Martin Membery

MARTIN MEMBERY is a partner in the firm’s global Insurance practice. For over 30 years his practice has exclusively focused on the insurance sector, with a particular emphasis on complex insurance/reinsurance projects, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, distribution arrangements, regulatory matters, and structuring insurance/reinsurance policies, including the transfer of longevity risk.

Martin has been recognized in a variety of categories since 2004 by Chambers UK, as a leading individual in Insurance: Non-contentious – UK-wide (2013–2026) and in Legal 500 UK 2026 “Hall of Fame” for Insurance: Corporate and Regulatory and Insurance: Insolvency and Restructuring.

In the 2026 edition of Chambers UK, clients commented that “Martin Membery is able to tackle any complex question thrown at him with ease and he has a good commercial understanding of the needs of his client. He is prepared to go above and beyond for clients.” In previous editions, sources say “Martin’s level of service is excellent and his ability to offer sophisticated legal advice is matched with his great commercial awareness”(2025), “Martin is our first call on non-contentious insurance matters. His client service is excellent and he has a deep understanding of the London market” (2024), “he has highly relevant experience and commercial awareness” (2023), “he understands the market and has cross-jurisdictional experience that gives weight to his advice.”

Martin is a regular contributor to the insurance press and a frequent speaker at industry events and conferences.

Martin has advised:

• Westfield in its acquisition of the Lloyd’s operations of Argo Group, including Argo’s Lloyd’s managing agency and Argo’s members supporting Syndicate 1200.
• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., a global insurance brokerage, risk management, and consulting services firm, in its acquisition of the treaty reinsurance brokerage operations of Willis Towers Watson for US$3.25 billion.
• Munich Re in connection with a reinsurance swap transaction with NN Life of the Netherlands, providing longevity protection in respect of €3.8 billion of pension liabilities referable to over 43,000 pensioners and dependents.
• GIC in connection with a US$1 billion investment in Convex Group, led by GIC and Onex Partners.
• Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company on its acquisition of a shareholding in Rothesay Life.
• Munich Re on a reinsurance swap transaction with the Willis Pension Scheme, providing longevity protection in respect of approximately £1 billion of pension liabilities.
• Cincinnati Financial Corporation on its acquisition of MSP Underwriting at Lloyd’s from Munich Re.
• China Re on its acquisition of Chaucer from The Hanover Insurance Group for US$865 million. 
• Certain investment funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC on the acquisition of a majority stake in Catalina Holdings (Bermuda) Ltd.
• Catalina on the acquisition of Hartford Financial Products International and Downlands Liability Management from The Hartford.
• Catalina on the acquisition of AGF Insurance Limited from Allianz.
• Insurance linked securities funds managed by Credit Suisse Asset Management on the establishment of the Arcus Syndicate at Lloyd’s.
• Genworth on the sale of its European mortgage insurance business to AmTrust.
• A major insurance group on an internal group reorganization including an insurance business transfer from Germany to the UK.
• International reinsurance groups on collateralized life reinsurance transactions in respect of UK/EU blocks of annuity business.
• On the establishment of Kelvin Re, an AM Best A-rated reinsurer with an initial US$600 million capitalization.
• Munich Re on a reinsurance deal with Aviva Life & Pensions UK Ltd in respect of the £5 billion Aviva Staff Pension Scheme longevity swap.
• Arch on the acquisitions of Axiom Underwriting Agency and Resource Underwriting Pacific.
• Hastings Insurance Group as UK regulatory counsel on its successful placement of £416.5 million senior secured bonds.
• Various ILS funds on the establishment of a special purpose syndicate providing sidecar capacity to Barbican Syndicate 1955 at Lloyd’s.
• The investors in the Atlanticlux/Anima Re value in force life insurance linked securitization.
• Insurers on strategic options and implementation of reorganizations to optimize group structure in light of Solvency II.
• Leading insurance groups on bancassurance transactions in Europe and Asia.
• Munich Re on its assumption through reinsurance of £300 million of longevity risk from Pension Insurance Corporation.
• Prudential on pension buy-in transactions, including the £272 million buy-in with the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority.
• The Hartford on the US$285 million sale of Hartford Life International Limited (its UK variable annuity business) to Berkshire Hathaway Inc’s Columbia Insurance Company.