes to the science of catastrophe risk and I am looking forward to building on the work that has already taken place here to support the management of our reinsurance portfolio, as well as looking for new opportunities in the market,” Dr Palmer said.Dr Palmer has a research background from Oxford University where he completed a PhD in atmospheric science, carrying out climate model experiments to investigate different aspects of climate change. This was followed up by post-doctoral work at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (Oxford, UK), investigating the impact of the tropical upper atmosphere on the weather experienced at the surface.“Keeping on top of the strengths and weaknesses of the catastrophe models the industry uses is a fundamental part of helping us to select the risks we take and ensuring we achieve the right premium rating,” said Mr Smith. “Mike will be a great asset to us as we look to build a class-leading analytics team to support and drive the profitability of the company.”