Board of Directors
Jay Madhu
Director
Jay Madhu
Director
Jay serves as Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of Oxbridge Re Holdings (NASDAQ: OXBR), as well as its licensed reinsurance subsidiaries and its Web3 startup SurancePlus that democratizes reinsurance contracts by issuing digitized securities. Jay is also a founder, Chairman and President of Oxbridge Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: OXAC) and founder/director of HCI Group (NYSE: HCI).
Mr. Madhu has a diverse background in insurance, banking and real estate, and has held various executive positions at NYSE listed HCI Group, Inc., specializing in marketing and investor relations. He was also a past board member of BayFirst Financial Corp (NASDAQ: BAFN) a bank holding company. He is an approved director with several monetary authorities and insurance departments, including the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, Bermuda Monetary Authority, and Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, among many others.
Mr. Madhu has a diverse background in insurance, banking and real estate, and has held various executive positions at NYSE listed HCI Group, Inc., specializing in marketing and investor relations. He was also a past board member of BayFirst Financial Corp (NASDAQ: BAFN) a bank holding company. He is an approved director with several monetary authorities and insurance departments, including the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, Bermuda Monetary Authority, and Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, among many others.
Wrendon Timothy
Director
Wrendon Timothy
Director
Wrendon serves as a director of SurancePlus and Oxbridge Re and has been Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Corporate Secretary of Oxbridge Re since August 2013. He also serves as a director for the company’s licensed reinsurance subsidiaries. Mr. Timothy is a founder, director and CFO of Oxbridge Acquisition Corp (NASDAQ: OXAC) and has over 19 years combined Big 4 (PwC & KPMG) and industry professional experience in the fields of technical and SEC reporting, compliance, internal and external auditing, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions analysis, risk management, and CFO and controller services.
Mr. Timothy is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), a Fellow Chartered Secretary (FCG) and also holds a Master of Business Administration, with Distinction (with a Specialism in Finance), from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Mr. Timothy is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), a Fellow Chartered Secretary (FCG) and also holds a Master of Business Administration, with Distinction (with a Specialism in Finance), from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Dwight Merren
Director
Dwight Merren
Director
Dwight Merren Bio
Mr. Merren currently serves as an AVP, Private Banking at Butterfield Bank (Cayman) Limited (“Butterfield Cayman”) since December 2021, servicing mainly high net-worth private clientele. Butterfield Cayman is part of the Butterfield Group (NYSE: NTB). Prior to this, from November 2014, Mr. Merren served as a Relationship Manager in Butterfield Cayman’s Corporate Banking Department where he was responsible for the management of a portfolio of corporates across various business sectors, including captive insurers, insurance companies, reinsurance companies, special-purpose vehicles, liquidation accounts, large multinational companies and hedge funds. Mr. Merren previously served as Relationship Manager of HSBC Bank (Cayman) Limited from October 2011 to October 2014, and as Deputy Head – Insurance Division at CIMA, from March 2009 to September 2011.
From July 1992 to February 2009, Mr. Merren held senior roles of Administrator at Midland Bank (now HSBC), Assistant Vice President at Willis Management (Cayman) Limited, and Vice President at Global Captive Management Ltd. where he led and managed large portfolio of companies. Mr. Merren served as an independent director at Cayman Islands National Insurance Company (“CINICO”), and as the Chairman of the Risk and Compliance Committee, and Chair of the Finance Committee from November 2017 to February 2022. Mr. Merren brings invaluable experience in insurance, banking, risk management, compliance and governance to our boards. Mr. Merren was appointed to serve as the Chair of the Compensation Committee, and a member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance, Audit and Underwriting Committees of the Board.
From July 1992 to February 2009, Mr. Merren held senior roles of Administrator at Midland Bank (now HSBC), Assistant Vice President at Willis Management (Cayman) Limited, and Vice President at Global Captive Management Ltd. where he led and managed large portfolio of companies. Mr. Merren served as an independent director at Cayman Islands National Insurance Company (“CINICO”), and as the Chairman of the Risk and Compliance Committee, and Chair of the Finance Committee from November 2017 to February 2022. Mr. Merren brings invaluable experience in insurance, banking, risk management, compliance and governance to our boards. Mr. Merren was appointed to serve as the Chair of the Compensation Committee, and a member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance, Audit and Underwriting Committees of the Board.
Lesley Thompson
Director
Lesley Thompson
Director
Ms. Thompson has served as the Managing Director of Willis Towers Watson Management (Cayman) Ltd. (“WTW Cayman”) since March 2020 and as Secretary since April 2020. WTW Cayman is part of the WTW group (NASDAQ: WTW). Ms. Thompson is responsible for the strategy and leadership of WTW Cayman providing insurance management and brokerage services to its clients. Ms. Thompson also provides independent director services to insurance and structured finance companies. Ms. Thompson currently serves as a director to ICP Investment Holdings Limited since November 2016 and ICP Reinsurance Limited since January 2017. Ms. Thompson previously served as Vice President of Maples Fiduciary Services (Cayman) Limited from February 2016 to March 2020 where she headed the insurance management services and provided independent director services to insurance and structured finance companies.
From January 2000 to January 2016, Ms. Thompson held senior roles of Assistant Vice President, Assistant Manager & Group Vice President at Aon Insurance Managers (Bermuda) Ltd., HSBC Financial Services (Cayman) Ltd., Atlas Insurance Management (Cayman) Ltd. and Advantage International Management (Cayman) Ltd. where she led and managed large portfolios of property & casualty and life & annuity companies, including special purpose vehicles, segregated portfolio companies and group captives. Ms. Thompson has served as a member of the executive committee of The Insurance Managers Association of Cayman since August 2020 and is the past Chairperson.
Ms. Thompson is a Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA & CGMA), a Fellow of Captive Insurance (FCI) and holds the Accredited Director (Acc. Dir.) designation through the Chartered Governance Institute of Canada. Ms. Thompson brings invaluable experience in insurance, accounting and corporate governance to our Board.
From January 2000 to January 2016, Ms. Thompson held senior roles of Assistant Vice President, Assistant Manager & Group Vice President at Aon Insurance Managers (Bermuda) Ltd., HSBC Financial Services (Cayman) Ltd., Atlas Insurance Management (Cayman) Ltd. and Advantage International Management (Cayman) Ltd. where she led and managed large portfolios of property & casualty and life & annuity companies, including special purpose vehicles, segregated portfolio companies and group captives. Ms. Thompson has served as a member of the executive committee of The Insurance Managers Association of Cayman since August 2020 and is the past Chairperson.
Ms. Thompson is a Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA & CGMA), a Fellow of Captive Insurance (FCI) and holds the Accredited Director (Acc. Dir.) designation through the Chartered Governance Institute of Canada. Ms. Thompson brings invaluable experience in insurance, accounting and corporate governance to our Board.
Arun Gowda
Director
Arun Gowda
Director
Mr. Gowda has served as the Managing Partner of Broadpeak Ventures, a private investment company, since January 2018. In his role as Managing Partner, Mr. Gowda oversees and manages investment and business development with early-stage venture companies in asset management, insurance and alternative investment strategies. Mr. Gowda served as the Managing Director, UBS O’Connor, New York, an alternative investment arm of UBS Group AG (NYSE: UBS), from September 2016 to December 2017, where he was responsible for raising funds for private credit and hedge funds. From February 2012 to December 2015, Mr. Gowda served as Managing Director at Guggenheim Investments, New York, where he was responsible for development of the alternative investment platform for institutional investors, including pension funds, insurance companies and private banks.
From August 1993 to December 2011, Mr. Gowda held senior roles of Vice President at Morgan Stanley, New York (NYSE: MS), Executive Director at UBS Investment Bank, London (NYSE: UBS) and Partner at Eventi Capital Partners, Toronto, where he managed investments in private companies in technology, medical devices, and alternatives. Mr. Gowda has served as a director on Ide8 Re, a Bermuda captive reinsurer for insurtech Bamboo Insurance from April 2021 to present. Mr. Gowda has also served as an advisor to the management of Aquarian Holdings, Cliffwater Funds and REX Funds since January 2019 and May 2021, respectively.
Mr. Gowda holds an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor’s Degree with Distinction in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Math from Vanderbilt University. Mr. Gowda brings to the Board invaluable experience in investments, hedge funds, insurance and reinsurance products, and experience in fund raise and scaling businesses to our boards. Mr. Gowda was appointed to serve as the Chair of the Audit Committee and the Investment Committee of the Board, and a member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance and Compensation of the Board.
From August 1993 to December 2011, Mr. Gowda held senior roles of Vice President at Morgan Stanley, New York (NYSE: MS), Executive Director at UBS Investment Bank, London (NYSE: UBS) and Partner at Eventi Capital Partners, Toronto, where he managed investments in private companies in technology, medical devices, and alternatives. Mr. Gowda has served as a director on Ide8 Re, a Bermuda captive reinsurer for insurtech Bamboo Insurance from April 2021 to present. Mr. Gowda has also served as an advisor to the management of Aquarian Holdings, Cliffwater Funds and REX Funds since January 2019 and May 2021, respectively.
Mr. Gowda holds an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor’s Degree with Distinction in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Math from Vanderbilt University. Mr. Gowda brings to the Board invaluable experience in investments, hedge funds, insurance and reinsurance products, and experience in fund raise and scaling businesses to our boards. Mr. Gowda was appointed to serve as the Chair of the Audit Committee and the Investment Committee of the Board, and a member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance and Compensation of the Board.