Group Company Secretary in London

The Role

Canopius is a global specialty insurer and reinsurer with operations across multiple jurisdictions. The Group Company Secretary is responsible for leading the Company Secretariat function and ensuring the delivery of high-quality corporate governance, Board support, and statutory compliance across the Group.

Acting as a trusted advisor to the Board, Committees, and senior management, the role plays a key part in supporting effective decision-making, maintaining a robust governance framework, and enhancing governance standards across a complex, international structure.

The role requires strong judgement, the ability to operate confidently at Board level, and the leadership of a small Company Secretariat team to deliver consistently high-quality outcomes.

This role is available on a fixed term basis to cover maternity absence.

Responsibilities

Board and Committee Governance

• Support the CGL Board and its principal Committees, providing clear and pragmatic governance advice

• Lead the planning and delivery of Board and Committee meetings, including agenda setting and forward planning

• Attend meetings and oversee the production of high-quality, Board-level minutes

• Ensure effective tracking and follow-up of actions and decisions

Group Governance Framework

• Own and develop the Group Corporate Governance Framework and supporting policies

• Ensure governance arrangements remain consistent, proportionate, and aligned across jurisdictions

• Provide advice on governance best practice and regulatory expectations

Board and Entity Coverage

• Direct responsibility for the CGL Board and Committees, FHL Board (Jersey), and key Asia entities

• Oversight of governance across the UK, US, and Bermuda through the team structure

Corporate Actions and Compliance

• Oversee statutory compliance across all Group entities, including filings and corporate records

• Lead key corporate actions including AGMs, dividends, restructurings, and director changes

• Support the preparation of governance disclosures for the Annual Report

Strategic Governance

• Lead Board and Committee effectiveness reviews and governance improvement initiatives

• Support director recruitment, induction, and ongoing development

• Provide governance input into strategic projects, transactions, and regulatory developments

Leadership

• Lead and develop the Company Secretariat team, setting clear direction and maintaining high standards

• Mentor junior team members, building capability and confidence

• Oversee delivery across entity management, filings, and governance processes

Other Skills and Experience:

• Extensive Group Company Secretary or Deputy Company Secretary experience

• Strong track record of supporting Boards within a regulated, multi-jurisdictional environment (ideally insurance)

• Deep understanding of corporate governance, company law, and regulatory frameworks

• Proven ability to operate at senior level with credibility and judgement

• Excellent communication, drafting, and stakeholder management skills

• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment

• CGI qualified (ACG or equivalent)

Competencies:

Leading Change

Plans, implements and embeds organisational changes across the region and guides stakeholders through changes to processes, technologies, systems, or strategies, ensuring changes are successful and well received.

Leading Teams

Motivates, guides and empowers others to collectively meet current and future business needs. Sets clear performance expectations and utilises team members’ capacity, skills and potential effectively.

Stakeholder engagement

Cultivates and maintains positive relationships with relevant internal or external stakeholders, effectively involving and communicating with them to drive collaboration, support, and alignment towards shared goals.

Collaboration and teamwork:

Works effectively with team, project or other work groups or those outside formal line of authority to accomplish goals. Actively participates as a member of a team; develops and builds cohesive team relations to produce required outputs; possesses knowledge and understanding of colleagues work.

Adapting to change:

Adjusts thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to handle new, challenging, or complex situations; embracing change as a growth opportunity when working within new work structures, processes, regulations, or requirements.

Continuous Improvement

Analyses current and future state business requirements and identify strategies to continuously improve products, services or processes. Guide and inspire others to achieve results to enhance efficiency, quality and consistency.

Innovation

Creates, develops and implements new ideas to enhance new or improved processes, systems, solutions, products or services; tries different and novel ways to deal with problems and opportunities.

Resilience

The ability to cope with and recover from setbacks, challenges or difficulty. Persevering even under pressure or crisis situations and uses ways that foster strength and growth, often emerging stronger than before.

Future Focused

Anticipates changes in regulations, technology and client needs, proactively responding to key trends happening in the industry. Thinks about the future through identifying opportunities and obstacles whilst planning effectively.