Nick was one of the first underwriters I met in Lloyd’s when I joined the CPRI market.  From a distance he cut quite an imposing figure but it normally wasn’t long before the chuckle emerged and then his commentary of an amusing experience would be accompanied to the very end by his big belly laugh. How could you not possibly be disarmed by such a lovely man!

He always loved a good story, whether it was work related (the things he knew about the Tajiks!) or not, you only had to begin to explain a recent event and he could normally trump it. And the funny thing was that his colleagues at the box would also be laughing. So either they had never heard the story before (possible but unlikely) or loved Nick so much they were perfectly happy to hear a further narration for the brokers’ benefit! Like all good comedians, that meant that Nick’s repertoire becomes timeless.

The last time I met him was when fly-fishing at Mottisfont Abbey in September 2020. He and I both had dogs by then and I could see how excited he was about it. He was delighted to see colleagues that day and it was clear how he and all of us were missing each other’s company during lockdown. Fishing was not really his thing but he was delighted to come and give it a go and see some old friends. And it was great to spend the day with him on the riverbank.

I will never forget him.

Thank you Nick, for everything.