*This tribute is shared from Asia Affinity Holding’s official website.
When Andrew passed away suddenly last December, it not only abruptly brought to a close a friendship of over 50 years duration and a business partnership of over20 years standing, but also deprived us all of the company, intellect, and boundless good humour of a unique individual.
Andrew had a distinguished career in the international reinsurance industry, starting at Leslie & Godwin, a firm founded by his grandfather, and then subsequently joining the specialist London reinsurance brokerage firm of MorganReed & Coleman - a company which he and his partners acquired and then ultimately sold to Arthur J. Gallagher. Andrew was a well-known figure in bothLloyds and the wider London market community; he was a respected broker with extensive client relationships globally.
Andrew and I knew each other from the early days when we both worked at Leslie &Godwin. We started collaborating closely in 2004, when, as a small start-up company we were taking our first steps in Asia and Japan. Andrew was instrumental in building and managing our reinsurance partnerships in theLondon market and when the opportunity arose to make our first acquisition inJapan, Andrew and I decided to establish Asia Affinity, joined shortly afterward by our third shareholder, and long-term friend Veronica Lien.
Over20 years, the company has grown in Asia with the help of Andrew and now comprises 10 companies with interests covering reinsurance broking, insurance agency, embedded digital insurance, marine underwriting, business process outsourcing, and impact insurance focusing on the microfinance and small community sectors. Andrew was actively involved in all aspects of the business and was Chairman of Coastal Marine Asia Holdings, our specialist marine MGA business, which he helped nurture from a small start-up in 2012 to a leading player in the marine hull sector in Asia today.
Andrew was perceptive with people, and this together with his commercial sense of judgement, strong negotiating and interpersonal skills are just some of the key factors that have enabled the company to grow and our business to flourish. The balance and sense of perspective that he brought to all aspects of our group decision-making were always well thought out and measured. This was particularly true when, as a group, we launched our community solution for food security, the environment and climate change, through our Indonesian seaweed initiative, a venture he passionately endorsed.
Andrew’s legacy will endure and although he will be sorely missed, the foundations thathe helped lay for our business will help guide and influence our future decision-making for many years to come.
FarewellAndrew and thank you from us all.
Graham Clark
Chairman and CEO
Asia Affinity Group
