Qube Research & Technologies (QRT), a leading quantitative investment firm, has announced a significant reinforcement of its insurance-linked securities (ILS) team. The firm recently welcomed Dr. John Ery, a seasoned ILS portfolio manager, who transitions from reinsurance specialist SI Re. This strategic hire underscores QRT's commitment to enhancing its capabilities within the ILS sector.
QRT Fortifies ILS Expertise with Key Appointment
On October 13, 2025, Qube Research & Technologies (QRT), a global quantitative and systematic investment manager renowned for its technology and data-driven investment approach, officially announced the appointment of Dr. John Ery to its burgeoning insurance-linked securities (ILS) division. Dr. Ery, an experienced ILS portfolio manager, brings a wealth of knowledge from his previous role at SI Re, the reinsurance arm of the SIGNAL IDUNA group, where he dedicated nearly five years. His tenure at SI Re, based in Zurich, saw him progress from an ILS analyst to a full-fledged ILS portfolio manager by April 2024. In this capacity, Dr. Ery was instrumental in overseeing SI Re's catastrophe bond portfolio, in addition to pricing and underwriting a diverse range of ILS transactions, including reinsurance sidecars, private collateralized reinsurance deals, and industry loss warranties (ILWs). He also actively engaged in secondary market trading of catastrophe bonds, optimizing portfolio performance, and contributing to the structuring of SI Re's retrocessional reinsurance program. Dr. Ery's academic background includes studies at ETH Zurich and a PhD in mathematics earned as a SCOR Fellow, alongside his certification as an actuary. His expertise is particularly timely as QRT, which initially entered the ILS market in late 2024 with a focus on catastrophe bonds, continues its expansion. He is expected to commence his new role at QRT in November, joining the ILS investment team in Zurich, where his focus will primarily be on catastrophe bonds, though his broad ILS experience will be a significant asset. This move follows other key hirings, such as Daniel Ineichen in late 2024 and Raphael Rayees in March 2025, indicating QRT's aggressive growth strategy in the ILS market. Sources suggest QRT has deployed substantial capital, potentially reaching a billion dollars, into catastrophe bonds during the first half of 2025 alone.
The recruitment of Dr. Ery by QRT highlights the increasing competition for top talent within the specialized ILS market. It also signals QRT's strong intent to become a major player in the catastrophe bond space, leveraging deep expertise and sophisticated quantitative models. For the broader ILS market, this move could lead to more innovative product development and increased capital deployment, ultimately enhancing market liquidity and capacity for risk transfer. The integration of such a highly qualified individual like Dr. Ery into a systematic investment framework suggests a future where data science and deep financial engineering will play an even more critical role in managing complex insurance risks.
