Market veteran James Ferris has been appointed director of capital and risk advisory in the Bermuda office of BMS, the independent specialist insurance and reinsurance broker.

BMS has also appointed Chris Harding as a director of capital and risk advisory in London, both effective next month.

Both men will report to Hannah Watkins, managing director of BMS Re in the UK.

The company said the appointments constituted a significant expansion of its capital solutions advisory and legacy solutions advisory practices.

The company said Mr Ferris’s appointment was subject to immigration requirements, and both are subject to regulatory approval.

Mr Ferris has focused on the re/insurance market for more than 20 years at PwC, where he was most recently the lead partner of PwC Bermuda’s advisory team.

Mr Harding has more than 17 years’ experience working in and around the insurance industry. He joins from his most recent position as head of corporate finance and treasury at Athora UK Services, where he was responsible for capital optimisation and financing.

BMS said that it has been providing capital advisory services in the US since 2014 and recently announced a restructuring of its business behind Steve Korducki, who has taken on the US BMS Capital Advisory CEO responsibilities in addition to his chairman role.

Managing directors, Bruce Murdock and Alex Orloff, now manage the banking and research solutions responsibilities, reporting to Mr Korducki.

Nick Cook, CEO of BMS, said: “Our capital market presence complements the reinsurance intermediary services offered by BMS Re and provides our clients with access to financing and risk transfer solutions.

“At BMS, we recognise that we operate at the intersection of capital and risk and are fortunate to have proven industry professionals leading our capital advisory and legacy solutions.

“These appointments mark a serious broadening of our global footprint for our capital solutions units and enables BMS to provide a holistic approach to balance sheet management and capital optimisation.”