Gavin Woods is to join law firm Carey Olsen Bermuda in its corporate practice.

He is currently a partner at Appleby and has more than eight years of experience in the Bermuda market,

Before working in Bermuda he was with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in both London and New York.

Mr Woods specialises in corporate finance, corporate structuring and insurance regulatory matters, with particular experience in the incorporation and licensing of (re)insurance companies, listings on the Bermuda Stock Exchange and alternative risk financing vehicles such as cat bonds and insurance-linked securities.

In a statement, Carey Olsen Bermuda said Mr Woods “has worked on some of the most notable funds, catastrophe bond structures, collateralised reinsurance platforms and M&A transactions emanating out of Bermuda in recent years.”

Michael Hanson, managing partner of Carey Olsen Bermuda, said: “With the Bermuda office appointing 10 fee earners in just 10 months of operations our growth has far exceeded our initial estimates.

“In line with this, the corporate practice is seeing unprecedented demand for its expertise and we are anticipating significant M&A work in Bermuda through 2018 and into 2019.

“Gavin brings with him a fabulous reputation in the US and Bermuda markets and we are very excited to have him join the team. I am also particularly pleased about Gavin’s record of mentoring young Bermudian attorneys, something we are both very keen to continue.”

Mr Woods will join Carey Olsen Bermuda once his notice period with Appleby expires.