UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
   

SCHEDULE 14A
   
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No.     )  
   
Filed by the Registrantþ Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o
       
Check the appropriate box:     
oPreliminary Proxy Statement    
       
oConfidential, for Use of the Commission only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)  
       
þDefinitive Proxy Statement    
       
oDefinitive Additional Materials    
       
oSoliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12    
ASPEN INSURANCE HOLDINGS LIMITED
(Name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 (Name of person(s) filing proxy statement, if other than the registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): 
    
þNo fee required. 
    
oFee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
    
 (1)Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: 
    
 (2)Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: 
    
 (3)Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): 
    
 (4)Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: 
    
 (5)Total fee paid: 
    
oFee paid previously with preliminary materials 
    
 Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. 
    
 (1)Amount Previously Paid: 
    
 (2)
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

 
    
 (3)Filing Party: 
    
 (4)Date Filed: 
    
   






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ASPEN INSURANCE HOLDINGS LIMITED
Notice of 2016 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
andNOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
Proxy StatementAND PROXY STATEMENT
May 2, 2018





 
ASPEN INSURANCE HOLDINGS LIMITED
141 Front Street
Hamilton HM19
Bermuda



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IMPORTANT ASPEN INSURANCE HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THEANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
SHAREHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON APRIL 21, 2016
To our Shareholders:Dear shareholders:
The 2018 annual general meeting of shareholders of Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited (the “Company” or “Aspen Holdings”“our”) will be held at the offices of the Company, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda on April 21, 2016May 2, 2018 at 12.00 p.m. Local Timelocal time (the “Annual General“2018 Annual Meeting”).
The matters intended to be acted upon at the 2018 Annual General Meeting are as follows:
1.Toto re-elect Messrs. Ronald PressmanGlyn Jones, Gary Gregg and Gordon Ireland and to elect Mr. Karl MayrBret Pearlman as Class IIIII directors of the Company;
2.Toto provide a non-binding advisory vote approving the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers set forth in the proxy statement (“Say-On-Pay Vote”);
3.To approve the Company’s 2016 Stock Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors;
4.Toto re-appoint KPMG LLP (“KPMG”), London, England, to act as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and auditor for the fiscal year ending December 31, 20162018 and to authorize the Company’s Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) through the Audit Committee to set the remuneration for KPMG; and
5.4.Toto consider such other business as may properly come before the 2018 Annual General Meeting or any adjournments thereof.
The Company will also lay before the meeting2018 Annual Meeting the audited financial statements of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20152017 pursuant to the provisions of the Bermuda Companies Act 1981, as amended, and the Company’s Bye-Laws.
The close of business on February 22, 2016March 5, 2018 (the “Record Date”) has been fixed as the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the 2018 Annual General Meeting or any adjournments thereof. For a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the 2018 Annual General Meeting, a list of shareholders entitled to vote at the 2018 Annual General Meeting will be open for examination by any shareholder during ordinary business hours at the Company’s office located at 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE
SHAREHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON APRIL 21, 2016
The Proxy Statement, the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and the Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20152017 are available at http://www.edocumentview.com/AHL and http://www.aspen.co.
The Company has taken advantage of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rule allowing companies to furnish proxy materials via the Internet.internet. On or about March 10, 2016,19, 2018, the Company will mail a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (“Notice”) to allthe Company’s shareholders as of the record date, February 22, 2016.Record Date. The Notice will contain instructions on how to gain access to the Company’s Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.2017. In addition, the Notice will contain instructions to allow shareholders to request copies of the proxy materials by mail. The proxy materials sent by mail will include a proxy card containing instructions to submit your proxy via the Internetinternet or telephone, or alternatively you may complete, sign, date and return the proxy card by mail.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT
If you are unable to be present at the 2018 Annual General Meeting personally, please follow the instructions for submitting your proxy on the Notice you received for the meeting2018 Annual Meeting or, if you requested a paper copy of our proxy materials, by completing, signing, dating and returning your proxy card, or by Internetvia the internet or telephone as described on your proxy card.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
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Michael Cain
Group General Counsel and Company Secretary
Hamilton, Bermuda
March 10, 201619, 2018

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ASPEN INSURANCE HOLDINGS LIMITEDTABLE OF CONTENTS
141 Front Street
Hamilton HM19
Bermuda
PROXY STATEMENT
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
to be held on April 21, 2016
The Proxy Statement, the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 are available at
http://www.edocumentview.com/AHL and http://www.aspen.co
GENERAL INFORMATION
This proxy statement (the “Proxy Statement”) is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies on behalf of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited (the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”) to be voted at our annual general meeting of shareholders to be held at the offices of the Company located at 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda on April 21, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. local time, or at such other meeting upon any postponement or adjournment thereof (the “Annual General Meeting”). Directions to the Annual General Meeting may be obtained by contacting the Company at 1 (441) 295-8201. This Proxy Statement, the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and the accompanying form of proxy are being first mailed to shareholders on or about March 10, 2016. These proxy materials, along with a copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, are also available for viewing at http://www.edocumentview.com/AHL and http://www.aspen.co.
Shareholders will be asked to take the following actions at the Annual General Meeting:
1.Page
Proxy Statement Highlights
General Information about the 2018 Annual Meeting
Board Directors of the Company
Director Independence15
Committees of the Board of Directors15
Code of Conduct, Corporate Governance Guidelines and Committee Charters16
Board Leadership Structure16
Attendance at Meetings by Directors17
Non-Executive Directors17
2017 Non-Executive Director Compensation17
Submission of Shareholder Proposals for 201919
Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Nominees20
Communications to the Board of Directors22
Householding22
Annual Report on Form 10-K22
Executive Officers23
Role in Risk Oversight27
Review and Approval of Transactions with Related-Persons29
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation29
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
Executive Summary
Overview of 2017 Results
2017 Performance Highlights31
2017 Compensation Highlights for the NEOs32
Link Between Pay and Performance32
Executive Compensation Program and Philosophy33
Market Intelligence34
Determining Individual Compensation Levels35
Elements of Compensation37
Executive Compensation Governance and Process43
2017 Summary Compensation Table
2017 Grants of Plan-based Awards
Outstanding Equity Awards
Shares Vested During 201752
2017 Nonqualified Deferred Compensation52
Chief Executive Officer Pay Ratio
Retirement Benefits
Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control
Compensation Policies and Risk
Compensation Committee Report58
Audit Committee Report59
Beneficial Ownership
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance61
Proposals
Reconciliation of Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Measures


PROXY STATEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Voting Items
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Proposal 1: Election of Directors(Page 62)
The Board recommends you vote FOR each nominee
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Proposal 2: Non-Binding Vote to Approve Aspen’s 2017 Executive Compensation (“Say-On-Pay Vote”) (Page 63)
The Board recommends you vote FOR this proposal
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Proposal 3: Reappointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm(Page 64)
The Board recommends you vote FOR this proposal
2018 Annual Meeting and Voting InformationBoard and Corporate Governance Highlights
The nominees for the Board of Directors each have the qualifications and experience to approve and guide the strategy of Aspen and to oversee management’s execution of that strategic vision while mitigating risk and operating within a complex regulatory environment.
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Date and Time
May 2, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. (ADT)
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Place
141 Front Street,
Hamilton HM19,
Bermuda
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Record Date
March 5, 2018
82% of our directors are independent
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Voting
Shareholders as of the Record Date are entitled to vote. Holders of ordinary shares are entitled on a poll to one vote for each ordinary share held on each matter to be voted upon by the shareholders at the 2018 Annual Meeting.
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Admission
To attend the 2018 Annual Meeting in person, shareholders who are not holders of record must bring evidence of such ownership and provide personal identification (such as a driver’s license or passport).
The average tenure of our directors is 7.2 years
as of December 31, 2017






Aspen understands that corporate governance practices evolve over time and seeks to adopt practices that we believe will be of value to our shareholders and positively aid in Aspen’s governance. Highlights include the following:
Alignment with Shareholders:Compensation Governance:
ü  Separate positions for the Chair of the Board and Group Chief Executive Officer since inception
ü  Lead Independent Director since 2014
ü  Shareholders have the right to a call a special meeting and to act by written consent
ü  Non-management directors meet in executive session at least quarterly
ü  Majority vote FORstandard for director elections
ü  Annual Board and committee evaluations


ü  Say on pay advisory vote considered by shareholders annually
ü  75% of NEOs’ long-term incentive compensation is performance-based
ü  Compensation Committee retains an independent compensation consultant
ü  Clawback policy applies to all employees
ü  Members of the re-electionGroup Executive Committee are subject to double trigger change of control provisions
ü  All officers and directors are subject to our long-standing policy prohibiting pledging and hedging ownership of Aspen’s ordinary shares
ü  Share ownership guidelines for all directors and members of the Group Executive Committee




General Information About the 2018 Annual Meeting
Q:Why am I receiving these materials?
A:
You are receiving this proxy statement (this “Proxy Statement”) because you are a shareholder of Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited (the “Company,” “Aspen,” “we,” “us” or “our” and, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) as of March 5, 2018 (the “Record Date”). These proxy materials, along with a copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, are also available for viewing at http://www.edocumentview.com/AHL and http://www.aspen.co.

Q:Where and when will the 2018 Annual Meeting take place?
A:The 2018 annual general meeting of shareholders of the Company (the “2018 Annual Meeting”) will be held at 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda on May 2, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. (ADT). Directions to the 2018 Annual Meeting may be obtained by contacting the Company at +1 (441) 295-8201.
Q:Why did I receive a one page notice in the mail regarding the internet availability of proxy materials instead of a full set of proxy materials?
A:The Company has taken advantage of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) rule allowing companies to furnish proxy materials via the internet instead of a paper copy. This process allows us to expedite our shareholders’ receipt of proxy materials, lower the costs of distribution and reduce the environmental impact of our 2018 Annual Meeting. If you would like to receive a printed set of the proxy materials, please follow the instructions described in the Notice to request printed materials.
Q:What will I be voting on?
A:
Shareholders will be asked to take the following actions at the 2018 Annual Meeting:
 to re-elect Messrs. Ronald PressmanGlyn Jones, Gary Gregg and Gordon Ireland and the election of Mr. Karl MayrBret Pearlman as Class IIIII directors of the Company;
2.To
 to provide a non-binding vote FORapproving the approval of compensation of the Company’s named executive officers as set forth in this Proxy Statement as part of the non-binding, advisory say-on-pay vote (“Say-On-Pay Vote”);
and
3.To vote FOR the adoption of the Company’s 2016 Stock Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors; and
4.To vote FOR the re-appointment of
 to re-appoint KPMG LLP (“KPMG”), London, England, to act as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and auditor for the fiscal year ending December 31, 20162018 and to authorize the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) through the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) to set the remuneration for KPMG.
Q:Could other matters be decided at the 2018 Annual Meeting?
A:
As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Board knows of no matters that will be presented for consideration at the 2018 Annual Meeting other than as described in this Proxy Statement. If any other matters shall properly come before the 2018 Annual Meeting and shall be voted on, the proxy holders will be deemed to confer discretionary authority on the individuals named as proxies therein to vote the shares represented by such proxies as to any of those matters. The persons named as proxies intend to vote in accordance with the recommendation of the Board or otherwise in their best judgment.

Q:What are the voting recommendations of the Board?
A:
The Board unanimously recommends that you vote FOR each of the director nominees and FOR each of the proposals listed above.
Q:What vote is required to approve each proposal?
A:Each of the proposals require an affirmative vote of the majority of the voting power of the votes cast and entitled to vote at the 2018 Annual Meeting.
Q:Who is entitled to vote?
A:The Board has set March 5, 2018 as the Record Date for the determination of persons entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the 2018 Annual Meeting. As of the Record Date, there were 59,563,494 ordinary shares of the Company, par value U.S. 0.15144558 cents per share (the “ordinary shares”), issued and outstanding. The ordinary shares are our only class of equity securities outstanding currently entitled to vote at the 2018 Annual Meeting.
Q:How many votes do I have?
A:Holders of ordinary shares are entitled to one vote per each ordinary share held on the Record Date for each matter to be voted upon by the shareholders at the 2018 Annual Meeting. However, if you own Controlled Shares (as defined below) that constitute 9.5% or more of the voting power of all ordinary shares, your voting rights with respect to those Controlled Shares will be limited, in the aggregate, to a voting power of approximately 9.5% pursuant to a formula set forth in our Bye-Laws. Our Bye-Laws define “Controlled Shares” generally to include all ordinary shares that a person is deemed to beneficially own directly, indirectly or constructively within the meaning of Section 958 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. For more information, please refer to the disclosure on voting cutbacks in the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 filed with the SEC on February 22, 2018. It is currently expected that there will be no adjustments to the voting power of any of the Company’s shareholders.
Q:Who is soliciting my vote?
A:
The Board is soliciting your vote at the 2018 Annual Meeting. The Board has designated Christopher O’Kane, Group Chief Executive Officer, and Scott Kirk, Group Chief Financial Officer, as proxies.

Shareholders may be asked to consider such other business as may properly come before the Annual General Meeting or any adjournments thereof.
Proposals 1, 2, 3 and 4 each require an affirmative vote of the majority of the voting power of the votes cast and entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting (taking into account the Company’s Bye-Laws 63 to 67). The Company intends to conduct all voting at the Annual General Meeting by poll as requested by the Chairman of the Annual General Meeting, in accordance with our Bye-Laws.

As of February 22, 2016, the record date for the determination of persons entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at,
Q:How do I vote?
A:You can vote by proxy whether or not you attend the 2018 Annual General Meeting, there were 60,762,721 ordinary shares of the Company, par value U.S. 0.15144558 cents per share (the “ordinary shares”), issued and outstanding. The ordinary shares are our only class of equity securities outstanding currently entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting. Holders of ordinary shares are entitled on a poll to one vote for each ordinary share held on each matter to be voted upon by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting. To vote by proxy, shareholders have a choice of voting on the internet, by telephone or sending the completed and signed proxy card. Please follow the instructions described in the Notice for more information on how to vote your ordinary shares.
Q:What constitutes a quorum necessary to transact business at the meeting?
A:The presence of one or more shareholders in person or by proxy holding at least 50% of the voting power of all of the issued ordinary shares of the Company throughout the 2018 Annual Meeting shall form a quorum for the transaction of business at the 2018 Annual Meeting.
If a quorum is not present, the 2018 Annual Meeting shall stand adjourned to such other day, time and place as the chair of the meeting may determine and at such adjourned meeting two shareholders present in person or by proxy and holding at least 10% in the aggregate of the voting power of ordinary shares entitled to vote at such meeting shall be a quorum. The Company shall give not less than 21 days’ notice of any meeting adjourned through want of a quorum. An adjournment will have no effect on the business that may be conducted at the adjourned meeting.
Q:What is the difference between a “shareholder of record” and a “street name” holder?
A:These terms describe the manner in which you hold your ordinary shares. If your ordinary shares are registered directly in your name through our transfer agent, Computershare, you are a “shareholder of record.” If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in the name of a brokerage firm, bank, trust or other nominee as custodian on your behalf, you are a “street name” holder.
Q:What if I return my proxy but do not indicate how to vote my shares?
A:
If you are a shareholder of record and no instructions are provided in a properly executed proxy, it will be voted FOR all nominees in Proposal 1 and FOR Proposals 2 and 3 and in accordance with the proxyholder’s best judgment as to any other business as may properly come before the 2018 Annual Meeting. If a shareholder of record appoints a person other than the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy to represent him or her, such person will vote the shares in respect of which he or she is appointed proxyholder in accordance with the directions of the shareholder appointing him or her.

To the extent that beneficial owners do not furnish voting instructions with respect to any or all proposals submitted for shareholder action, member brokerage firms of The New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the “NYSE”) that hold ordinary shares in “street name” for such beneficial owners may not vote in their discretion on non-routine matters, such as Proposals 1 and 2, but have the discretion to vote on routine matters, such as Proposal 3. If beneficial owners do not provide voting instructions to their brokerage firm or other nominee, such brokerage firm or other nominee may only vote their shares on Proposal 3 and any other routine matters properly presented for a vote at the 2018 Annual Meeting.
Q:How will broker non-votes and abstentions be treated?
A:Any broker non-votes and abstentions will be counted toward the presence of a quorum at, but will not be considered votes cast on any proposal brought before, the 2018 Annual Meeting. Generally, “broker non-votes” occur when ordinary shares held for a beneficial owner are not voted on a particular proposal because the broker has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner and the broker does not have discretionary authority to vote the ordinary shares on a particular proposal.
Q:Can I change my vote?
A:Yes. Any shareholder who executes a proxy may revoke it at any time before it is voted by (i) delivering to the Company Secretary a written statement revoking such proxy, (ii) executing and delivering a later-dated proxy or (iii) voting in person at the 2018 Annual Meeting. Each ordinary share represented by a properly executed proxy which is returned and not revoked will be voted in accordance with the instructions, if any, given thereon.
Attendance at the 2018 Annual Meeting by a shareholder who has executed and delivered a proxy to us shall not in and of itself constitute a revocation of such proxy. For ordinary shares held in “street name” by a broker, bank or other nominee, new voting instructions must be delivered to the broker, bank or nominee prior to the 2018 Annual Meeting.
Q:What do I need to bring to attend the 2018 Annual Meeting?
A:

Only shareholders of record or their properly appointed proxies, beneficial owners of the Company’s ordinary shares who have evidence of such ownership and provide personal identification (such as a driver’s license or passport) and the Company’s guests may attend the 2018 Annual Meeting.
Q:Who pays the costs of soliciting proxies?
A:We will bear the cost of solicitation of proxies. We have engaged Innisfree M&A Incorporated to be our proxy solicitation agent. For these services, we will pay Innisfree M&A Incorporated a fee of approximately $15,000 plus reasonable expenses. Further solicitation may be made by our directors, officers and employees personally, by telephone, internet or otherwise, but such persons will not be specifically compensated for such services. We may also make, through bankers, brokers or other persons, a solicitation of proxies of beneficial holders of the ordinary shares. Upon request, we will reimburse brokers, dealers, banks or similar entities acting as nominees for reasonable expenses incurred in forwarding copies of the proxy materials relating to the 2018 Annual Meeting to the beneficial owners of ordinary shares which such persons hold of record.
Q:When will voting results be announced?
A:Preliminary voting results will be announced at the 2018 Annual Meeting. Final voting results will be filed with the SEC on a Current Report on Form 8-K within four business days following the 2018 Annual Meeting.


The presence of one or more shareholders in person or by proxy holding at least 50% of the voting power (that is, the number of maximum possible votes of the shareholders entitled to attend and vote at a general meeting, after giving effect to the provision of our Bye-Laws 63 to 67) of all of the issued ordinary shares of the Company throughout the Annual General Meeting shall form a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual General Meeting. Only recordholders or their properly appointed proxies, beneficial owners of the Company’s ordinary shares who have evidence of such ownership and provide personal identification (such as a driver’s license or passport) and the Company’s guests may attend the Annual General Meeting.

Pursuant to our Bye-Laws 63 to 67, the voting power of all ordinary shares is adjusted to the extent necessary so that there is no 9.5% U.S. Shareholder. For the purposes of our Bye-Laws, a “9.5% U.S. Shareholder” is defined as a United States Person (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, of the United States (the “Code”)) whose “controlled shares” (as defined below)

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constitute 9.5% or more of the voting power of all ordinary shares and who would be generally required to recognize income with respect to the Company under Section 951(a)(1) of the Code, if the Company were a controlled foreign corporation as defined in Section 957 of the Code and if the ownership threshold under Section 951(b) of the Code were 9.5%.
The applicability of the voting power reduction provisions to any particular shareholder depends on facts and circumstances that may be known only to the shareholder or related persons. Accordingly, the Company requests that any holder of ordinary shares with reason to believe that it is a 9.5% U.S. Shareholder (as described above) contact the Company promptly so that the Company may determine whether the voting power of such holder’s ordinary shares should be reduced. By submitting a proxy, unless the Company has otherwise been notified or made a determination with respect to a holder of ordinary shares, a holder of ordinary shares will be deemed to have confirmed that, to its knowledge, it is not, and is not acting on behalf of, a 9.5% U.S. Shareholder.
In order to determine the number of controlled shares owned by each shareholder, we are authorized to require any shareholder to provide such information as the Board may deem necessary for the purpose of determining whether any shareholder’s voting rights are to be adjusted pursuant to the Company’s Bye-Laws. We may, in our reasonable discretion, disregard the votes attached to ordinary shares of any shareholder failing to respond to such a request or submitting incomplete or inaccurate information. “Controlled shares” will include, among other things, all ordinary shares that a person is deemed to beneficially own directly, indirectly or constructively (as determined pursuant to Sections 957 and 958 of the Code).
Pursuant to our Bye-Laws 63 to 67, it is currently expected that there will be no adjustments to the voting power of any of the Company’s shareholders. Therefore, every shareholder will be entitled on a poll to one vote for each ordinary share held by such shareholder on each matter to be voted upon.
The Company’s Bye-Law 84 provides that if the voting rights of any shares of the Company are adjusted pursuant to Bye-Laws 63 to 67 and the Company is required or entitled to vote at a general meeting of any of its subsidiaries organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside of the United States of America (each, a “Non-U.S. Subsidiary”), the Board shall refer the subject matter of the vote to shareholders of the Company on a poll and seek authority from the shareholders in a general meeting of the Company for the Company’s corporate representative or proxy to vote in favor of the resolutions proposed by such Non-U.S. Subsidiary pro rata to the votes received at the general meeting of the Company’s corporate representative or proxy to vote against the directing resolution being taken, respectively, as an instruction for the Company’s corporate representative or proxy to vote in the appropriate proportion of its shares for, and the appropriate proportion of its shares against, the resolution proposed by the Non-U.S. Subsidiary.
At the Company’s 2009 annual general meeting, shareholders approved resolutions amending the constitutional documents of the Company and its Non-U.S. Subsidiaries to modify each of their respective voting push-up provisions (which mirror those of the Company described in the preceding paragraph) found in such constitutional documents, so that such provision is only applicable in the event that the voting rights of any shares of the Company are adjusted pursuant to the Company’s Bye-Laws 63-67. If voting rights are not adjusted pursuant to the above, resolutions proposed by the Company’s Non-U.S. Subsidiaries will not be voted upon by the Company’s shareholders at the Annual General Meeting.

PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
In accordance with the Bermuda Companies Act 1981, as amended, and Bye-Law 139 of the Company, the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015 were approved by the Board and will be presented at the Annual General Meeting. There is no requirement under Bermuda law that these statements be approved by shareholders and no such approval will be sought at the Annual General Meeting.
SOLICITATION AND REVOCATION
PROXIES IN THE FORM ENCLOSED ARE BEING SOLICITED BY, OR ON BEHALF OF, THE BOARD. THE
BOARD HAS DESIGNATED THE PERSONS NAMED IN THE ACCOMPANYING FORM OF PROXY AS PROXIES. Such persons designated as proxies serve as officers of the Company. Any shareholder desiring to appoint another person to represent him or her at the Annual General Meeting may do so either by inserting such person’s name in the blank space provided on the accompanying form of proxy or by completing another form of proxy and, in either case, delivering an executed proxy to the Company Secretary at the address indicated on page 3 of this Proxy Statement prior to the Annual General Meeting. It is the responsibility of the shareholder appointing such other person to represent him or her to inform such person of this appointment.
Each ordinary share represented by a properly executed proxy which is returned and not revoked will be voted in accordance with the instructions, if any, given thereon. If no instructions are provided in a properly executed proxy, it will be voted “FOR” all nominees in Proposal 1, “FOR” Proposals 2, 3 and 4 and in accordance with the proxyholder’s best judgment as to any other business as may properly come before the Annual General Meeting. If a shareholder appoints a person other than the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy to represent him or her, such person will vote the shares in respect of which he or she is appointed proxyholder in accordance with the directions of the shareholder appointing him or her. Any shareholder who executes a proxy may revoke it at any time before it is voted by (i) delivering to the Company Secretary a written statement revoking such proxy, (ii) executing and

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delivering a later-dated proxy or (iii) voting in person at the Annual General Meeting. Attendance at the Annual General Meeting by a shareholder who has executed and delivered a proxy to us shall not in and of itself constitute a revocation of such proxy. For ordinary shares held in “street name” by a broker, bank or other nominee, new voting instructions must be delivered to the broker, bank or nominee prior to the Annual General Meeting.
To the extent that beneficial owners do not furnish voting instructions with respect to any or all proposals submitted for shareholder action, member brokerage firms of The New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the “NYSE”) that hold ordinary shares in “street name” for such beneficial owners may not vote in their discretion on non-routine matters, such as Proposals 1, 2 and 3, but have the discretion to vote on routine matters, such as Proposal 4. If beneficial owners do not provide voting instructions to their brokerage firm or other nominee, such brokerage firm or other nominee may therefore only vote their shares on Proposal 4 and any other routine matters properly presented for a vote at the Annual General Meeting.
Any “broker non-votes” and abstentions will be counted toward the presence of a quorum at, but will not be considered votes cast on any proposal brought before, the Annual General Meeting. Generally, “broker non-votes” occur when ordinary shares held for a beneficial owner are not voted on a particular proposal because the broker has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner and the broker does not have discretionary authority to vote the ordinary shares on a particular proposal. If a quorum is not present, the Annual General Meeting shall stand adjourned to such other day and such other time and place as the chairman of the meeting may determine and at such adjourned meeting two (2) shareholders present in person or by proxy and holding at least ten percent (10%) in the aggregate of the voting power of shares entitled to vote at such meeting (taking into account the Company’s Bye-Laws 63-67) shall be a quorum. The Company shall give not less than twenty-one (21) days’ notice of any meeting adjourned through want of a quorum and such notice shall state that two (2) shareholders present in person or by proxy and holding at least ten percent (10%) in the aggregate of the voting power of shares entitled to vote at such meeting (taking into account the Company’s Bye-Laws 63-67) shall be a quorum. An adjournment will have no effect on the business that may be conducted at the adjourned meeting.
We will bear the cost of solicitation of proxies. We have engaged Innisfree M&A Incorporated to be our proxy solicitation agent. For these services, we will pay Innisfree M&A Incorporated a fee of approximately $15,000 plus reasonable expenses. Further solicitation may be made by our directors, officers and employees personally, by telephone, Internet or otherwise, but such persons will not be specifically compensated for such services. We may also make, through bankers, brokers or other persons, a solicitation of proxies of beneficial holders of the ordinary shares. Upon request, we will reimburse brokers, dealers, banks or similar entities acting as nominees for reasonable expenses incurred in forwarding copies of the proxy materials relating to the Annual General Meeting to the beneficial owners of ordinary shares which such persons hold of record.


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MANAGEMENT
Board of Directors of the Company
Our Bye-Laws provide forThe Company has a classified Board that is divided into three classes of directors, with each class elected to serve a term of three years. Our incumbent Class IAs of March 1, 2018, we had the following directors were elected at our 2014 annual general meetingon the Board and are scheduled to serve until our 2017 annual general meeting. committees of the Board:
Name Age 
Director
Since
 Audit Compensation 
Corporate 
Governance
& Nominating
 Investment RiskLead Independent Director
Class I Directors:               
Christopher O’Kane 63 2002           
Heidi Hutter 60 2002    C   
John Cavoores 60 2006         
Albert Beer 67 2011         
Matthew Botein 44 2017       C   
Class II Directors:               
Glyn Jones (Chair) 65 2006          
Gary Gregg 62 2013       C 
Bret Pearlman 51 2013        
Class III Directors:               
Ronald Pressman 59 2011   C      
Gordon Ireland 64 2013 C        
Karl Mayr 67 2015        
___________
Committee Member
C Committee Chair
Our incumbent Class II directors were elected at our 2015 annual general meeting of shareholders and are scheduled to serve until ourstanding for re-election at the 2018 annual general meeting.Annual Meeting. Our incumbent Class III directors were elected at our 20132016 annual general meeting of shareholders and will be subject for (re)electionare scheduled to serve until our 2019 annual general meeting of shareholders. Our incumbent Class I directors were elected at the Annual General Meeting.
We have provided information below about our directors, including their ages, committee positions, business experience for the past five years2017 annual general meeting of shareholders and the namesare scheduled to serve until our 2020 annual general meeting of other companies on which they serve, or have served, for the past five years. We have also provided information regarding each director’s specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that led the Board to conclude that each should serve as a director.shareholders.
As of February 15, 2016, we had the following directors on the Board and committees:
Name Age 
Director
Since
 Audit Compensation 
Corporate 
Governance
& Nominating
 Investment Risk
Class I Directors:              
Christopher O’Kane 61 2002          
Heidi Hutter (1)
 58 2002 P   P   Chair
John Cavoores 58 2006         P
Liaquat Ahamed 63 2007       Chair P
Albert Beer 65 2011 P       P
Class II Directors:              
Glyn Jones 63 2006       P  
Gary Gregg 60 2013 P P     P
Bret Pearlman 49 2013   P   P  
Class III Directors:              
Richard Bucknall 67 2007 P 
 P   P
Peter O’Flinn 63 2009 P   Chair    
Ronald Pressman 57 2011   Chair   P  
Gordon Ireland 62 2013 Chair       P
Karl Mayr 65 2015         P
_________
(1)Effective October 29, 2014, Ms. Hutter also serves as the Company’s Lead Independent Director.
Glyn Jones.  With effect from May 2, 2007, Mr. Jones was appointed as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Jones has been a director and a member of the Investment Committee since October 30, 2006. He also served as a non-executive director and Chairman of Aspen Insurance UK Limited (“Aspen U.K.”) between December 4, 2006 and May 6, 2014 and was a member of Aspen U.K.’s audit committee between September 4, 2006 and May 6, 2014. Mr. Jones is also the Chairman of Aldermore Group plc, chair of its corporate governance and nominating committee and a member of its compensation committee. Mr. Jones is also the Chairman of Aldermore Bank plc, Aldermore Group plc’s banking subsidiary. Between September 2012 and May 2015, Mr. Jones was the senior independent director, chair of the investment committee and audit committee member of Direct Line Insurance Group plc, a FTSE 100 company. He was also a director of UK Insurance Limited, a subsidiary of Direct Line, between October 2012 and May 2015. Mr. Jones was previously the Chairman of Hermes Fund Managers, BT Pension Scheme Management and Towry Holdings. Mr. Jones was the Chief Executive Officer of Thames River Capital LLP from October 2005 until May 2006. From 2000 to 2004, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Gartmore Investment Management in the United Kingdom. Prior to Gartmore, Mr. Jones was Chief Executive Officer of Coutts NatWest Group and Coutts Group, which he joined in 1997, and was responsible for strategic leadership, business performance and risk management. In 1991, he joined Standard Chartered, later becoming the general manager of Global Private Banking. Mr. Jones was a consulting partner with Coopers & Lybrand/Deloitte Haskins & Sells Management Consultants from 1981 to 1990.
Mr. Jones has over 25 years of experience within the financial services sector. He is the former chief executive officer of a number of large, regulated, international financial services groups and has served as chairman of the board in a number of other

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financial services companies. As a result, Mr. Jones providesIn evaluating the Board leadership for a complex, global and regulated financial services business such as ours.
Christopher O’Kane.  Mr. O’Kane has been our Chief Executive Officer and a director since June 21, 2002. He was also a director of Aspen U.K. between 2002 and 2014 and its Chief Executive Officer until January 2010. He also serves as a director on various other boards of the Company’s subsidiaries. Mr. O’Kane served as Chairman of Aspen Bermuda Limited (“Aspen Bermuda”) until December 2006. Prior to the creation of the Company, from November 2000 until June 2002, Mr. O’Kane served as a director of Wellington Underwriting plc and Chief Underwriting Officer of Lloyd’s Syndicate 2020 where he built his specialist knowledge in the fields of property insurance and reinsurance, together with active underwriting experience in a range of other insurance disciplines. From September 1998 until November 2000, Mr. O’Kane served as one of the underwriting partners for Syndicate 2020. Prior to joining Syndicate 2020, Mr. O’Kane served as deputy underwriter for Syndicate 51 from January 1993 to September 1998. Mr. O’Kane began his career as a Lloyd’s broker.
Mr. O’Kane has over 30 years of experience in the specialty re/insurance industry and is both a co-founder of our Company's business and its founding Chief Executive Officer. Mr. O’Kane brings his market experience and industry knowledge to Board discussions and is also directly accountable to the Board for the day-to-day management of the Company and the implementation of its business strategy.
Liaquat Ahamed.  Mr. Ahamed has been a director of the Company since October 31, 2007. Mr. Ahamed has a background in investment management with leadership roles that include heading the World Bank’s investment division. From 2004, Mr. Ahamed has been an adviser to the Rock Creek Group, an investment firm based in Washington D.C. From 2001 to 2004, Mr. Ahamed was the Chief Executive Officer of Fischer Francis Trees & Watts, Inc., a subsidiary of BNP Paribas specializing in institutional single and multi-currency fixed income investment portfolios. Mr. Ahamed has been a director of the Rohatyn Group and related series of funds since 2005 and a membercomposition of the Board, of Trustees at the Brookings Institution and the Putnam Funds since 2012.
Mr. Ahamed has over 30 years of experience in investment management and previously served as the chief investment officer and Chief Executive Officer of Fischer Francis Trees & Watts, Inc. Mr. Ahamed’s investment management experience provides the Board with experience to oversee the Company’s investment decisions, strategies and investment risk appetite. As a result, Mr. Ahamed also serves as Chair of the Investment Committee and is a member of the Risk Committee.
Albert J. Beer.  Mr. Beer has been a director of the Company since February 4, 2011 and a director of Aspen Bermuda since July 23, 2014. Since 2006, Mr. Beer has been the Michael J Kevany/XL Professor of Insurance and Actuarial Science at St John’s University School of Risk Management. From 1992 to 2006, Mr. Beer held various senior executive positions at American Re-Insurance Corporation (Munich Re America). Previously, from 1989 to 1992, Mr. Beer held various positions at Skandia America Reinsurance Corporation, including that of Chief Actuary. He also has been a board member of United Educators Insurance Company since 2006, having served as Vice-Chair from 2009 to 2013. Since 2009, Mr. Beer has been a Trustee Emeritus for the Actuarial Foundation, having served as a board member from 2006 until 2009. In 2013, Mr. Beer was elected as a member of the Board of the American Academy of Actuaries, having previously served on such board from 1992 until 1994 and from 1996 until 1999. Mr. Beer was a member of the Actuarial Standards Board, which promulgates standards for the actuarial profession in the United States, from 2007 to 2012 and was its Chair from 2010 to 2011. Mr. Beer previously served as a member of the Board of the Casualty Actuarial Society.
Mr. Beer has over 30 years of actuarial experience in the insurance industry. Mr. Beer’s roles at American Re-Insurance Corporation included the active supervision of principal financial and accounting officers. In addition, Mr. Beer has extensive experience in reserving matters, which constitute the principal subjective assessments within the Company’s accounts. As a result, Mr. Beer serves as a designated financial expert on the Company’s Audit Committee and is a member of the Risk Committee.
Richard Bucknall.  Mr. Bucknall has been a director of the Company since July 25, 2007, a director of Aspen U.K. since January 14, 2008 and a director of Aspen Managing Agency Limited (“AMAL”) since February 28, 2008. Mr. Bucknall previously served as Chairman of the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”) between July 2007 and March 2015. Mr. Bucknall retired from Willis Group Holdings Limited where he was Vice Chairman from February 2004 to March 2007 and Group Chief Operating Officer from January 2001 to December 2006. While at Willis, Mr. Bucknall served as director on various boards within the Willis Group. He was also previously Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Willis Limited from May 1999 to March 2007. Mr. Bucknall is currently the non-executive Chairman of FIM Services Limited and the non-executive Chairman of the XIS Group (comprised of Ins-Sure Holdings Limited, Ins-Sure Services Limited, London Processing Centre Ltd and LSPO Limited) where he is also a member of the audit committee. Mr. Bucknall is also currently a director of Tokio Marine Kiln Insurance Limited (formerly Tokio Marine Europe Insurance Limited), having previously served as chairman from December 2012 until February 2016 and as a director since 2010, where he is also a member of the audit and risk committees. Effective February 2016, Mr. Bucknall also serves as a director of Tokio Marine Kiln Syndicates Limited. Mr. Bucknall is a fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Mr. Bucknall has over 40 years of experience within the re/insurance broking industry and latterly served as Group Chief Operating Officer of the Willis Group. Since our revenues are primarily derived from brokers as distribution channels, Mr. Bucknall’s

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background in the insurance broking industry provides the Board with an experienced perspective on broking relationships and their ability to impact our trading operations. Given his broad background across a number of operational disciplines, Mr. Bucknall is a member of the Audit, Risk and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committees.
John Cavoores.  Mr. Cavoores has been a director ofCommittee seeks to find and retain individuals who, in addition to having the Company since October 30, 2006. From October 5, 2010 through December 31, 2011, Mr. Cavoores was alsoqualifications set forth in Aspen’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, have the Co-Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Insurance, focusing on Aspen Insurance’s casualtyskills, experience and professional lines and U.S. property businesses, where he had executive oversight for Aspen Insurance’s U.S. platform. From January 1, 2012, Mr. Cavoores continued his roleabilities necessary to meet Aspen’s unique needs as a non-executive director ofhighly regulated company with operations around the Company. From September 2006 until March 2010, Mr. Cavoores was an advisor to Blackstone. During 2006, Mr. Cavoores was a Managing Director of Century Capital, a Boston-based private equity firm. From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Cavoores served as President and Chief Executive Officer of OneBeacon Insurance Company, a subsidiary ofglobe. As illustrated in the White Mountains Insurance Group. He was employed with OneBeacon from 2001 to 2005. Among his other positions, Mr. Cavoores was President of National Union Insurance Company, a subsidiary of AIG, Inc. He spent 19 years at Chubb Insurance Group, where he served as Chief Underwriting Officer, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of overseas operations, based in London. Mr. Cavoores has been the Chairman of Guidewire Software, Inc. since June 2015 and a director since December 2012. Mr. Cavoores has also been a director of Cunningham Lindsey, Inc. since October 2014. Mr. Cavoores previously served as a director of Alliant Insurance Holdings.
Mr. Cavoores has over 30 years of experience within the insurance industry having, among other positions, formerly served as President and Chief Executive Officer of OneBeacon Insurance. As a result, Mr. Cavoores providestable below, the Board consists of individuals with broad ranging businessthe skills, experience, with particular focus on insurance matters and strategies within the United States,backgrounds necessary to oversee Aspen’s efforts toward becoming a more effective and is a member of the Risk Committee.
Gary Gregg. Mr. Gregg has been a director of the Company since April 24, 2013. From May 2013 to 2015, Mr. Gregg was an advisor to Ortelius Ventures LLC. From 2011 to 2013, Mr. Gregg was engaged as a private consultant on a number of insurance and non-insurance related business purchase transactions. Prior to this, Mr. Gregg held various senior positions at Liberty Mutual Group from 1989 to 2011. From 2005 to 2011, Mr. Gregg served as President of Liberty Mutual Agency Corporation, one of Liberty Mutual Group’s four major business units. Prior to this, he served as President of Commercial Markets, another of the four major business units within Liberty Mutual Group from 1999 to 2005. Before joining Liberty Mutual Group, Mr. Gregg was a partner at KPMG Peat Marwick LLP from 1988 to 1989, where he also held various positions of increasing responsibility from 1979 to 1988. Mr. Gregg is currently a member of the executive committee, the chairman of the finance committee, and the vice-chairman of the nominating Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts, having previously served as a member of the board of governors. Mr. Gregg also serves as a trustee, member of the audit committee and chairman of the development committee at the Stimson Center. Mr. Gregg previously served as a member of the academic affairs committee and the dean’s executive council of the D’Amore School of Business at Northeastern University until 2015.
Mr. Gregg has over 25 years of experience within the insurance industry, with expertise in the U.S. property and casualty market. Mr. Gregg also has relevant entrepreneurial experience in running insurance companies through his various positions held at Liberty Mutual Group. Given his extensive operational background, Mr. Gregg also serves as a member of the Audit, Compensation and Risk Committees.
Heidi Hutter.  Ms. Hutter has been a director of the Company since June 21, 2002 and Lead Independent Director since October 29, 2014. She has served as a non-executive director of Aspen U.K. since August 6, 2002 and as a director and Chair of AMAL, the managing agent of our Lloyd’s Syndicate 4711, since February 28, 2008. She has served as Chief Executive Officer of Black Diamond Group, LLC since 2001 and Manager of Black Diamond Capital Partners since 2005. Ms. Hutter began her career in 1979 with Swiss Reinsurance Company in New York where she specialized in the then new field of finite reinsurance. From 1993 to 1995, she was Project Director for the Equitas Project at Lloyd’s which became the largest run-off reinsurer in the world. From 1996 to 1999, she served as Chief Executive Officer of Swiss Re America and was a member of the Executive Board of Swiss Re in Zurich. Ms. Hutter is director of Shenandoah Life Insurance Company, a director of SBLI USA Life Insurance Company, Inc. and a director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Prosperity Life Insurance Group LLC (Shenandoah’s and SBLI’s holding company). Ms. Hutter previously served as a director and Chair of the audit committee of AmeriLife Group LLC and as a director of Aquila, Inc., Smart Insurance Company (formerly United Prosperity Life Insurance Company) and Talbot Underwriting and related corporate entities.
Ms. Hutter is a qualified actuary with over 35 years of experience within the re/insurance industry. Ms. Hutter is a recognized industry leader with relevant experience both in the United States and internationally. Ms. Hutter has particular insurance experience at Lloyd’s as she served as Project Director for the Equitas Project at Lloyd’s from 1993 to 1995, and having previously served on the board of Talbot Underwriting Ltd. (corporate member and managing agent of Lloyd’s syndicate) from 2002 to 2007. As a result of her experience, Ms. Hutter provides the Board with insight on numerous matters relevant to insurance practice. Ms. Hutter also serves as Chair of the Risk Committee and as a member of the Audit and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committees.
Gordon Ireland.  Mr. Ireland has been a director of the Company since February 7, 2013. He worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers and its predecessor firms for 36 years until 2010 where he was a member of the U.K. Firms’ Supervisory Board for nine years, serving at various times as Chairman of the Senior Management Remuneration Committee and Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board

8



and was, for a number of years, Chairman of the PricewaterhouseCoopers’ partner admissions panel. Mr. Ireland was Chairman of the PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Global International Insurance Accounting Group. Mr. Ireland represented PricewaterhouseCoopers on The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (“ICAEW”) Accounting sub-Committee. Mr. Ireland has also represented the ICAEW on the Federation des Experts Comptables European equivalent committee and was a member of the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group Financial Instruments Working Group. As of May 27, 2015, Mr. Ireland has been a director of Iccaria Insurance ICC Ltd, a subsidiary of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. that focuses on longevity swaps for pension funds. Mr. Ireland has also been a director of Yorkshire Building Society Group since September 2015. Mr. Ireland served as a director of Global Insurance Company Limited between March 2011 and December 2014. From July 2010 until June 2015, Mr. Ireland was a director of L&F Holdings Limited and Chief Executive of L&F Indemnity Limited, the professional indemnity captive insurance group which serves the PricewaterhouseCoopers network. He also served as a director of Lifeguard Insurance (Dublin) Limited, Catamount Indemnity Limited and Professional Asset Indemnity Limited from July 2010 to June 2015.
Mr. Ireland has over 35 years of experience within the financial services sector having worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers. As a result of his audit-led exposure to the London Market and generalefficient insurance and reinsurance markets throughout his career, Mr. Ireland provides strong insurance audit skillscompany, while mitigating risk and technical accountancy expertise to our Board. Asoperating within a result, he serves as Chaircomplex regulatory environment.



dsm19mar.jpg


The following tables provide information about each of the Audit Committee, on which he is also a designated financial expert,directors’ principal occupation and as a member ofbusiness experience, and highlights his or her particular skills, qualifications and experience that support the Risk Committee.
Karl Mayr. Mr. Mayr has been a director of the Company since December 2, 2015. Mr. Mayr has also served as a director of Aspen U.K. and a member of its Risk Committee since June 2015. Mr. Mayr has served as a Director of Würzburger Versicherungs-AG since 2004. Mr. Mayr worked at Axis Re Europe and Axis Reinsurance from 2003 to 2014 where his most recent roles were as Vice Chairman of Axis Reinsurance and President and Chief Executive Officer of Axis Re Europe. Prior to this, Mr. Mayr was at GE Frankona Reinsurance Company.
Mr. Mayr has over 30 years of experience in the reinsurance sector, primarily in Europe, across a number of product lines in both an underwriting capacity and in managerial roles. As a result of his experience, Mr. Mayr also serves as a member of the Risk Committee.
Peter O’Flinn.  Mr. O’Flinn has been a director of the Company since April 29, 2009 and a director of Aspen Bermuda since February 16, 2010. From 1999 to 2003, Mr. O’Flinn was Co-Chairman of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae. He previously served as a director and audit committee member of Sun Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York from 1998 until August 2013, and of Euler ACI Holdings, Inc. from 1998 until December 2013.
Mr. O’Flinn is a qualified lawyer with over 25 years of private practice experience. Mr. O’Flinn is a corporate lawyer and former Co-Chairman of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, as well as former chair of their corporate practice, and has extensive experience on legal matters relevant to both the re/insurance industry and public company legal matters generally. Mr. O’Flinn provides the Board with input on corporate initiatives and regulatory and governance matters. As a result of his experience, Mr. O’Flinn serves as the Chairconclusion of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and as a member ofthat the Audit Committee.
Bret Pearlman. Mr. Pearlman has been a director of the Company since July 24, 2013. Since 2004, Mr. Pearlman has been a Managing Director of Elevation Partners, where he is also a Co-Founder. In October 2014, Mr. Pearlman also became a Manager of HRS 1776 Partners. Previously, Mr. Pearlman worked for The Blackstone Group where he served as a Senior Managing Director from 2000 to 2004 and held various roles from 1989 to 2000. Mr. Pearlman was a board member of Forbes Media LLC from 2009 to 2014. He joined the board of CHM Holdings LLC in 2015. Mr. Pearlman continuesqualified to serve on the board of the Youth Renewal Fund Charity and the Jericho Athletic Association charity. Board.
Mr. Pearlman has over 25 years of experience within private equity, providing a strong understanding of performance management, business models, corporate finance and capital management. His current role as Managing Director at Elevation Partners provides significant experience of the digital world and technology. As a result of his experience, Mr. Pearlman also serves as a member of the Compensation and Investment Committees.
Ronald Pressman.  Mr. Pressman has been a director of the Company since November 17, 2011. Mr. Pressman was appointed as Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of TIAA Institutional Financial Services in September 2015, having previously served as Chief Operating Officer of TIAA from January 2012 until September 2015. Previously, he worked at General Electric (“GE”) Corporation for 31 years, where he was most recently President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Capital Real Estate from 2007 until 2011. From 2000 to 2007, Mr. Pressman also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Asset Management and as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Employers Reinsurance. Earlier in his career, Mr. Pressman led GE energy businesses in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Southwest Asia and the United States. Mr. Pressman previously served as a member of the board of New York Life Insurance Company from November 2011 until January 2012. He currently serves as Chairman of the national board of A Better Chance, a non-profit organization which provides leadership development opportunities for children of color in the United States. He is also a director of Pathways to College, a non-profit organization that prepares young people from deprived communities for college. Mr. Pressman is also a charter trustee of Hamilton College.
Position, Principal Occupation, Business Experience and Directorships
glynjones.jpg
• Chairman, Old Mutual Wealth — 2016 to present
• Chairman, Aldermore Group PLC and Aldermore Group Bank PLC — 2014 to 2017
• Senior Independent Director and Chairman of the Investment Committee, Direct Line Insurance Group — 2012 to 2015
• Director, UK Insurance Limited — 2012 to 2015
• Non-Executive Director and Chairman, Aspen U.K. — 2006 to 2014
• Chairman, Towry Holdings — 2006 to 2012
• Chairman, BT Pension Scheme Management — 2010 to 2011
• Chairman, Hermes Fund Managers — 2008 to 2011
• Chief Executive Officer, Thames River Capital LLP — 2005 to 2006
• Chief Executive Officer, Gartmore Investment Management — 2000 to 2004
• Chief Executive Officer, Coutts NatWest Group and Coutts Group — 1997 to 2000
• General Manager, Global Private Banking, Standard Chartered — 1991 to 1997
• Consulting Partner, Coopers & Lybrand/Deloitte Haskins & Sells Management Consultants — 1981 to 1990

Glyn JonesSkills and Qualifications
Age: 65
Mr. Jones has over 30 years of experience within the financial services sector. He is the former chief executive officer of a number of large, regulated, international financial services groups and has served as chairman of the board in a number of other financial services companies. As a result, Mr. Jones provides the Board leadership for a complex, global and regulated financial services business such as ours and is also a member of the Investment Committee.

Chair of the Board
since May 2, 2007
Director of Aspen

since October 30, 2006
Other Directorships
Old Mutual Wealth

9

Position, Principal Occupation, Business Experience and Directorships
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• Group Chief Executive Officer, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited — 2002 to present
• Director, Blue Marble Micro Insurance — 2016 to present
• Director, Aspen U.K. — 2002 to 2014
• Chief Executive Officer of Aspen U.K. — 2002 to 2010
• Chairman, Aspen Bermuda Limited — 2002 to 2006
• Director, Chief Underwriting Officer, Lloyd’s Syndicate 2020 — 2000 to 2002
• Underwriting Partner, Lloyd’s Syndicate 2020 — 1998 to 2000
• Deputy Underwriter, Syndicate 51 — 1993 to 1998

Christopher O’KaneSkills and Qualifications
Age: 63
Mr. O’Kane has extensive experience in the specialty re/insurance industry and is both a co-founder of our Company’s business and its founding Chief Executive Officer. Mr. O’Kane brings his market experience and industry knowledge to Board discussions and is also directly accountable to the Board for the day-to-day management of the Company and the implementation of its business strategy.
Group Chief Executive Officer and Director
since June 21, 2002
Other Directorships
Blue Marble Micro Insurance


Mr. Pressman has over 30 years of experience within the financial services sector, in particular real estate, asset management and reinsurance, having worked at GE for over 30 years and served as Chief Operating Officer of TIAA until his appointment as Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of TIAA Institutional Financial Services in September 2015. With his varied experience across such sectors and having held senior positions, Mr. Pressman provides further insight on a wide-range of matters including operations, insurance industry and investment management expertise. As a result of his experience, Mr. Pressman also serves as Chair of the Compensation Committee and as a member of the Investment Committee.
Review and Approval of Transactions with Related Persons
The review and approval of any direct or indirect transactions between the Company and “related persons” (directors, executive officers or any of their immediate family members) is governed by our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which provides guidelines for any transaction which may create a conflict of interest between us and our employees, officers or directors and members of their immediate family. Pursuant to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, we will review personal benefits received, personal financial interest in a transaction and certain business relationships in evaluating whether a conflict of interest exists. The Audit Committee is responsible for applying the Company’s conflict of interest policy and approving certain individual transactions.
Position, Principal Occupation, Business Experience and Directorships
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• Vice Chair, United Educators Insurance Company — 2009 to 2013; Board Member — 2006 to present
• Director, Aspen Bermuda Limited — 2014 to present
• Trustee Emeritus, Actuarial Foundation — 2009 to present; Board Member — 2006 to 2009
• Michael J. Kevany/XL Professor of Insurance and Actuarial Science at St John’s University, School of Risk Management — 2006 to present
• Board Member, American Academy of Actuaries — 2013 to 2016
• Chair, Actuarial Standards Board — 2010 to 2011; Board Member — 2007 to 2012
• Senior Executive, American Re-Insurance Corporation (Munich Re America) — 1992 to 2006
• Senior Executive, Skandia America Reinsurance Corporation — 1989 to 1992
• President and Board member, Casualty Actuarial Society — 1995



Albert BeerSkills and Qualifications
Age: 67
Mr. Beer has over 30 years of actuarial and management experience in the insurance industry. Mr. Beer’s roles at American Re-Insurance Corporation included the active supervision of principal financial and accounting officers. In addition, Mr. Beer has extensive experience in reserving matters, which constitute the principal subjective assessments within the Company’s accounts. As a result, Mr. Beer serves as a designated financial expert on the Company’s Audit Committee and is a member of the Risk Committee.
Director of Aspen
since February 4, 2011
Other Directorships
Aspen Bermuda Limited, American Academy of Actuaries, United Educators Insurance Company
Position, Principal Occupation, Business Experience and Directorships
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• Director, Fidentia Fortuna Holdings Limited — 2018 to present
• Director, Aspen Capital Markets — 2017 to present
• Managing Partner, Gallatin Point Capital LLC — 2017 to present
• Advisor, BlackRock Inc.’s alternative investment unit — 2017 to present
• Director, Northeast Bancorp — 2010 to present
• Director, PennyMac Financial Services Inc. — 2008 to present
• Director, Alignment Artist Capital LLC — 2015 to 2017
• Director, Alliance Partners LLC — 2011 to 2017
• Head, BlackRock Alternative Investors, BlackRock Inc. — 2010 to 2017
• Co-Head and Chief Investment Officer, BlackRock Inc.’s alternative investment unit — 2010 to 2017
• Managing Director and Global Operating Committee Member, Blackrock Inc. — 2010 to 2017
• Director, PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust — 2009 to 2013
• Director, Corelogic, Inc. (and predecessor, First American Corporation) — 2009 to 2011
• Director, Cyrus Holdings Ltd — 2005 to 2009
• Non-Executive Director, Aspen — 2002 to 2003 and 2007 to 2011

Matthew BoteinSkills and Qualifications
Age: 44
Mr. Botein has approximately 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, primarily managing portfolio investments in the banking, insurance, asset management, capital markets and financial processing sectors. As a result of his extensive financial services and investment management experience, Mr. Botein also serves as Chair of the Investment Committee.
Director of Aspen
since February 7, 2017
Other Directorships
Fidentia Fortuna Holdings Limited, PennyMac Financial Services Inc., Northeast Bancorp, Aspen Capital Markets



Position, Principal Occupation, Business Experience and Directorships
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• Chairman, Guidewire Software, Inc. — 2015 to 2016; Director — 2012 to 2016
• Director, Cunningham Lindsey, Inc. — 2014 to 2016
• Co-Chief Executive Officer, Aspen Insurance business segment — 2010 to 2011
• Director, Alliant Insurance Holdings — 2007 to 2012
• Advisor, Blackstone — 2006 to 2010
• Managing Director, Century Capital — 2006
• President and Chief Executive Officer, OneBeacon Insurance Company — 2003 to 2005; Managing Director — 2001 to 2005
• President, National Union Insurance Company, a subsidiary of AIG, Inc. — 1998 to 2000
• Chief Underwriting Officer, Executive Vice President, Managing Director of Overseas Operations, Chubb Insurance Group — 1979 to 1998

John CavooresSkills and Qualifications
Age: 60
Mr. Cavoores has over 30 years of experience within the insurance industry having, among other positions, formerly served as President and Chief Executive Officer of OneBeacon Insurance Company. As a result, Mr. Cavoores provides the Board with broad ranging business experience, with particular focus on insurance matters and strategies within the United States, and is a member of the Risk and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committees.
Director of Aspen
since October 30, 2006 (Non-Executive Director since January 1, 2012)
Other Directorships
None
Position, Principal Occupation, Business Experience and Directorships
garygregg.jpg
• Member of the Executive Committee, Nominating Committee and Chair of the Finance Committee, Board of Trustees Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts — 2015 to present; Overseer and member of the Audit Committee — 2006 to 2014
• Trustee, Member of the Audit Committee and Chairman of the Development Committee, Stimson Center, Washington DC — 2012 to present
• Ortelius Ventures LLC — 2013 to 2015
• Academic Affairs Committee and Dean’s Executive Council, D’Amore School of Business, Northeastern University — 2003 to 2015
• Private Consultant — 2011 to 2013
• President of Liberty Mutual Agency Corporation — 2005 to 2011
• President of Commercial Markets, Liberty Mutual — 1999 to 2005; Senior Executive — 1989 to 1999
• Partner, KPMG — 1988 to 1989; Executive — 1979 to 1988
Gary GreggSkills and Qualifications
Age: 62
Mr. Gregg has over 30 years of experience within the insurance industry, with expertise in the U.S. property and casualty market. Mr. Gregg also has relevant entrepreneurial experience in running insurance companies through his various positions held at Liberty Mutual Group, which included overseeing multiple business acquisitions and subsequent integrations; directing overall IT strategy for his business units, with annual budgets typically in the range of $400 million, including major claims, underwriting and CRM system implementations; and experience managing multiple insurance distribution channels including large national brokerage, the U.S. independent agency system and direct selling. Given his extensive operational background, Mr. Gregg also serves as Chair of the Risk Committee and is a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees.
Director of Aspen
since April 24, 2013
Other Directorships
Museum of Science, Boston; Stimson Center, Washington DC



Position, Principal Occupation, Business Experience and Directorships
heidihutter2.jpg
• Director, SBLI USA Life Insurance Company, Inc. — 2014 to present
• Director, Prosperity Life Insurance Group, LLC — 2013 to present; Audit Committee Chair — 2016 to present
• Director, Shenandoah Life Insurance Company — 2012 to present; Audit Committee Chair — 2012 to 2015
• Director and Chair, Aspen Managing Agency Limited (“AMAL”) — 2008 to present
• Manager, Black Diamond Capital Partners — 2005 to present
• Chief Executive Officer, Black Diamond Group, LLC — 2001 to present
• Non-Executive Director, Aspen Insurance U.K. Ltd. — 2002 to 2016
• Director and Audit Committee Chair, AmeriLife Group LLC, DE, US — 2007 to 2015
• Director, Smart Insurance Company — 2010 to 2013
• Director, Talbot Underwriting — 2002 to 2007
• Chief Executive Officer, Swiss Re America — 1996 to 1999
• Executive Board Member, Swiss Re Zurich — 1996 to 1999
• Project Director, Equitas Project — 1993 to 1995
• Executive, Swiss Re, NY — 1979 to 1993
Heidi HutterSkills and Qualifications
Age: 60
Ms. Hutter has over 35 years of management and actuarial experience within the re/insurance industry. Ms. Hutter is a recognized industry leader with relevant experience both in the United States and internationally. Ms. Hutter has particular insurance experience at Lloyd’s where she served as Project Director for the Equitas Project from 1993 to 1995, and having previously served on the board of Talbot Underwriting Ltd. (corporate member and managing agent of Lloyd’s syndicate) from 2002 to 2007. As a result of her experience, Ms. Hutter provides the Board with insight on numerous matters relevant to insurance practice. Ms. Hutter also serves as Chair of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and as a member of the Audit and Risk Committees.

Lead Independent Director
since October 29, 2014
Director of Aspen
since June 21, 2002
Other Directorships
SIBLI USA Life Insurance Company, Inc.; Prosperity Life Insurance Company Group, LLC; Shenandoah Life Insurance Company; AMAL


Position, Principal Occupation, Business Experience and Directorships
gordonireland.jpg
• Director, Iccaria Insurance ICC Ltd — 2015 to present
• Director, Yorkshire Building Society Group — 2015 to present
• Director, L&F Holdings Limited — 2010 to 2015
• CEO, L&F Indemnity Limited — 2010 to 2015
• Director, Lifeguard Insurance (Dublin) Limited — 2010 to 2015
• Director, Catamount Indemnity Limited — 2010 to 2015
• Director, Professional Asset Indemnity Limited — 2010 to 2015
• Director, Global Insurance Company Limited — 2011 to 2014
• U.K.Firms’ Supervisory Board, Chairman of the Senior Management Remuneration Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board,Chairman of the PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) partner admissions panel, Chairman of the Global International Insurance Accounting Group, PwC’s representative on The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (“ICAEW”) Accounting sub-Committee,PwC — 1974 to 2010
• ICAEW representative on the Federation des Experts Comptables European equivalent committee — For a period of time as Partner at PwC
• Member of the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group Financial Instruments Working Group — For a period of time as Partner at PwC
Gordon IrelandSkills and Qualifications
Age: 64
Mr. Ireland has over 35 years of experience within the financial services sector having worked at PwC. As a result of his audit-led exposure to the London Market and general insurance and reinsurance markets throughout his career, Mr. Ireland provides strong insurance audit skills and technical accountancy expertise to our Board. As a result, he serves as Chair of the Audit Committee, on which he is also a designated financial expert, and as a member of the Risk Committee.

Director of Aspen
since February 7, 2013
Other Directorships
Iccaria Insurance ICC Ltd, Yorkshire Building Society Group

Position, Principal Occupation, Business Experience and Directorships
karlmayr.jpg
• Non-Executive Director and member of the Audit Committee, AMAL — 2016 to present
• Non-Executive Director and member of the Risk Committee, Aspen U.K. — 2015 to present
• Director, Würzburger Versicherungs-AG — 2004 to present
• Vice Chairman, Axis Reinsurance — 2013 to 2014
• President & CEO, Axis Re Europe — 2003 to 2012
• GE Frankona Reinsurance Company — 1980 to 2003
Karl MayrSkills and Qualifications
Age: 67
Mr. Mayr has over 30 years of experience in the reinsurance sector, primarily in Europe, across a number of product lines in both an underwriting capacity and in senior management roles. As a result of his global expertise and senior leadership experience, Mr. Mayr also serves as a member of the Audit, Risk and Compensation Committees.

Director of Aspen
since December 2, 2015
Other Directorships
Aspen U.K., AMAL, Würzburger Versicherungs-AG


Position, Principal Occupation, Business Experience and Directorships

bretpearlman.jpg
• Board member, Oak Point Holdco, LLC — 2017 to present
• Board member, CHM Holdings LLC — 2015 to present
• Manager, HRS 1776 Partners — 2014 to present
• Board member, YRF Darca charity — 2010 to present
• Managing Director and Co-Founder, Elevation Partners — 2004 to present
• Board member, Jericho Athletic Association charity — 2012 to 2017
• Board member, Forbes Media LLC — 2009 to 2014
• Executive, The Blackstone Group — 1989 to 2004; Senior MD — 2000 to 2004
Bret PearlmanSkills and Qualifications
Age: 51
Mr. Pearlman has over 25 years of experience within private equity, including as a partner and co-founder, providing a strong understanding of performance management, business models, corporate finance and capital management. His current role as Managing Director at Elevation Partners provides significant experience of the digital world and technology. As a result of his financial and investment management experience, Mr. Pearlman also serves as a member of the Compensation, Corporate Governance and Nominating and Investment Committees.
Director of Aspen
since July 24, 2013
Other Directorships
Oak Point Holdco, LLC, CHM Holdings LLC, YRF Darca charity

Position, Principal Occupation, Business Experience and Directorships

ronpressman.jpg
• Board member, The American Council of Life Insurers — 2016 to present
• Member of the Business Higher Education Forum — 2016 to present
• Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, TIAA Institutional Financial Services —2015 to present
• Chief Operating Officer, TIAA Institutional Financial Services — 2012 to 2015
• Director, Pathways to College — 2006 to present
• Charter trustee, Hamilton College — 2004 to present
• Chairman of the Board, A Better Chance — 2006 to 2016
• Board member, New York Life Insurance Company — 2011 to 2012
• President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Capital Real Estate, General Electric Corporation — 2007 to 2011
• President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Asset Management — 2006 to 2007
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Employers Reinsurance — 2000 to 2006
• A series of Executive roles, General Electric Corporation — 1980 to 2000
Ronald Pressman
Skills and Qualifications

Age: 59
Mr. Pressman has over 30 years of experience within the financial services sector, in particular real estate, asset management and reinsurance, having worked at GE for over 30 years and served as Chief Operating Officer of TIAA until his appointment as Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of TIAA Institutional Financial Services in September 2015. With his varied experience across such sectors and having held senior positions, Mr. Pressman provides further insight on a wide-range of matters including operations, insurance industry and investment management expertise. As a result of his experience, Mr. Pressman also serves as Chair of the Compensation Committee and as a member of the Investment Committee.

Director of Aspen
since November 17, 2011
Other Directorships
The American Council of Life Insurers, Pathways to College, Hamilton College



Director Independence
UnderThe Board has adopted director independence standards to assist it in making determinations as to whether directors have any material relationships with the NYSE Corporate Governance Standards applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, a majorityCompany for purposes of determining such directors’ independence under the listing standards of the BoardNew York Stock Exchange and each memberRule 10A-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). These director independence standards are available on the Company’s website at http://investor.aspen.co/govdocs.
Following a review of the Audit, Compensationdirectors’ current and Corporate Governancerecent business relationships as outlined above under “— Board of Directors of the Company” and Nominating Committees must be independent. The Board may determine ain accordance with the Company’s director to be independent if the director has no disqualifying relationship as enumerated in the NYSE Corporate Governance Standards and ifindependence standards, the Board has affirmatively determined that the director has no direct or indirect material relationship with the Company. Independence determinations are made on an annual basis at the time the Board approves director nominees for inclusion in the annual proxy statement and on an ad hoc basis when a director joins the Board between annual general meetings.
The Board reviews various transactions, relationships and arrangements of individual directors in determining whether they are independent. The Board considered Mr. Ahamed’s position as (i) advisor to the Rock Creek Group, (ii) director of Rohatyn Group and related series of funds, (iii) member of the Board of Trustees of Putnam Funds, (iv) member of the Board of Trustees of the Brookings Institution and (v) his various roles with non-profit organizations. With respect to Mr.Messrs. Beer, the Board considered his position as (i) director of United Educators Insurance Company, (ii) professor at St. John’s University School of Risk Management, (iii) member of the Board of the American Academy of Actuaries and (iv) trustee emeritus for the Actuarial Foundation. With respect to Mr. Bucknall, the Board considered his position as (i) chairman, and member of the audit and risk committees, of Tokio Marine Kiln Insurance Limited (formerly Tokio Marine Europe Insurance Limited), (ii) non-executive chairman of FIM Services Limited, (iii) non-executive chairman, and audit committee member, of the XIS Group (Ins-Sure Holdings Limited, Ins-Sure Services Limited, London Processing Centre Ltd and LSPO Limited) and (iv) a fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute. The Board considered Mr. Cavoores’ position as chairman of Guidewire Software, Inc. and as a director of Cunningham Lindsey Inc. With respect to Mr. Gregg, the Board considered his various roles with non-profit organizations. With respect to Ms. Hutter, the Board considered her positions as (i) non-executive director, and audit committee chair, of AmeriLife Group LLC, (ii) non-executive director, and audit committee chair, of Shenandoah Life Insurance Company, (iii) chief executive officer of Black Diamond Group LLC, (iv) manager of Black Diamond Capital Partners, (v) director of Prosperity Life Insurance Group, LLC, (vi) director of SBLI USA Life Insurance Company, Inc. and (vii) member of the Board of Overseers for St. John’s University. With respect to Mr. Ireland, the Board considered his position as (i) director of Iccaria Insurance ICC Ltd and (ii) director of Yorkshire Building Society Group. With respect to Mr. Mayr, the Board considered his position as director of Würzburger Versicherungs - AG. With respect to Mr. O’Flinn, the Board considered his various roles with non-profit organizations. With respect to Mr. Pearlman, the Board considered his position as (i) managing director of Elevation Partners, (ii) manager of HRS 1776 Partners, (iii) director of CHM Holdings LLC and (iv) his various roles with non-profit organizations. With respect to Mr. Pressman, the Board considered his role as executive vice president and chief executive officer of TIAA Institutional Financial Services and his various roles with non-profit organizations.
The Board made the determination that Messrs. Ahamed, Beer, Bucknall,Botein, Cavoores, Gregg, Ireland, Mayr, O’Flinn, Pearlman and Pressman and Ms. Hutter are independent directors.
independencea02.jpg
82% of our Board Members are Independent
Committees of the Board of Directors
The following are standing committees of the Board as of March 1, 2018:
Audit CommitteeRoles and have no material relationships with the Company.
As stated above, the NYSE Corporate Governance Standards require that all members of the Audit, Compensation and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committees must be independent. The Board determined that, and as of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Company’s Audit, Compensation and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committees are comprised entirely of independent directors in accordance with the NYSE Corporate Governance Standards.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Responsibilities
Members:
As of February 15, 2016, we had the following committees of the Board:
Audit Committee:  Messrs. Ireland, Beer, Bucknall, Gregg, O’Flinn and Ms. Hutter.  The Audit Committee has general responsibility for the oversight and supervision of our accounting, reporting and financial control practices. Among other things, the Audit Committee annually reviews the qualifications of the independent auditors, makes recommendations to the Board as to their

10



selection and reviews the plan, fees and results of their audit. Mr. Ireland is the Chairman of the Audit Committee.

  The Board determined that Messrs. Beer and Ireland each qualify as an “audit committee financial expert” pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).SEC.

  The Audit Committee held four meetings during 2015.in 2017.
Albert Beer
Gary Gregg
Heidi Hutter
Gordon Ireland (Chair)
Karl Mayr


Compensation Committee:CommitteeRoles and Responsibilities
Members:
  Messrs. Gregg, Pearlman and Pressman.  The Compensation Committee oversees our compensation and benefit policies and programs, including administration of our annual bonus pool funding and long-term incentive plans. Among other things, the

• The Compensation Committee determines the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer, executive directorsofficers and key employees. Mr. Pressman is the Chairman of the Compensation Committee.

The Compensation Committee held fivefour meetings during 2015.2017.

Gary Gregg
Karl Mayr
Bret Pearlman
Ronald Pressman (Chair)

Investment Committee:CommitteeRoles and Responsibilities
Members:
  Messrs. Ahamed, Jones, Pearlman and Pressman.  The Investment Committee is an advisory committee to the Board which, among other things, formulates our investment policy and oversees all of our significant investing activities. Mr. Ahamed is the Chairman of the Investment Committee.

  The Investment Committee held four meetings during 2015.2017.


Matthew Botein (Chair)
Glyn Jones
Bret Pearlman
Ronald Pressman



Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee:CommitteeRoles and Responsibilities
Members:
  Messrs. O’ Flinn and Bucknall and Ms. Hutter.  The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee establishes, among other things, the Board’s criteria for selecting new directors and oversees the evaluation of the Board. Mr. O’Flinn is the Chairman of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.

  The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee held four meetings during 2015.2017.



John Cavoores
Heidi Hutter (Chair)
Bret Pearlman


Risk Committee:CommitteeRoles and Responsibilities
Members:
  Ms. Hutter, Messrs. Ahamed, Beer, Bucknall, Cavoores, Gregg, Ireland and Mayr.   Among other things, the Risk Committee is responsible for establishing our risk management strategy, approving our risk management framework, methodologies and policies, and reviewing our approach for determining and measuring our risk tolerances.
   The Risk Committee held four meetings during 2017.

Albert Beer John Cavoores Gary Gregg (Chair) Heidi Hutter Gordon Ireland Karl Mayr

The Board may, from time to time, implement ad hoc committees for specific purposes. The Board had the following ad hoc Committee as of March 1, 2018:
Aspen 2.0 CommitteeRoles and Responsibilities
Members:
  The Aspen 2.0 Committee was formed in 2017 to review and oversee the development of the Company’s Effectiveness and Efficiency Program and to guide management in its consideration of strategic options and proposals.
  The Aspen 2.0 Committee held two meetings during 2017.

John Cavoores
Gary Gregg
Glyn Jones (Chair)
Christopher O’Kane
Bret Pearlman
Ronald Pressman
Code of Conduct, Corporate Governance Guidelines and Committee Charters
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “Code of Conduct”) and Corporate Governance Guidelines (the “Governance Guidelines”) that apply to all of our employees, officers and directors. The Code of Conduct and Governance Guidelines outline the policies, principles, rules, regulations and law that govern the activities of the Company and its employees, officers and directors and establish guidelines for professional conduct in the workplace. Any waiver of a provision of the Code of Conduct for our directors and executive officers may be made only by the Audit Committee. We have posted the Code of Conduct and the Governance Guidelines on our website at www.aspen.co. We will disclose on our website any amendment to the Code of Conduct, as well as any waivers of the Code of Conduct, that are required to be disclosed under the SEC or NYSE rules.
The charters for each of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, Investment Committee and Risk Committee are also posted on our website at http://investor.aspen.co/govdocs. Shareholders may request printed copies of the Code of Conduct, the Governance Guidelines and the committee charters at no charge by writing to the Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, by e-mail to secretary@aspen.co or by fax to +1 (441) 295-1829.
Board Leadership Structure
The Company has had separate positions for the Group Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board since the Company’s inception. The Group Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Company. The Chair of the Board, who is not an employee of the Company or part of the Company’s management, provides the appropriate leadership role for the Board and is able to effectively facilitate the contribution of non-executive directors and constructive interaction between management (including executive directors) and the non-executive directors in assessing the Company’s performance, strategies and means of achieving them. As part of his leadership role, the Chair of the Board is responsible for the Board’s effectiveness and sets the Board’s agenda in conjunction with the Group Chief Executive Officer.
The Company believes that, under the scope of his role as Chair of the Board, Mr. Jones is more involved in the management of the Company than an independent director would be under U.S. practice and rules. The more specific Chair duties identified in


Mr. Jones’ appointment letter result in greater time allocated for the operations of the Company than the other non-executive directors. As a result, the Board has determined that Mr. Jones is not independent.
Since October 2014, Ms. Hutter has served as Lead Independent Director in order to provide further balance to the leadership of non-executive directors. Under the scope of her role as the Company’s Lead Independent Director, Ms. Hutter has the following additional responsibilities:
coordinate and moderate executive sessions of the Board’s independent directors;
work closely with the Chair of the Board and provide support to the Board’s operations and governance processes;
act as the principal liaison between the independent directors and the Chair of the Board and the Group Chief Executive Officer;
monitor, in conjunction with the Chair of the Board, the process by which Board agendas are set to ensure the quality, quantity and timeliness of the flow of information from management that is necessary for the independent directors to perform their duties effectively and responsibly;
be available to the shareholders to address any concerns or issues; and
perform such other duties as the Board may from time to time delegate to the Lead Independent Director to assist the Board in the fulfillment of its responsibilities.
Attendance at Meetings by Directors
The Board conducts its business through its meetings and meetings of the committees. Each director is expected to attend each regularly scheduled meeting of the Board, the constituent committees on which that director serves and our annual general meeting of shareholders. The Board held seven formal meetings in 2017. All of the directors attended the 2017 annual general meeting of shareholders and at least 75% of the meetings of the Board and meetings of the committees on which they serve.
Non-Executive Directors
The Board has adopted a policy of regularly scheduled executive sessions where non-executive directors meet independently of management. The non-executive directors include all independent directors and Mr. Jones, our Chair of the Board. The non-executive directors held four executive sessions during 2017. Mr. Jones presided at each executive session. Independent directors likewise held one executive session during 2017 consisting solely of independent directors which was presided by Ms. Hutter, the Company’s Lead Independent Director.
Shareholders and other interested parties may communicate any queries or concerns to the non-executive directors by sending written communications by mail to Mr. Jones, c/o Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, by e-mail to secretary@aspen.co or by fax to +1 (441) 295-1829. The Company Secretary will review and forward correspondence to the appropriate director(s).

2017 Non-Executive Director Compensation
The table below summarizes the compensation paid by the Company to non-executive directors for the year ended December 31, 2017:
Name 
Fees Earned 
or Paid in 
Cash (1) ($)
 
Share 
Awards(2) ($)
 Total ($)
Liaquat Ahamed (3)
 30,137 18,567
 48,704
Albert Beer (4)   
 136,986 111,550
 248,536
Matthew Botein (5)
 117,603 111,550
 229,153
John Cavoores (6)   
 105,000 111,550
 216,550
Gary Gregg (7)
 143,438 111,550
 254,988
Heidi Hutter (8)   
 185,177 111,550
 296,727
Gordon Ireland (9)
 162,596 111,550
 274,146
Glyn Jones (Chair) (10)   
 260,320 446,201
 706,521
Karl Mayr (11)
 190,278 111,550
 301,828
Bret Pearlman (12)
 85,000 111,550
 196,550
Ronald Pressman (13)   
 108,959 111,550
 220,509



__________
(1)For directors who wish to be paid for their services to the Company in British Pounds rather than U.S. Dollars, such as Mr. Ireland, such compensation for 2017 was converted into British Pounds at the prevailing rate of exchange between the British Pound and the U.S. Dollar at the time of payment. For fees denominated and paid to directors in British Pounds (such as Mr. Jones for his services as Chair of the Board, Ms. Hutter for her services to AMAL, Mr. Mayr for his services to Aspen U.K. and AMAL and Mr. Ireland for his services to Aspen U.K.), an exchange rate of $1.3016 to £1 was used for reporting purposes, which is the average rate of exchange for 2017.
(2)Consists of restricted share units. Valuation is based on the grant date fair value of the awards calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, without regard to forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions, which was $50.18 for the restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017.
(3)Mr. Ahamed did not stand for re-election at the 2017 annual general meeting of shareholders of the Company held on April 26, 2017 and therefore ceased being a director effective April 26, 2017. Represents (i) $15,890 Board fee which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service through April 26, 2017, (ii) $10,000 attendance fee and (iii) $4,247 for serving as Chair of the Investment Committee, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service through April 26, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Ahamed forfeited 1,853 shares, with 370 vesting on his departure from the Company.
(4)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $30,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee, (iv) $30,000 for serving on the board of directors of Aspen Bermuda, (vi) $10,000 for serving as chair of the audit committee of Aspen Bermuda in 2017 and (v) $6,986 for serving as chair of the audit committee of Aspen Bermuda, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service from April 21, 2016 and which was paid to Mr. Beer in the first quarter of 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Beer held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(5)
Represents (i) $44,932 annual Board fee, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service following Mr. Boteins appointment on February 7, 2017, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,274 for serving as Chair of the Investment Committee, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service from April 26, 2017 and (iv) $27,397 for serving as a member of the Aspen Capital Markets Board of Directors, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service from April 26, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Botein held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(6)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee and (iii) $20,000 attendance fee for serving on the Global Insurance Board, an advisory board to Aspen Insurance’s operations. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Cavoores held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(7)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee (iv) $28,438 for serving as the Chair of the Risk Committee. The Risk Committee, which accounts for an increase in fees on February 8, 2017 and (v) $20,000 attendance fee for serving on the Global Insurance Board, an advisory board to Aspen Insurance’s operations. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Gregg held five meetings during 2015.
In addition, the Board may, from time to time, implement ad hoc committees for specific purposes. No ad hoc committees were established or held during 2015.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
During the year ended371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2015, no member of the Compensation Committee served as an officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries2017, which vested and none of our executive officers servedsettled February 10, 2018.
(8)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the CompensationAudit Committee, or(iv) $14,479 for serving as a director of another entity, one of whose executive officers served on our Compensation Committee or as one of our directors.
Leadership Structure
We have separate Chief Executive Officer and Chairman positions in the Company. The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the day-to-day managementChair of the Company. The Chairman, who is notCorporate Governance and Nominating Committee, which accounts for an employee of the Company or part of the Company’s management, provides the appropriate leadership roleincrease in fees on February 8, 2017, (v) $15,000 for the Board and is able to effectively facilitate the contribution of non-executive directors and constructive interaction between management (including executive directors) and the non-executive directors in assessing the Company’s performance, strategies and means of achieving them. As part of his leadership role, the Chairman is responsible for the Board’s effectiveness and sets the Board’s agenda in conjunction with the Chief Executive Officer.
Under the scope of his roleserving as Chairman, Mr. Jones is more involved in the management of the Company than an independent director would be under U.S. practice and rules; however, his role and compensation under practices in other jurisdictions, such as in the United Kingdom, would not compromise his independence. The more specific chairman duties identified in Mr. Jones’ appointment letter result in greater time allocated for the operations of the Company than the other non-executive directors.
In addition, under the scope of her role as the Company’s Lead Independent Director Ms. Hutter has the following additional responsibilities:
coordinating and moderating executive sessions of the Board’s independentBoard, (vi) £36,633 ($47,682) annual fee for serving on the board of directors not less than once annually;
working closely with the Chairmanof AMAL, which accounts for an increase in fees on March 9, 2017 and providing support in relation to the Board’s operations and governance processes;
acting(vii) £10,000 ($13,016) for serving as the principal liaison between the independent directors and the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer;
monitoring, in conjunction with the Chairman, the process by which Board agendas are set to ensure the quality, quantity and timelinessChair of the flow of information from management that is necessary for the independent directors to perform their duties effectively and responsibly;
being available to the shareholders to address any concerns or issues; and
performing such other duties as the Board may from time to time delegate to the Lead Independent Director to assist the Board in the fulfillment of its responsibilities.

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Role in Risk Oversight
Risk Governance. In this section, we provide a summary of our risk governance arrangements and current risk management strategy. We also provide more detail on the management of core underwriting and market risks and on our internal model. The internal model is an economic capital model which has been developed internally for use in certain business decision-making processes, the assessment of risk-based capital requirements and for various regulatory purposes.
Board of Directors.  The Board considers effective identification, measurement, monitoring, management and reportingDirectors of the risks facing our business to be key elements of its responsibilities and those of the Group Chief Executive Officer and management. Matters relating to risk management that are reserved to the Board include approval of the internal controls and risk management framework and any changes to the Group’s risk appetite statement and key risk limits. The Board also receives reports at each scheduled meeting from the Group Chief Risk Officer and the Chairman of the Risk Committee as well as training in risk management processes including the design, operation, use and limitations of the internal model. As a result of these arrangements and processes, the Board, assisted by management and the Board Committees, is able to exercise effective oversight of the operation of the risk management strategy described in “Risk Management Strategy” below.
Board Committees.  The Board delegates oversight of the management of certain key risks to its Risk, Audit and Investment Committees. Each of the committees is chaired by an independent director of the Company who also reports to the Board on the committees’ discussions and matters arising.
Risk Committee:  The purpose of this committee is to assist the Board in its oversight duties inAMAL. In respect of the management of risk, including:
making recommendations to the2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Ms. Hutter held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(9)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board regarding management’s proposalsfee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $30,000 for the risk management framework, risk appetite, key risk limits and the use of our internal model;
monitoring compliance with the agreed Group risk appetite and key risk limits; and
oversightserving as Chair of the processAudit Committee and (iv) £36,567 ($47,596) for serving on the board of stress and scenario testing established by management.
Audit Committee:  This committee is primarily responsibledirectors of Aspen U.K., which accounts for assisting the Boardan increase in its oversight of the integrity of the financial statements. It is also responsible for reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls and receives regular reports from both internal and external audit in this regard.
Investment Committee:  This committee is primarily responsible for setting and monitoring the Group’s investment risk and asset allocation policies and ensuring that the Chairman of the Risk Committee is kept informed of such matters.
Management Committees.  The Group also has a number of executive management committees which have oversight of certain risk management processes including the following:
Group Executive Committee:  This is the main executive committee responsible for advising the Group Chief Executive Officerfees on matters relating to the strategy and conduct of the Group’s business.
Capital and Risk Principles Committee:  The primary purpose of the Capital and Risk Principles Committee is to assist the Group Chief Executive Officer and the Group Chief Risk Officer in their oversight duties inMarch 21, 2017. In respect of the design2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Ireland held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and operationsettled on February 10, 2018.
(10)Represents Mr. Jones’ annual Chair’s fee of the Group’s risk management systems.£200,000 ($260,320). In particular, it has specific responsibilities in relation to the internal model and for the establishment of risk limits for accumulating underwriting exposures and monitoring solvency and liquidity requirements.
Reserve Committee:  This committee is responsible for managing reserving risk and making recommendations to the Group Chief Executive Officer and the Group Chief Financial Officer relating to the appropriate level of reserves to include in the Group’s financial statements.
Underwriting Committee:  The purpose of this committee is to assist the Group Chief Executive Officer in his oversight duties in respect of the management8,892 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Jones held 1,482 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2017, which vested and control of underwriting risk, including oversight ofsettled on February 10, 2018 . During 2017, the independent review ofCompany provided Mr. Jones with access to private medical insurance, for which Mr. Jones paid the quality of each team’s underwriting.
Reinsurance Credit Committee:  The purpose of this committee is to seek to minimize credit risks arising from insurance and reinsurance counterparties by the assessment and monitoring of collateralized reinsurance arrangements, direct cedants, intermediaries and reinsurers.
Group Chief Risk Officer.  Our Group Chief Risk Officer, Richard Thornton, isfull cost.
(11)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Group Executive Committee. His role includes providingAudit Committee, (iv) £36,567 ($47,596) for serving on the board of directors of Aspen U.K., which accounts for an increase in fees on March 21, 2017 and (v) £36,633 ($47,682) for serving on the board of directors of AMAL, which accounts for an increase in fees on March 9, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Mayr held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(12)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, and (ii) $35,000 attendance fee. In respect of the Risk Committee with reports2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Pearlman held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and advicesettled on risk management issues.
February 10, 2018.



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Risk Management Strategy
We operate an integrated enterprise-wide risk management strategy designed to deliver shareholder value in a sustainable
(13)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee and efficient manner while providing a high level of policyholder protection. The execution of our integrated risk management strategy is based on:
the establishment and maintenance of a risk management and internal control system based on a three lines of defense approach to the allocation of responsibilities between risk accepting units (first line), risk management activity and oversight from other central control functions (second line) and independent assurance (third line);
identifying material risks to the achievement(iii) $23,959 for serving as Chair of the Group’s objectives including emerging risks;
the articulation at Group level of our risk appetite and a consistent set of key risk limitsCompensation Committee, which accounts for each material component of risk;
the cascading of key risk limits for material risks to each operating subsidiary and, where appropriate, risk accepting business units;
measuring, monitoring, managing and reporting risk positions and trends;
the use, subject to an understanding of its limitations,increase in fees on February 8, 2017. In respect of the internal model to test strategic2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Pressman held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and tactical business decisions and to assess compliance with the risk appetite statement; and
stress and scenario testing, including reverse stress testing, designed to help us better understand and develop contingency plans for the likely effects of extreme events or combinations of eventssettled on capital adequacy and liquidity.February 10, 2018.
Cash Fees.  The compensation of non-executive directors is benchmarked against peer companies and companies included in the FTSE 250 Index, taking into account complexity, time commitment and committee duties. For 2017, the annual director fee was $50,000, plus a fee of $5,000 for each formal Board meeting or a gathering of the Board attended by the director. The Chair of the Board received an annual fee of £200,000 ($260,320) in 2017 and did not receive any attendance fees. Directors who are executive officers of the Company, such as Mr. O’Kane, are not paid additional compensation for serving as directors. The Lead Independent Director receives an annual fee of $30,000, inclusive of all other fees in connection with chairing any Board committees. In addition, non-executive directors that served as Chairs or members of the following Board committees received the following fees in 2017:
Board Committee Chair Fee Member Fees
     
Audit Committee $30,000 $10,000
Compensation Committee $25,000 
Risk Committee $30,000 
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee $15,000 
Investment Committee $15,000 
As further described in the footnotes under “— 2017 Non-Executive Director Compensation” above, certain of our non-executive directors also received fees for serving on the board of directors of certain of the Company’s subsidiaries.
Equity Awards. On April 21, 2016, shareholders approved the 2016 Stock Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the “2016 Non-Employee Director Plan”) to aid the Company in recruiting and retaining highly qualified individuals to serve as non-executive directors and to strengthen the common interest between such directors and the Company’s shareholders. The 2016 Non-Employee Director Plan allows the Company to grant options, restricted share units and other share-based incentive awards to non-executive directors of the Company. The total number of ordinary shares that may be issued under the 2016 Non-Employee Director Plan is 263,695.
On February 7, 2018, the Board approved a grant of restricted share units valued at $125,000 and $500,000 to non-executive directors and the Chair of the Board, respectively, calculated based on a share price of $38.76 (i.e., the average closing share price in the first quarter of 2018 up to and including the grant date of February 9, 2018). Subject to the director remaining on the Board, one-twelfth (1/12) of the restricted share units are eligible to vest on each monthly anniversary of the date of grant, with 100% of the restricted share units vesting on the first anniversary of the grant date. If a director leaves the Board for any reason other than “cause” (as defined in the award agreement), the director would receive the shares that had vested up until the date of departure.
Non-Executive Director Share Ownership Guidelines. Non-executive directors and the Chair of the Board are required to own Company ordinary shares equivalent to the market value of four times their respective annual retainers (currently $50,000 per annum for non-executive directors and £200,000 ($260,320) for the Chair of the Board). Directors may not sell Company ordinary shares until they have reached the required holding. Once directors have achieved the required holding they are expected to maintain their required shareholding for the remainder of their service as a director of the Company.
Submission of Shareholder Proposals for 2019
Shareholder proposals for our 2019 annual general meeting of shareholders must be received at our registered office located at 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, addressed to the Company Secretary, no later than November 19, 2018, the 120th day before the one-year anniversary of the 2018 proxy statement (i.e., March 19, 2018). If we change the date of the 2019 annual general meeting of shareholders by more than 30 days from the date of the 2018 Annual Meeting, we will provide a revised deadline for such shareholder proposals in one of our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q to be filed with the SEC. Such proposals must comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act.
Shareholder proposals and director nominations submitted under our procedures set forth under “Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Candidates and Evaluation of Director Candidates — Submission of Shareholder Proposals” above must be delivered in proper form to the Company Secretary at our principal executive offices located at 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda by no earlier than December 27, 2018 and no later than January 26, 2019. Any such notice must include the information required by, and otherwise comply with, the procedures described under “Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Candidates and Evaluation of Director Candidates — Submission of Shareholder Proposals” above.


Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Nominees
The Board has adopted the following procedures relating to director nominations and shareholder proposals:
Submission of Shareholder Proposals. Shareholder proposals to be included in the Company’s proxy materials will be considered only if received not later than the close of business on the 120th day before the first anniversary of the date of the Company’s proxy statement in connection with the previous year’s annual general meeting of shareholders and if they comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act. The Company can exclude a shareholder proposal if it has failed one of the eligibility or procedural requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, the Company may exclude such shareholder proposals even if received in a timely manner.
If shareholders wish to nominate their own candidates for director on their own separate slate (as opposed to recommending candidates to be nominated by the Company in the Company’s proxy), shareholder nominations for directors at the annual general meeting of shareholders must be received by the Company not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day and not later than the close of business on the 90th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual general meeting of shareholders.
Disclosure Requirements. A shareholder who wishes to submit a proposal or a nomination for consideration (a “Notice Shareholder”) should send a written notice by mail, c/o Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, by e-mail to secretary@aspen.co or by fax to +1 (441) 295-1829 and include the following information:
(1) the Notice Shareholder’s name and address;
(2) a description of: (a) the Notice Shareholder’s beneficial ownership, whether direct or indirect, of (i) common or preferred shares of the Company, (ii) any option, warrant or other security or right convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common or preferred shares of the Company and (iii) any derivative instrument or contract, swap, right or other transaction or series of transactions that has the characteristics of a long position, has an exercise, conversion or settlement mechanic at a price or value related to or derived in whole or in part from the price or value of common or preferred shares of the Company or is designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of common or preferred shares of the Company (even if such benefits and risks are hedged or otherwise mitigated), (b) any stock borrowing, hedging or other arrangement entered into by the Notice Shareholder that is designed to reduce the economic risk of changes to the price or value of common or preferred shares of the Company or has the characteristics of a short position or otherwise provides an opportunity to profit from any decrease in the price or value of common or preferred shares of the Company, (c) any rights of the Notice Shareholder to dividends on common or preferred shares of the Company that are separate from the underlying shares, (d) any performance-related fees (other than asset-based fees) to which the Notice Shareholder is entitled based on any increase or decrease in the value of common or preferred shares of the Company and (e) any proxy, contract or other understanding or arrangement providing the Notice Shareholder with the right to vote any common or preferred shares of the Company;
(3) the information that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 13D or an amendment to Schedule 13D by the Notice Shareholder and all information with respect to such person or the applicable nomination or proposal that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 14A proxy statement; and
(4) a description of any agreements, arrangements or understandings between or among any Notice Shareholders in connection with the nomination or proposal, as applicable.
A Notice Shareholder shall also comply with any applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to the matters covered by the Company’s procedures regarding shareholder proposals and nominations.
Nomination Requirements. In addition, a shareholder’s notice of a nomination must include the following information:
(1) the name and address of each director nominee (each, a “Nominee”);
(2) the information required by (2) above under “— Disclosure Requirements” with respect to each Nominee;
(3) all information with respect to each Nominee that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 14A proxy statement, including each Nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected;
(4) a description of any compensation and other material agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among any Notice Shareholder, on the one hand, and any Nominee, on the other hand, including all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 404 under Regulation S-K if a Notice Shareholder were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the Nominee were a director or executive officer of such “registrant”; and


(6) a D&O questionnaire completed and signed by each Nominee (a form of which will be provided to the requesting shareholder and/or Nominee following written request to the Company Secretary).
In addition, the Notice Shareholder shall promptly provide the Company with any other information requested by the Company that is reasonably required to allow the Company to determine the eligibility of a Nominee to serve as a director or that could be material to a shareholder’s understanding of the independence of a Nominee.
Proposal Requirements. In addition, a shareholder’s notice of a proposal must include the following information:
(1) a brief description of the proposal or other business desired to be brought before the general meeting and the reasons for it;
(2) any material interests of a Notice Shareholder in such proposal or other business; and
(3) the text of the proposal or other business (including the text of any resolutions or Bye-Law amendments proposed for consideration).

Updates and Supplements. A shareholder’s notice of a nomination or proposal must be updated and supplemented, as necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice is true and correct as of, not only the date of the notice, but also the record date of the general meeting and the date that is ten business days prior to the date of the general meeting or any adjournment or postponement of such general meeting. Any required updates and supplements to the notice must be delivered to the Company Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company not later than three business days after the record date of the general meeting or not later than three business days after the date that is ten business days prior to the date of the general meeting or any adjournment or postponement of such general meeting, as applicable. In no case will the obligation to update or supplement the notice extend any applicable deadlines or enable a shareholder to amend or update any proposal or nomination or submit any new proposal or nomination (e.g., by changing or adding nominees or proposals or resolutions).

Process for Evaluation of Director Nominees. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee has the authority and responsibility to lead the search for individuals qualified to become members of the Board to the extent necessary to fill vacancies on the Board or as otherwise desired by the Board. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee will identify, evaluate and recommend that the Board select director nominees for shareholder approval at the applicable annual meetings based on minimum qualifications and additional criteria that the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee deems appropriate, taking into account the diversity and other needs of the Board. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee periodically reviews the Board’s membership to assure the appropriate balance of skills and characteristics. The Board believes that all directors of the Company should be persons who combine the highest standards of integrity and significant accomplishments in their chose field of endeavor and bring a diversity of experiences, skills and perspectives to the Board as well as knowledge in the areas of insurance, reinsurance, financial services and other aspects of the Company’s activities.

The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee may in its discretion engage a third-party search firm and other advisors to identify potential nominees for director. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee may also identify potential director nominees through director and management recommendations, business, insurance industry and other contacts, as well as through shareholder nominations.

Qualifications for Director Nominees. A nominee recommended for a position on the Board must meet the following minimum qualifications:

have the highest standards of personal and professional integrity;
have exhibited mature judgment through significant accomplishments in his or her chosen field of expertise;
have a well-developed career history with specializations and skills that are relevant to understanding and benefiting the Company;
be able to allocate sufficient time and energy to director duties, including preparation for meetings and attendance at meetings;
be able to read and understand financial statements to an appropriate level for the exercise of his or her duties; and
be familiar with, and willing to assume, the duties of a director on the board of directors of a public company.


Certain additional criteria for consideration of a director nominee may include, but are not limited to, the following as the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee sees fit:
the nominee’s qualifications and accomplishments and whether they complement the Board’s existing strengths;
the nominee’s leadership, strategic, or policy setting experience;
the nominee’s experience and expertise relevant to the Company’s insurance and reinsurance business, including any actuarial or underwriting expertise, or other specialized skills;
the nominee’s independence qualifications as defined by NYSE listing standards and the Company’s director independence standards;
the nominee’s actual or potential conflict of interest, or the appearance of any conflict of interest, in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders;
the nominee’s ability to represent the interests of all shareholders of the Company; and
the nominee’s financial literacy, accounting or related financial management expertise as defined by NYSE listing standards, or qualifications as an audit committee financial expert as defined by SEC rules and regulations.
Communications to the Board of Directors
Shareholders are encouraged to write their thoughts, concerns or suggestions to the Board or any of the directors. Shareholders may send written communications to the Board or any one or more of the individual directors, including non-executive directors, by mail, c/o Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, by e-mail to secretary@aspen.co or by fax to +1 (441) 295-1829. The Company Secretary will review and forward correspondence to the appropriate director(s).
Householding
Unless we have received contrary instructions, we may send a single copy of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and this Proxy Statement to multiple shareholders who share the same address and who own the Company’s ordinary shares through a bank, broker or other nominee. This process, known as householding, reduces the environmental impact of the 2018 Annual Meeting and reduces our postage and printing costs. If a bank, broker or other nominee holds your ordinary shares, please contact your bank, broker or other nominee directly if you wish to discontinue householding.
Annual Report on Form 10-K
We filed an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 with the SEC on February 22, 2018. Shareholders may obtain a copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, free of charge, by writing to Investor Relations, c/o Aspen Insurance, 590 Madison Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, United States of America.


Risk Appetite Statement.  The risk appetite statement is a central component of the Group’s overall risk management framework and is approved by the Board. It sets out, at a high level, how we think about risk in the context of our business model, Group objectives and strategy. It sets out boundary conditions and limits for the level of risk we assume, together with a statement of the reward we aim to receive for this level of risk.
Our risk appetite statement comprises the following components:
Risk preferences:  a high level description of the types of risks we prefer to assume and those we prefer to minimize or avoid;
Return objective:  the levels of return on capital we seek to achieve, subject to our risk constraints;
Volatility constraint:  a target limit on earnings volatility; and
Capital constraint:  a minimum level of risk adjusted capital.
Risk Components.  The main types of risks that we face are summarized as follows:
Insurance risk:  The risk that underwriting results vary from their expected amounts, including the risk that reserves established in respect of prior periods are understated.
Market risk:  The risk of variation in the income generated by, and the fair value of, our investment portfolio, cash and cash equivalents and derivative contracts including the effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
Credit risk:  The risk of diminution in the value of insurance receivables as a result of counter-party default. This principally comprises default and concentration risks relating to amounts receivable from intermediaries, policyholders and reinsurers. We include credit risks related to our investment portfolio under market risk. We include credit risks related to insurance contracts (e.g. credit and political risk policies) under insurance risk.
Liquidity risk:  The risks of failing to maintain sufficient liquid financial resources to meet liabilities as they fall due or to provide collateral as required for commercial or regulatory purposes.
Operational risk:  The risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, personnel or systems, or from external events.
Strategic risk:  The risk of adverse impact on shareholder value or income and capital of adverse business decisions, poor execution or failure to respond to market changes.
Emerging risk:  The risk that events or issues not previously identified or fully understood impact the operations or financial results of the Group.
We divide risks into “core” and “non-core” risks. Core risks comprise those risks which are inherent in the operation of our business, including insurance risks in respect of our underwriting operations and market and liquidity risks in respect of our investment activity. We intentionally expose the Company to core risks with a view to generating shareholder value but seek to

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manage the resulting volatility in our earnings and financial condition within the limits defined by our risk appetite. However, these core risks are intrinsically difficult to measure and manage and we may not, therefore, be successful in this respect. All other risks, including regulatory and operational risks, are classified as non-core. We seek, to the extent we regard as reasonably practicable and economically viable, to avoid or minimize our exposure to non-core risks.
Key Risk Limits.  We use the term risk limit to mean the upper limit of our tolerance for exposure to a given risk. Key risk limits are a sub-set of risk limits and are subject to annual approval by the Board on the advice of the Risk Committee as part of the annual business planning process. If a risk exceeds key risk limits, the Group Chief Risk Officer is required to report the excess and management’s plans for dealing with it to the Risk Committee.
Executive OfficersAttendance at Meetings by Directors
The table below sets forth certain information concerning our executive officers as of February 15, 2016:
NameAgePosition(s)
Christopher O’Kane (1)
61Group Chief Executive Officer
Brian Boornazian55Chairman of Aspen Re, President of Aspen Re America, Chief Executive Officer of North America and Performance Director of Aspen Re.
Michael Cain43Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Bermuda, Group General Counsel, Head of Group Human Resources and Company Secretary
David Cohen57President and Chief Underwriting Officer of Aspen Insurance
Lisa Gibbard42Chief of Operations and Group Head of IT
Karen Green48Chief Executive Officer of Aspen U.K. and AMAL, Group Head of Corporate Development and Office of the Group Chief Executive Officer
Ann Haugh44President of Aspen International Insurance and Chief Operating Officer of Aspen Insurance
Emil Issavi43President and Chief Underwriting Officer of Aspen Re
Scott Kirk42Group Chief Financial Officer
Stephen Postlewhite44Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re
Robert Rheel53President of Aspen U.S. Insurance
Richard Thornton44Group Chief Risk Officer and Head of Strategy
Kate Vacher44Director of Underwriting
Mario Vitale60Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Insurance

(1)Biography available under “—Directors” above.
Brian Boornazian.  Mr. Boornazian was appointed as Chairman of Aspen Re in August 2012Board conducts its business through its meetings and has also served as the Performance Director of Aspen Re, Chief Executive Officer of North America and the President of Aspen Re America since August 2012. He was previously Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re from January 2010 to August 2012 and President of Aspen Re from June 2008 until January 2010. Prior to this, he was appointed Head of Reinsurance in May 2006 and joined Aspen in January 2004 as President of Aspen Re America. Mr. Boornazian also serves as a director on various boardsmeetings of the Company’s U.S. subsidiaries. Priorcommittees. Each director is expected to joining us, Mr. Boornazian was at XL Re America where he acted in several capacities, including Senior Vice President, Chief Property Officer (responsible for property facultative and treaty, as well as marine) and Chief Marketing Officer. Mr. Boornazian began his career in 1982 at Gen Re and also held senior positions at NAC Re, Cologne Re of America and Guy Carpenter.
Michael Cain.  Mr. Cain was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Bermuda in October 2014, having served as director since July 2012. He was appointed as the Company Secretary in February 2016. He has served as our Group General Counsel since March 2008. Since June 2011, Mr. Cain has also served as Head of Group Human Resources. In addition, Mr. Cain serves as a director on various boards of the Company’s subsidiaries. Prior to joining us, Mr. Cain served as Corporate Counsel and Company Secretary to Benfield Group Limited from 2002 to 2008. Previously, Mr.��Cain worked at Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP and Ashurst LLP.
David Cohen. Mr. Cohen was appointed President and Chief Underwriting Officer of Aspen Insurance in November 2015. He has over 35 years of insurance industry experience. Most recently, he was Global Casualty Chief Underwriting Officer at Liberty International Underwriters (“LIU”) from June 2001 to October 2015 and was President of LIU U.S. from December 2006 to October 2015. Prior to this, he was President of Casualty at Tamarack American (a division of Great American Insurance Company) for five years and worked in the Excess Casualty Division at The Home Insurance Company for 10 years. He began his career at American International Group in 1980.
Lisa Gibbard. Ms. Gibbard was appointed Chief of Operations, a new role within the group, in March 2015 and has served as Group Head of IT since January 2007, working across the business to deliver operational excellence and our Global Business Transformation Program that supports our growth and diversification goals. Ms. Gibbard was previously Head of Finance Shared Services from January 2014 to May 2015. Ms. Gibbard brings vital experience in Operations, IT management and delivery of major change programs across business and technology. In 2015, Ms. Gibbard was appointed as a trustee of Aspen U.K.’s Pensions

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Committee. Prior to joining us, Ms. Gibbard worked at Aon in their IT Leadership Executive team having started her career in banking.
Karen Green.  Ms. Green has been Chief Executive Officer of Aspen U.K. and AMAL since March 2011 and a member of the board of directors of Aspen U.K. since March 2010 and AMAL since March 2008. She is also Group Head of Corporate Development and Office of the Group Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Green joined us in March 2005 as Head of Strategy and Office of the Chief Executive Officer. From 2001 until 2005, Ms. Green was a Principal with MMC Capital Inc. (now Stone Point Capital), a global private equity firm (formerly owned by Marsh and McLennan Companies Inc.). Prior to MMC Capital, Ms. Green was a director at GE Capital in London from 1997 to 2001 where she co-ran the Business Development team (responsible for mergers and acquisitions for GE Capital in Europe). She is a former director of the International Underwriting Association and a non-executive (working) member of the Council of Lloyd’s.
Ann Haugh. Ms. Haugh joined Aspen in November 2013 as Chief Underwriting Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Aspen Insurance. Ms. Haugh was appointed President of International Insurance in July 2015 at which point she relinquished her responsibility as Chief Underwriting Officer but retained her Chief Operating Officer role. In August 2015, Ms. Haugh was appointed as a director to the Aspen Risk Management Limited board and in September 2015 to the Aspen U.K. board as Co-Chief Underwriting Officer for Insurance. Prior to joining us, Ms. Haugh served as Group Chief of Staff at Zurich Insurance Group since August 2012, Chief Executive Officer of Global Corporate in the UK from February 2011 and Chief Operating Officer of Global Corporate based in Zurich from January 2009. Ms. Haugh began her career as a management liability underwriter and has worked in a variety of underwriting, operations and management roles at Great American Insurance Company, Zurich Insurance and Arch Insurance.
Emil Issavi.  Mr. Issavi was appointed President of Aspen Re in September 2014 and has served as Chief Underwriting Officer of Aspen Re since August 2012 and as a director of Aspen U.K. since February 2015. Mr. Issavi previously served as Executive Vice President of Aspen Re and Head of Casualty Reinsurance from July 2008 to July 2012 and Head of Casualty Treaty of Aspen Re America from July 2006 to June 2008. Prior to joining us, Mr. Issavi was at Swiss Re America where he was Senior Treaty Account Executive responsible for various global and national property and casualty clients from 2002 to 2006. Mr. Issavi began his reinsurance career at Gen Re as a casualty facultative underwriter. 
Scott Kirk. Mr. Kirk was appointed the Group Chief Financial Officer in December 2014. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Kirk served as the Chief Financial Officer of Aspen Insurance from October 2011 to December 2014, having previously served as Group Head of Finance from May 2009 to September 2011 and Group Financial Controller from September 2007 to April 2009. In addition, Mr. Kirk serves as a director on various boards of the Company’s U.K. subsidiaries. Prior to joining us, Mr. Kirk worked at Endurance Specialty Holdings Limited, joining Endurance Re America in New York after its formation in 2002. Previously, Mr. Kirk was at Trenwick International in London working in finance and treasury for three years. Mr. Kirk began his career as an auditor at KPMG, Brisbane and is a member of the Institutes of Chartered Accountants in both England and Wales and Australia.
Stephen Postlewhite.  Mr. Postlewhite was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re in September 2014. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Postlewhite was Group Chief Risk Officer from February 2013 to September 2014 and previously served as Head of Risk from November 2012 to February 2013, Chief Risk Officer of Aspen U.K. from September 2009 to October 2012 and Head of Risk Capital from September 2009 to October 2012. During 2012, he also served as Interim Group Chief Risk Officer. He has been a member of the board of directors of Aspen Bermuda since July 2013 and was a member of the board of directors of Aspen U.K. from April 2010 until June 2013. In addition, Mr. Postlewhite serves as Chairman of Aspen Capital Management Ltd. Prior to joining us in 2003, Mr. Postlewhite spent a year at the U.K. Financial Services Authority (now the Prudential Regulation Authority) working extensively on the development of the Individual Capital Assessment process for non-life insurers and nine years with KPMG, both in London and Sydney, working as a senior general insurance actuarial consultant, predominantly on London Market, Lloyd’s and reinsurance clients. He has been a fellow of the Institute of Actuaries since 2001. Prior to embarking on an actuarial career, Mr. Postlewhite worked as a management consultant for Andersen Consulting.
Robert Rheel. Mr. Rheel has over 30 years of insurance industry experience and joined Aspen Insurance in June 2011 as Executive Vice President of Customer, Distribution and Marketing. He was appointed President of Aspen U.S. Insurance in August 2015, prior to which he served as head of U.S. Property & Casualty Insurance and Programs and Head of Customer, Distribution and Marketing. Before joining Aspen Insurance, Mr. Rheel was the head of distribution and regional management at Zurich Financial Services and the Chief Executive Officer of Zurich Insurance, Ireland. He began his career at Cigna Insurance in 1981 before moving on to senior roles with Fireman's Fund Insurance Company and American International Group.
Richard Thornton. Mr. Thornton was appointed Group Chief Risk Officer in September 2014 and has been Group Head of Strategy since March 2014. In addition, Mr. Thornton has served as a director of Aspen European Holdings Limited since December 2015. Prior to joining us, Mr. Thornton was at Oliver Wyman since 1999 where he became a partner in 2007 and led content development for the firm’s general insurance business in the United Kingdom and Europe. His global remit provided him the opportunity to work internationally with large insurance companies in Asia, South Africa, Australia and North America and to gain a global overview of the market. Mr. Thornton worked on a wide variety of projects spanning life and general insurance, ranging from

15



retail to global corporate and from strategy to operations, risk and finance. Previously, Mr. Thornton was an economist in the Bank of England’s monetary analysis division.
Kate Vacher.  Ms. Vacher has been our Director of Underwriting since 2007. Previously, Ms. Vacher was our Head of Group Planning from April 2003 to May 2006 and a property reinsurance underwriter since joining Aspen in September 2002. Ms. Vacher has been a member of the board of directors of AMAL since February 2010 and was appointed Chairman of Aspen Risk Management Limited in 2015. From February 2010 until March 2016, Ms. Vacher was the Active Underwriter for Syndicate 4711 (our syndicate at Lloyd’s). Prior to joining Aspen, Ms. Vacher previously worked as an underwriter with Wellington Syndicate 2020 from 1999 until 2002 and was an assistant underwriter at Syndicate 51 from 1995 until 1999.
Mario Vitale. Mr. Vitale joined us in March 2011 as President of U.S. Insurance. Mr. Vitale was Co-Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Insurance from January 1, 2012 and assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Insurance in June 2012. Mr. Vitale has also been a memberattend each regularly scheduled meeting of the Board, the constituent committees on which that director serves and our annual general meeting of Directors of Aspen American Insurance Company and Aspen Specialty Insurance Company since April 2011 and as Chairman of both entities since January 2012. Mr. Vitale also serves as a director on various boardsshareholders. The Board held seven formal meetings in 2017. All of the Company’s U.S. subsidiaries. He has 39 yearsdirectors attended the 2017 annual general meeting of global experience across various industry leadership positions. Prior to joining us, he wasshareholders and at Zurich Financial Services from September 2006 until March 2011, where he was Chief Executive Officer of Global Corporate, with responsibility for all corporate business globally. He was also a member of Zurich’s Group Management Board. From 2000 to 2006, Mr. Vitale was at Willis Group Holdings, including four years as Chief Executive Officer of Willis North America. Mr. Vitale is a memberleast 75% of the board of trustees of St. John’s University College of Insurance in New York, the board of directors of American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters Inc. and a past membermeetings of the board of Boys Hope Girls Hope of New York City. He is a memberBoard and meetings of the board of the American Insurance Association and was previouslycommittees on the board of directors of the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers. Mr. Vitale is also a founding board member of Blue Marble Microinsurance, a micro insurance consortium launched in 2015.which they serve.
Non-ManagementNon-Executive Directors
The Board has adopted a policy of regularly scheduled executive sessions where non-managementnon-executive directors meet independently of management. The non-managementnon-executive directors include all our independent directors and Mr. Jones, our Chairman.Chair of the Board. The non-managementnon-executive directors held four executive sessions during 2015.2017. Mr. Jones presided at each executive session. Independent directors likewise held one executive session during 2017 consisting solely of independent directors which was presided by Ms. Hutter, the Company’s Lead Independent Director.
Shareholders and other interested parties may communicate any queries or concerns to the non-managementnon-executive directors by sending written communications by mail to Mr. Jones, c/o Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, by e-mail to secretary@aspen.co or by fax to 1+1 (441) 295-1829. In 2015, we also held one executive session comprised solely of independentThe Company Secretary will review and forward correspondence to the appropriate director(s).

2017 Non-Executive Director Compensation
The table below summarizes the compensation paid by the Company to non-executive directors which was presided byfor the year ended December 31, 2017:
Name 
Fees Earned 
or Paid in 
Cash (1) ($)
 
Share 
Awards(2) ($)
 Total ($)
Liaquat Ahamed (3)
 30,137 18,567
 48,704
Albert Beer (4)   
 136,986 111,550
 248,536
Matthew Botein (5)
 117,603 111,550
 229,153
John Cavoores (6)   
 105,000 111,550
 216,550
Gary Gregg (7)
 143,438 111,550
 254,988
Heidi Hutter (8)   
 185,177 111,550
 296,727
Gordon Ireland (9)
 162,596 111,550
 274,146
Glyn Jones (Chair) (10)   
 260,320 446,201
 706,521
Karl Mayr (11)
 190,278 111,550
 301,828
Bret Pearlman (12)
 85,000 111,550
 196,550
Ronald Pressman (13)   
 108,959 111,550
 220,509



__________
(1)For directors who wish to be paid for their services to the Company in British Pounds rather than U.S. Dollars, such as Mr. Ireland, such compensation for 2017 was converted into British Pounds at the prevailing rate of exchange between the British Pound and the U.S. Dollar at the time of payment. For fees denominated and paid to directors in British Pounds (such as Mr. Jones for his services as Chair of the Board, Ms. Hutter for her services to AMAL, Mr. Mayr for his services to Aspen U.K. and AMAL and Mr. Ireland for his services to Aspen U.K.), an exchange rate of $1.3016 to £1 was used for reporting purposes, which is the average rate of exchange for 2017.
(2)Consists of restricted share units. Valuation is based on the grant date fair value of the awards calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, without regard to forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions, which was $50.18 for the restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017.
(3)Mr. Ahamed did not stand for re-election at the 2017 annual general meeting of shareholders of the Company held on April 26, 2017 and therefore ceased being a director effective April 26, 2017. Represents (i) $15,890 Board fee which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service through April 26, 2017, (ii) $10,000 attendance fee and (iii) $4,247 for serving as Chair of the Investment Committee, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service through April 26, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Ahamed forfeited 1,853 shares, with 370 vesting on his departure from the Company.
(4)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $30,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee, (iv) $30,000 for serving on the board of directors of Aspen Bermuda, (vi) $10,000 for serving as chair of the audit committee of Aspen Bermuda in 2017 and (v) $6,986 for serving as chair of the audit committee of Aspen Bermuda, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service from April 21, 2016 and which was paid to Mr. Beer in the first quarter of 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Beer held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(5)
Represents (i) $44,932 annual Board fee, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service following Mr. Boteins appointment on February 7, 2017, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,274 for serving as Chair of the Investment Committee, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service from April 26, 2017 and (iv) $27,397 for serving as a member of the Aspen Capital Markets Board of Directors, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service from April 26, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Botein held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(6)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee and (iii) $20,000 attendance fee for serving on the Global Insurance Board, an advisory board to Aspen Insurance’s operations. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Cavoores held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(7)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee (iv) $28,438 for serving as the Chair of the Risk Committee, which accounts for an increase in fees on February 8, 2017 and (v) $20,000 attendance fee for serving on the Global Insurance Board, an advisory board to Aspen Insurance’s operations. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Gregg held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled February 10, 2018.
(8)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee, (iv) $14,479 for serving as the Chair of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, which accounts for an increase in fees on February 8, 2017, (v) $15,000 for serving as Lead Independent Director of the Board, (vi) £36,633 ($47,682) annual fee for serving on the board of directors of AMAL, which accounts for an increase in fees on March 9, 2017 and (vii) £10,000 ($13,016) for serving as Chair of the Board of Directors of AMAL. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Ms. Hutter held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(9)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $30,000 for serving as Chair of the Audit Committee and (iv) £36,567 ($47,596) for serving on the board of directors of Aspen U.K., which accounts for an increase in fees on March 21, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Ireland held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(10)Represents Mr. Jones’ annual Chair’s fee of £200,000 ($260,320). In respect of the 8,892 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Jones held 1,482 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018 . During 2017, the Company provided Mr. Jones with access to private medical insurance, for which Mr. Jones paid the full cost.
(11)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee, (iv) £36,567 ($47,596) for serving on the board of directors of Aspen U.K., which accounts for an increase in fees on March 21, 2017 and (v) £36,633 ($47,682) for serving on the board of directors of AMAL, which accounts for an increase in fees on March 9, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Mayr held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(12)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, and (ii) $35,000 attendance fee. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Pearlman held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.


(13)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee and (iii) $23,959 for serving as Chair of the Compensation Committee, which accounts for an increase in fees on February 8, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Pressman held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
Cash Fees.  The compensation of non-executive directors is benchmarked against peer companies and companies included in the FTSE 250 Index, taking into account complexity, time commitment and committee duties. For 2017, the annual director fee was $50,000, plus a fee of $5,000 for each formal Board meeting or a gathering of the Board attended by the director. The Chair of the Board received an annual fee of £200,000 ($260,320) in 2017 and did not receive any attendance fees. Directors who are executive officers of the Company, such as Mr. O’Kane, are not paid additional compensation for serving as directors. The Lead Independent Director receives an annual fee of $30,000, inclusive of all other fees in connection with chairing any Board committees. In addition, non-executive directors that served as Chairs or members of the following Board committees received the following fees in 2017:
Board Committee Chair Fee Member Fees
     
Audit Committee $30,000 $10,000
Compensation Committee $25,000 
Risk Committee $30,000 
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee $15,000 
Investment Committee $15,000 
As further described in the footnotes under “— 2017 Non-Executive Director Compensation” above, certain of our non-executive directors also received fees for serving on the board of directors of certain of the Company’s subsidiaries.
Equity Awards. On April 21, 2016, shareholders approved the Lead Independent Director.2016 Stock Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the “2016 Non-Employee Director Plan”) to aid the Company in recruiting and retaining highly qualified individuals to serve as non-executive directors and to strengthen the common interest between such directors and the Company’s shareholders. The 2016 Non-Employee Director Plan allows the Company to grant options, restricted share units and other share-based incentive awards to non-executive directors of the Company. The total number of ordinary shares that may be issued under the 2016 Non-Employee Director Plan is 263,695.
On February 7, 2018, the Board approved a grant of restricted share units valued at $125,000 and $500,000 to non-executive directors and the Chair of the Board, respectively, calculated based on a share price of $38.76 (i.e., the average closing share price in the first quarter of 2018 up to and including the grant date of February 9, 2018). Subject to the director remaining on the Board, one-twelfth (1/12) of the restricted share units are eligible to vest on each monthly anniversary of the date of grant, with 100% of the restricted share units vesting on the first anniversary of the grant date. If a director leaves the Board for any reason other than “cause” (as defined in the award agreement), the director would receive the shares that had vested up until the date of departure.
Non-Executive Director Share Ownership Guidelines. Non-executive directors and the Chair of the Board are required to own Company ordinary shares equivalent to the market value of four times their respective annual retainers (currently $50,000 per annum for non-executive directors and £200,000 ($260,320) for the Chair of the Board). Directors may not sell Company ordinary shares until they have reached the required holding. Once directors have achieved the required holding they are expected to maintain their required shareholding for the remainder of their service as a director of the Company.
Submission of Shareholder Proposals for 2019
Shareholder proposals for our 2019 annual general meeting of shareholders must be received at our registered office located at 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, addressed to the Company Secretary, no later than November 19, 2018, the 120th day before the one-year anniversary of the 2018 proxy statement (i.e., March 19, 2018). If we change the date of the 2019 annual general meeting of shareholders by more than 30 days from the date of the 2018 Annual Meeting, we will provide a revised deadline for such shareholder proposals in one of our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q to be filed with the SEC. Such proposals must comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act.
Shareholder proposals and director nominations submitted under our procedures set forth under “Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Candidates and Evaluation of Director Candidates — Submission of Shareholder Proposals” above must be delivered in proper form to the Company Secretary at our principal executive offices located at 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda by no earlier than December 27, 2018 and no later than January 26, 2019. Any such notice must include the information required by, and otherwise comply with, the procedures described under “Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Candidates and Evaluation of Director Candidates — Submission of Shareholder Proposals” above.


Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Nominees
The Board has adopted the following procedures relating to director nominations and shareholder proposals:
Submission of Shareholder Proposals. Shareholder proposals to be included in the Company’s proxy materials will be considered only if received not later than the close of business on the 120th day before the first anniversary of the date of the Company’s proxy statement in connection with the previous year’s annual general meeting of shareholders and if they comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act. The Company can exclude a shareholder proposal if it has failed one of the eligibility or procedural requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, the Company may exclude such shareholder proposals even if received in a timely manner.
If shareholders wish to nominate their own candidates for director on their own separate slate (as opposed to recommending candidates to be nominated by the Company in the Company’s proxy), shareholder nominations for directors at the annual general meeting of shareholders must be received by the Company not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day and not later than the close of business on the 90th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual general meeting of shareholders.
Disclosure Requirements. A shareholder who wishes to submit a proposal or a nomination for consideration (a “Notice Shareholder”) should send a written notice by mail, c/o Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, by e-mail to secretary@aspen.co or by fax to +1 (441) 295-1829 and include the following information:
(1) the Notice Shareholder’s name and address;
(2) a description of: (a) the Notice Shareholder’s beneficial ownership, whether direct or indirect, of (i) common or preferred shares of the Company, (ii) any option, warrant or other security or right convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common or preferred shares of the Company and (iii) any derivative instrument or contract, swap, right or other transaction or series of transactions that has the characteristics of a long position, has an exercise, conversion or settlement mechanic at a price or value related to or derived in whole or in part from the price or value of common or preferred shares of the Company or is designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of common or preferred shares of the Company (even if such benefits and risks are hedged or otherwise mitigated), (b) any stock borrowing, hedging or other arrangement entered into by the Notice Shareholder that is designed to reduce the economic risk of changes to the price or value of common or preferred shares of the Company or has the characteristics of a short position or otherwise provides an opportunity to profit from any decrease in the price or value of common or preferred shares of the Company, (c) any rights of the Notice Shareholder to dividends on common or preferred shares of the Company that are separate from the underlying shares, (d) any performance-related fees (other than asset-based fees) to which the Notice Shareholder is entitled based on any increase or decrease in the value of common or preferred shares of the Company and (e) any proxy, contract or other understanding or arrangement providing the Notice Shareholder with the right to vote any common or preferred shares of the Company;
(3) the information that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 13D or an amendment to Schedule 13D by the Notice Shareholder and all information with respect to such person or the applicable nomination or proposal that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 14A proxy statement; and
(4) a description of any agreements, arrangements or understandings between or among any Notice Shareholders in connection with the nomination or proposal, as applicable.
A Notice Shareholder shall also comply with any applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to the matters covered by the Company’s procedures regarding shareholder proposals and nominations.
Nomination Requirements. In addition, a shareholder’s notice of a nomination must include the following information:
(1) the name and address of each director nominee (each, a “Nominee”);
(2) the information required by (2) above under “— Disclosure Requirements” with respect to each Nominee;
(3) all information with respect to each Nominee that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 14A proxy statement, including each Nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected;
(4) a description of any compensation and other material agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among any Notice Shareholder, on the one hand, and any Nominee, on the other hand, including all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 404 under Regulation S-K if a Notice Shareholder were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the Nominee were a director or executive officer of such “registrant”; and


(6) a D&O questionnaire completed and signed by each Nominee (a form of which will be provided to the requesting shareholder and/or Nominee following written request to the Company Secretary).
In addition, the Notice Shareholder shall promptly provide the Company with any other information requested by the Company that is reasonably required to allow the Company to determine the eligibility of a Nominee to serve as a director or that could be material to a shareholder’s understanding of the independence of a Nominee.
Proposal Requirements. In addition, a shareholder’s notice of a proposal must include the following information:
(1) a brief description of the proposal or other business desired to be brought before the general meeting and the reasons for it;
(2) any material interests of a Notice Shareholder in such proposal or other business; and
(3) the text of the proposal or other business (including the text of any resolutions or Bye-Law amendments proposed for consideration).

Updates and Supplements. A shareholder’s notice of a nomination or proposal must be updated and supplemented, as necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice is true and correct as of, not only the date of the notice, but also the record date of the general meeting and the date that is ten business days prior to the date of the general meeting or any adjournment or postponement of such general meeting. Any required updates and supplements to the notice must be delivered to the Company Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company not later than three business days after the record date of the general meeting or not later than three business days after the date that is ten business days prior to the date of the general meeting or any adjournment or postponement of such general meeting, as applicable. In no case will the obligation to update or supplement the notice extend any applicable deadlines or enable a shareholder to amend or update any proposal or nomination or submit any new proposal or nomination (e.g., by changing or adding nominees or proposals or resolutions).

Process for Evaluation of Director Nominees. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee has the authority and responsibility to lead the search for individuals qualified to become members of the Board to the extent necessary to fill vacancies on the Board or as otherwise desired by the Board. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee will identify, evaluate and recommend that the Board select director nominees for shareholder approval at the applicable annual meetings based on minimum qualifications and additional criteria that the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee deems appropriate, taking into account the diversity and other needs of the Board. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee periodically reviews the Board’s membership to assure the appropriate balance of skills and characteristics. The Board believes that all directors of the Company should be persons who combine the highest standards of integrity and significant accomplishments in their chose field of endeavor and bring a diversity of experiences, skills and perspectives to the Board as well as knowledge in the areas of insurance, reinsurance, financial services and other aspects of the Company’s activities.

The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee may in its discretion engage a third-party search firm and other advisors to identify potential nominees for director. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee may also identify potential director nominees through director and management recommendations, business, insurance industry and other contacts, as well as through shareholder nominations.

Qualifications for Director Nominees. A nominee recommended for a position on the Board must meet the following minimum qualifications:

have the highest standards of personal and professional integrity;
have exhibited mature judgment through significant accomplishments in his or her chosen field of expertise;
have a well-developed career history with specializations and skills that are relevant to understanding and benefiting the Company;
be able to allocate sufficient time and energy to director duties, including preparation for meetings and attendance at meetings;
be able to read and understand financial statements to an appropriate level for the exercise of his or her duties; and
be familiar with, and willing to assume, the duties of a director on the board of directors of a public company.


Certain additional criteria for consideration of a director nominee may include, but are not limited to, the following as the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee sees fit:
the nominee’s qualifications and accomplishments and whether they complement the Board’s existing strengths;
the nominee’s leadership, strategic, or policy setting experience;
the nominee’s experience and expertise relevant to the Company’s insurance and reinsurance business, including any actuarial or underwriting expertise, or other specialized skills;
the nominee’s independence qualifications as defined by NYSE listing standards and the Company’s director independence standards;
the nominee’s actual or potential conflict of interest, or the appearance of any conflict of interest, in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders;
the nominee’s ability to represent the interests of all shareholders of the Company; and
the nominee’s financial literacy, accounting or related financial management expertise as defined by NYSE listing standards, or qualifications as an audit committee financial expert as defined by SEC rules and regulations.
Communications to the Board of Directors
Shareholders are encouraged to write their thoughts, concerns or suggestions to the Board or any of the directors. Shareholders may send written communications to the Board or any one or more of the individual directors, including non-executive directors, by mail, c/o Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, by e-mail to secretary@aspen.co or by fax to +1 (441) 295-1829. The Company Secretary will review and forward correspondence to the appropriate director(s).
Householding
Unless we have received contrary instructions, we may send a single copy of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and this Proxy Statement to multiple shareholders who share the same address and who own the Company’s ordinary shares through a bank, broker or other nominee. This process, known as householding, reduces the environmental impact of the 2018 Annual Meeting and reduces our postage and printing costs. If a bank, broker or other nominee holds your ordinary shares, please contact your bank, broker or other nominee directly if you wish to discontinue householding.
Annual Report on Form 10-K
We filed an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 with the SEC on February 22, 2018. Shareholders may obtain a copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, free of charge, by writing to Investor Relations, c/o Aspen Insurance, 590 Madison Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, United States of America.



Attendance at Meetings by Directors
The Board conducts its business through its meetings and meetings of the committees. Each director is expected to attend each of our regularly scheduled meetingsmeeting of the Board, the constituent committees on which that director serves and our annual general meeting of shareholders. The Board held fiveseven formal meetings in 2015.2017. All of the Company’s directors attended the 2017 annual general meeting of shareholders held on April 22, 2015 and at least 75% of the meetings of the Board and meetings of the committees on which they serve.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Corporate Governance Guidelines and Committee ChartersNon-Executive Directors
We haveThe Board has adopted a Codepolicy of Business Conductregularly scheduled executive sessions where non-executive directors meet independently of management. The non-executive directors include all independent directors and Ethics (the “Code of Conduct”) and Corporate Governance Guidelines (the “Governance Guidelines”) that apply to all ofMr. Jones, our employees, including our Group Chief Executive Officer and Group Chief Financial Officer, and directors. The Code of Conduct and Governance Guidelines outline the policies, principles, rules, regulations and law that govern the activitiesChair of the CompanyBoard. The non-executive directors held four executive sessions during 2017. Mr. Jones presided at each executive session. Independent directors likewise held one executive session during 2017 consisting solely of independent directors which was presided by Ms. Hutter, the Company’s Lead Independent Director.
Shareholders and its employees, officers andother interested parties may communicate any queries or concerns to the non-executive directors and establish guidelines for professional conduct in the workplace. Any waiver of a provision of the Code of Conduct for our directors and executive officers may be made only by the Audit Committee. We have posted the Code of Conduct and the Governance Guidelines on the Investor Relations page of our website at www.aspen.co.
The charters for each of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee are also posted on the Investor Relations page of our website at www.aspen.co. Shareholders may request printed copies of the Code of Conduct, the Governance Guidelines and the committee charters at no chargesending written communications by writingmail to Mr. Jones, c/o Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda.Bermuda, by e-mail to secretary@aspen.co or by fax to +1 (441) 295-1829. The Company Secretary will review and forward correspondence to the appropriate director(s).

16


2017 Non-Executive Director Compensation

The table below summarizes the compensation paid by the Company to non-executive directors for the year ended December 31, 2017:
Name 
Fees Earned 
or Paid in 
Cash (1) ($)
 
Share 
Awards(2) ($)
 Total ($)
Liaquat Ahamed (3)
 30,137 18,567
 48,704
Albert Beer (4)   
 136,986 111,550
 248,536
Matthew Botein (5)
 117,603 111,550
 229,153
John Cavoores (6)   
 105,000 111,550
 216,550
Gary Gregg (7)
 143,438 111,550
 254,988
Heidi Hutter (8)   
 185,177 111,550
 296,727
Gordon Ireland (9)
 162,596 111,550
 274,146
Glyn Jones (Chair) (10)   
 260,320 446,201
 706,521
Karl Mayr (11)
 190,278 111,550
 301,828
Bret Pearlman (12)
 85,000 111,550
 196,550
Ronald Pressman (13)   
 108,959 111,550
 220,509



__________
(1)For directors who wish to be paid for their services to the Company in British Pounds rather than U.S. Dollars, such as Mr. Ireland, such compensation for 2017 was converted into British Pounds at the prevailing rate of exchange between the British Pound and the U.S. Dollar at the time of payment. For fees denominated and paid to directors in British Pounds (such as Mr. Jones for his services as Chair of the Board, Ms. Hutter for her services to AMAL, Mr. Mayr for his services to Aspen U.K. and AMAL and Mr. Ireland for his services to Aspen U.K.), an exchange rate of $1.3016 to £1 was used for reporting purposes, which is the average rate of exchange for 2017.
(2)Consists of restricted share units. Valuation is based on the grant date fair value of the awards calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, without regard to forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions, which was $50.18 for the restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017.
(3)Mr. Ahamed did not stand for re-election at the 2017 annual general meeting of shareholders of the Company held on April 26, 2017 and therefore ceased being a director effective April 26, 2017. Represents (i) $15,890 Board fee which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service through April 26, 2017, (ii) $10,000 attendance fee and (iii) $4,247 for serving as Chair of the Investment Committee, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service through April 26, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Ahamed forfeited 1,853 shares, with 370 vesting on his departure from the Company.
(4)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $30,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee, (iv) $30,000 for serving on the board of directors of Aspen Bermuda, (vi) $10,000 for serving as chair of the audit committee of Aspen Bermuda in 2017 and (v) $6,986 for serving as chair of the audit committee of Aspen Bermuda, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service from April 21, 2016 and which was paid to Mr. Beer in the first quarter of 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Beer held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(5)
Represents (i) $44,932 annual Board fee, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service following Mr. Boteins appointment on February 7, 2017, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,274 for serving as Chair of the Investment Committee, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service from April 26, 2017 and (iv) $27,397 for serving as a member of the Aspen Capital Markets Board of Directors, which represents a pro-rated fee for partial-year service from April 26, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Botein held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(6)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee and (iii) $20,000 attendance fee for serving on the Global Insurance Board, an advisory board to Aspen Insurance’s operations. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Cavoores held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(7)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee (iv) $28,438 for serving as the Chair of the Risk Committee, which accounts for an increase in fees on February 8, 2017 and (v) $20,000 attendance fee for serving on the Global Insurance Board, an advisory board to Aspen Insurance’s operations. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Gregg held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled February 10, 2018.
(8)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee, (iv) $14,479 for serving as the Chair of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, which accounts for an increase in fees on February 8, 2017, (v) $15,000 for serving as Lead Independent Director of the Board, (vi) £36,633 ($47,682) annual fee for serving on the board of directors of AMAL, which accounts for an increase in fees on March 9, 2017 and (vii) £10,000 ($13,016) for serving as Chair of the Board of Directors of AMAL. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Ms. Hutter held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(9)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $30,000 for serving as Chair of the Audit Committee and (iv) £36,567 ($47,596) for serving on the board of directors of Aspen U.K., which accounts for an increase in fees on March 21, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Ireland held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(10)Represents Mr. Jones’ annual Chair’s fee of £200,000 ($260,320). In respect of the 8,892 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Jones held 1,482 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018 . During 2017, the Company provided Mr. Jones with access to private medical insurance, for which Mr. Jones paid the full cost.
(11)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee, (iv) £36,567 ($47,596) for serving on the board of directors of Aspen U.K., which accounts for an increase in fees on March 21, 2017 and (v) £36,633 ($47,682) for serving on the board of directors of AMAL, which accounts for an increase in fees on March 9, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Mayr held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
(12)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, and (ii) $35,000 attendance fee. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Pearlman held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.


(13)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $35,000 attendance fee and (iii) $23,959 for serving as Chair of the Compensation Committee, which accounts for an increase in fees on February 8, 2017. In respect of the 2,223 restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017, Mr. Pressman held 371 unvested restricted share units as at December 31, 2017, which vested and settled on February 10, 2018.
Cash Fees.  The compensation of non-executive directors is benchmarked against peer companies and companies included in the FTSE 250 Index, taking into account complexity, time commitment and committee duties. For 2017, the annual director fee was $50,000, plus a fee of $5,000 for each formal Board meeting or a gathering of the Board attended by the director. The Chair of the Board received an annual fee of £200,000 ($260,320) in 2017 and did not receive any attendance fees. Directors who are executive officers of the Company, such as Mr. O’Kane, are not paid additional compensation for serving as directors. The Lead Independent Director receives an annual fee of $30,000, inclusive of all other fees in connection with chairing any Board committees. In addition, non-executive directors that served as Chairs or members of the following Board committees received the following fees in 2017:
Board Committee Chair Fee Member Fees
     
Audit Committee $30,000 $10,000
Compensation Committee $25,000 
Risk Committee $30,000 
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee $15,000 
Investment Committee $15,000 
As further described in the footnotes under “— 2017 Non-Executive Director Compensation” above, certain of our non-executive directors also received fees for serving on the board of directors of certain of the Company’s subsidiaries.
Equity Awards. On April 21, 2016, shareholders approved the 2016 Stock Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the “2016 Non-Employee Director Plan”) to aid the Company in recruiting and retaining highly qualified individuals to serve as non-executive directors and to strengthen the common interest between such directors and the Company’s shareholders. The 2016 Non-Employee Director Plan allows the Company to grant options, restricted share units and other share-based incentive awards to non-executive directors of the Company. The total number of ordinary shares that may be issued under the 2016 Non-Employee Director Plan is 263,695.
On February 7, 2018, the Board approved a grant of restricted share units valued at $125,000 and $500,000 to non-executive directors and the Chair of the Board, respectively, calculated based on a share price of $38.76 (i.e., the average closing share price in the first quarter of 2018 up to and including the grant date of February 9, 2018). Subject to the director remaining on the Board, one-twelfth (1/12) of the restricted share units are eligible to vest on each monthly anniversary of the date of grant, with 100% of the restricted share units vesting on the first anniversary of the grant date. If a director leaves the Board for any reason other than “cause” (as defined in the award agreement), the director would receive the shares that had vested up until the date of departure.
Non-Executive Director Share Ownership Guidelines. Non-executive directors and the Chair of the Board are required to own Company ordinary shares equivalent to the market value of four times their respective annual retainers (currently $50,000 per annum for non-executive directors and £200,000 ($260,320) for the Chair of the Board). Directors may not sell Company ordinary shares until they have reached the required holding. Once directors have achieved the required holding they are expected to maintain their required shareholding for the remainder of their service as a director of the Company.
Submission of Shareholder Proposals for 2019
Shareholder proposals for our 2019 annual general meeting of shareholders must be received at our registered office located at 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, addressed to the Company Secretary, no later than November 19, 2018, the 120th day before the one-year anniversary of the 2018 proxy statement (i.e., March 19, 2018). If we change the date of the 2019 annual general meeting of shareholders by more than 30 days from the date of the 2018 Annual Meeting, we will provide a revised deadline for such shareholder proposals in one of our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q to be filed with the SEC. Such proposals must comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act.
Shareholder proposals and director nominations submitted under our procedures set forth under “Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Candidates and Evaluation of Director Candidates — Submission of Shareholder Proposals” above must be delivered in proper form to the Company Secretary at our principal executive offices located at 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda by no earlier than December 27, 2018 and no later than January 26, 2019. Any such notice must include the information required by, and otherwise comply with, the procedures described under “Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Candidates and Evaluation of Director Candidates — Submission of Shareholder Proposals” above.


Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Nominees
The Board has adopted the following procedures relating to director nominations and shareholder proposals:
Submission of Shareholder Proposals. Shareholder proposals to be included in the Company’s proxy materials will be considered only if received not later than the close of business on the 120th day before the first anniversary of the date of the Company’s proxy statement in connection with the previous year’s annual general meeting of shareholders and if they comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act. The Company can exclude a shareholder proposal if it has failed one of the eligibility or procedural requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, the Company may exclude such shareholder proposals even if received in a timely manner.
If shareholders wish to nominate their own candidates for director on their own separate slate (as opposed to recommending candidates to be nominated by the Company in the Company’s proxy), shareholder nominations for directors at the annual general meeting of shareholders must be received by the Company not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day and not later than the close of business on the 90th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual general meeting of shareholders.
Disclosure Requirements. A shareholder who wishes to submit a proposal or a nomination for consideration (a “Notice Shareholder”) should send a written notice by mail, c/o Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, by e-mail to secretary@aspen.co or by fax to +1 (441) 295-1829 and include the following information:
(1) the Notice Shareholder’s name and address;
(2) a description of: (a) the Notice Shareholder’s beneficial ownership, whether direct or indirect, of (i) common or preferred shares of the Company, (ii) any option, warrant or other security or right convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common or preferred shares of the Company and (iii) any derivative instrument or contract, swap, right or other transaction or series of transactions that has the characteristics of a long position, has an exercise, conversion or settlement mechanic at a price or value related to or derived in whole or in part from the price or value of common or preferred shares of the Company or is designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of common or preferred shares of the Company (even if such benefits and risks are hedged or otherwise mitigated), (b) any stock borrowing, hedging or other arrangement entered into by the Notice Shareholder that is designed to reduce the economic risk of changes to the price or value of common or preferred shares of the Company or has the characteristics of a short position or otherwise provides an opportunity to profit from any decrease in the price or value of common or preferred shares of the Company, (c) any rights of the Notice Shareholder to dividends on common or preferred shares of the Company that are separate from the underlying shares, (d) any performance-related fees (other than asset-based fees) to which the Notice Shareholder is entitled based on any increase or decrease in the value of common or preferred shares of the Company and (e) any proxy, contract or other understanding or arrangement providing the Notice Shareholder with the right to vote any common or preferred shares of the Company;
(3) the information that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 13D or an amendment to Schedule 13D by the Notice Shareholder and all information with respect to such person or the applicable nomination or proposal that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 14A proxy statement; and
(4) a description of any agreements, arrangements or understandings between or among any Notice Shareholders in connection with the nomination or proposal, as applicable.
A Notice Shareholder shall also comply with any applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to the matters covered by the Company’s procedures regarding shareholder proposals and nominations.
Nomination Requirements. In addition, a shareholder’s notice of a nomination must include the following information:
(1) the name and address of each director nominee (each, a “Nominee”);
(2) the information required by (2) above under “— Disclosure Requirements” with respect to each Nominee;
(3) all information with respect to each Nominee that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 14A proxy statement, including each Nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected;
(4) a description of any compensation and other material agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among any Notice Shareholder, on the one hand, and any Nominee, on the other hand, including all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 404 under Regulation S-K if a Notice Shareholder were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the Nominee were a director or executive officer of such “registrant”; and


(6) a D&O questionnaire completed and signed by each Nominee (a form of which will be provided to the requesting shareholder and/or Nominee following written request to the Company Secretary).
In addition, the Notice Shareholder shall promptly provide the Company with any other information requested by the Company that is reasonably required to allow the Company to determine the eligibility of a Nominee to serve as a director or that could be material to a shareholder’s understanding of the independence of a Nominee.
Proposal Requirements. In addition, a shareholder’s notice of a proposal must include the following information:
(1) a brief description of the proposal or other business desired to be brought before the general meeting and the reasons for it;
(2) any material interests of a Notice Shareholder in such proposal or other business; and
(3) the text of the proposal or other business (including the text of any resolutions or Bye-Law amendments proposed for consideration).

Updates and Supplements. A shareholder’s notice of a nomination or proposal must be updated and supplemented, as necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice is true and correct as of, not only the date of the notice, but also the record date of the general meeting and the date that is ten business days prior to the date of the general meeting or any adjournment or postponement of such general meeting. Any required updates and supplements to the notice must be delivered to the Company Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company not later than three business days after the record date of the general meeting or not later than three business days after the date that is ten business days prior to the date of the general meeting or any adjournment or postponement of such general meeting, as applicable. In no case will the obligation to update or supplement the notice extend any applicable deadlines or enable a shareholder to amend or update any proposal or nomination or submit any new proposal or nomination (e.g., by changing or adding nominees or proposals or resolutions).

Process for Evaluation of Director Nominees. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee has the authority and responsibility to lead the search for individuals qualified to become members of the Board to the extent necessary to fill vacancies on the Board or as otherwise desired by the Board. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee will identify, evaluate and recommend that the Board select director nominees for shareholder approval at the applicable annual meetings based on minimum qualifications and additional criteria that the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee deems appropriate, taking into account the diversity and other needs of the Board. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee periodically reviews the Board’s membership to assure the appropriate balance of skills and characteristics. The Board believes that all directors of the Company should be persons who combine the highest standards of integrity and significant accomplishments in their chose field of endeavor and bring a diversity of experiences, skills and perspectives to the Board as well as knowledge in the areas of insurance, reinsurance, financial services and other aspects of the Company’s activities.

The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee may in its discretion engage a third-party search firm and other advisors to identify potential nominees for director. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee may also identify potential director nominees through director and management recommendations, business, insurance industry and other contacts, as well as through shareholder nominations.

Qualifications for Director Nominees. A nominee recommended for a position on the Board must meet the following minimum qualifications:

have the highest standards of personal and professional integrity;
have exhibited mature judgment through significant accomplishments in his or her chosen field of expertise;
have a well-developed career history with specializations and skills that are relevant to understanding and benefiting the Company;
be able to allocate sufficient time and energy to director duties, including preparation for meetings and attendance at meetings;
be able to read and understand financial statements to an appropriate level for the exercise of his or her duties; and
be familiar with, and willing to assume, the duties of a director on the board of directors of a public company.


Certain additional criteria for consideration of a director nominee may include, but are not limited to, the following as the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee sees fit:
the nominee’s qualifications and accomplishments and whether they complement the Board’s existing strengths;
the nominee’s leadership, strategic, or policy setting experience;
the nominee’s experience and expertise relevant to the Company’s insurance and reinsurance business, including any actuarial or underwriting expertise, or other specialized skills;
the nominee’s independence qualifications as defined by NYSE listing standards and the Company’s director independence standards;
the nominee’s actual or potential conflict of interest, or the appearance of any conflict of interest, in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders;
the nominee’s ability to represent the interests of all shareholders of the Company; and
the nominee’s financial literacy, accounting or related financial management expertise as defined by NYSE listing standards, or qualifications as an audit committee financial expert as defined by SEC rules and regulations.
Communications to the Board of Directors
Shareholders are encouraged to write their thoughts, concerns or suggestions to the Board or any of the directors. Shareholders may send written communications to the Board or any one or more of the individual directors, including non-executive directors, by mail, c/o Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, by e-mail to secretary@aspen.co or by fax to +1 (441) 295-1829. The Company Secretary will review and forward correspondence to the appropriate director(s).
Householding
Unless we have received contrary instructions, we may send a single copy of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and this Proxy Statement to multiple shareholders who share the same address and who own the Company’s ordinary shares through a bank, broker or other nominee. This process, known as householding, reduces the environmental impact of the 2018 Annual Meeting and reduces our postage and printing costs. If a bank, broker or other nominee holds your ordinary shares, please contact your bank, broker or other nominee directly if you wish to discontinue householding.
Annual Report on Form 10-K
We filed an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 with the SEC on February 22, 2018. Shareholders may obtain a copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, free of charge, by writing to Investor Relations, c/o Aspen Insurance, 590 Madison Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, United States of America.



Executive Officers
Set forth below is information regarding our executive officers as at March 1, 2018:
Position, Principal Occupation and Business Experience within Aspen

cok.jpg
• Group Chief Executive Officer, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited — 2002 to present
• Director, Blue Marble Micro Insurance — 2016 to present
• Director, Aspen U.K. — 2002 to 2014
• Chief Executive Officer, Aspen U.K. — 2002 to 2010
• Chairman, Aspen Bermuda Limited — 2002 to 2006

Christopher O’KanePrior Experience and Skills
Age: 63
Mr. O’Kane has extensive experience in the specialty re/insurance industry and is both a co-founder of our Company’s business and its founding Chief Executive Officer. Mr. O’Kane brings his market experience and industry knowledge to Board discussions and is also directly accountable to the Board for the day-to-day management of the Company and the implementation of its business strategy.
Group Chief Executive Officer and Director
since June 2002
Directorships
Blue Marble Micro Insurance
Position, Principal Occupation and Business Experience within Aspen
timaman2.jpg
• Group Chief Risk Officer — 2017 to present
Tim AmanPrior Experience and Skills
Age: 51
Prior to joining Aspen in February 2017, Mr. Aman served as Principal of Broctuary Inc., an independent Florida-based consultancy Mr. Aman established in 2016 specialising in actuarial, broking and risk management. From 2007 until 2016, Mr. Aman was Chief Risk Officer for Montpelier Group. From 1996 until 2007 he was Managing Director in the Global Accounts and Latin America & Caribbean reinsurance broking teams at Guy Carpenter. Previously, Mr. Aman worked for St Paul Reinsurance (now RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd.), Cigna (now Chubb) and Reinsurance Assn of Minnesota (now RAM Mutual).

Officer of Aspen
since May 2017
Directorships
None




Position, Principal Occupation and Business Experience within Aspen
brianboornazian.jpg
• Chief Executive Officer of Americas, Aspen Re — 2017 to present
• Chairman, Aspen Re — 2012 to present
• Performance Director, Aspen Re — 2012 to present
• President, Aspen Re America — 2004 to present
• Director, various boards of Aspen’s subsidiaries — 2004 to present
• Chief Executive Officer North America, Aspen Re — 2012 to 2017
 Chief Executive Officer, Aspen Re — 2010 to 2012
President, Aspen Re — 2008 to 2010
• Head of Reinsurance, Aspen Re — 2006 to 2008

Brian BoornazianPrior Experience and Skills
Age: 57
Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Boornazian was at XL Re America where he acted in several capacities, including Senior Vice President, Chief Property Officer (responsible for property facultative and treaty, as well as marine) and Chief Marketing Officer. Mr. Boornazian began his career at General Reinsurance Corporation and also held senior positions at NAC Re, Cologne Re of America and Guy Carpenter.

Officer of Aspen
since December 2012
Directorships
Various boards of Aspen’s subsidiaries
Position, Principal Occupation and Business Experience within Aspen
heatherbrown.jpg
• Group HR Director — 2017 to present
• Interim Group HR Director — 2016 to 2017
• Global HR Business Partner — 2015 to 2016
Heather BrownPrior Experience and Skills
Age: 52
Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Brown held senior human resources positions in the U.K., U.S. and Canada for a number of blue chip organizations. She has a wealth of experience as a human resources professional spanning over 20 years, predominantly in the Financial Services sector covering Insurance, Investment Banking, Asset Management and Wealth Management.

Officer of Aspen
since September 2017
Directorships
None
Position, Principal Occupation and Business Experience within Aspen
mikecain.jpg
• Chief Executive Officer of AIUK and AMAL — 2017 to present
• Group Company Secretary, Aspen — 2016 to present
• Group General Counsel, Aspen — 2008 to present
• Director, various boards of Aspen’s subsidiaries — 2009 to present
• Chief Executive Officer, Aspen Bermuda — 2014 to 2017
• Director, Aspen Bermuda — 2012 to 2017
 Head of Group Human Resources — 2011 to 2016
Michael CainPrior Experience and Skills
Age: 45
Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Cain served as Corporate Counsel and Company Secretary to Benfield Group Limited from 2002 to 2008. Previously, Mr. Cain worked at Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP and Ashurst LLP.
Officer of Aspen
since March 2008
Directorships
Various boards of Aspen’s subsidiaries


Position, Principal Occupation and Business Experience within Aspen
davecohen.jpg
• President and Chief Underwriting Officer, Aspen Insurance — 2015 to present
• Director, Blue Waters Insurers Corp. — 2016 to present
• Director and Chairman, various boards of Aspen’s subsidiaries — 2015 to present

David CohenPrior Experience and Skills
Age: 59
Mr. Cohen has over 35 years of insurance industry experience. Most recently, he was Global Casualty Chief Underwriting Officer at Liberty International Underwriters (“LIU”) from June 2001 to October 2015 and was President of LIU U.S. from December 2006 to October 2015. Prior to this, he was President of Casualty at Tamarack American (a division of Great American Insurance Company) for five years and worked in the Excess Casualty Division at The Home Insurance Company for 10 years. He began his career at American International Group, Inc. in 1980.

Officer of Aspen
since November 2015
Directorships
Various boards of Aspen’s subsidiaries; Blue Waters Insurers Corp.
Position, Principal Occupation and Business Experience within Aspen
emilissavi.jpg
• President, Aspen Re — 2014 to present
• Chief Underwriting Officer, Aspen Re — 2012 to present
• Director, various boards of Aspen’s subsidiaries — 2015 to present
• Executive Vice President, Aspen Re — 2008 to 2012
• Head of Casualty Reinsurance, Aspen Re — 2008 to 2012
• Head of Casualty Treaty, Aspen Re America — 2006 to 2008
Emil IssaviPrior Experience and Skills
Age: 45
Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Issavi was at Swiss Re America where he was Senior Treaty Account Executive responsible for various global and national property and casualty clients from 2002 to 2006. Mr. Issavi began his reinsurance career at Gen Re as a casualty facultative underwriter. 

Officer of Aspen
since August 2012
Directorships
Various boards of Aspen’s subsidiaries
Position, Principal Occupation and Business Experience within Aspen
scottkirk.jpg
• Group Chief Financial Officer — 2014 to present
• Director, various boards of Aspen’s subsidiaries — 2012 to present
• Chief Financial Officer, Aspen Insurance — 2011 to 2014
• Group Head of Finance — 2009 to 2011
• Group Financial Controller — 2007 to 2009
Scott KirkPrior Experience and Skills
Age: 44
Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Kirk worked at Endurance Specialty Holdings Limited, joining Endurance Re America in New York after its formation in 2002. Previously, Mr. Kirk was at Trenwick International in London working in finance and treasury for three years. Mr. Kirk began his career as an auditor at KPMG, Brisbane and is a member of the Institutes of Chartered Accountants in both England and Wales and Australia.

Officer of Aspen
since December 2014
Directorships
Various boards of Aspen’s subsidiaries


Position, Principal Occupation and Business Experience within Aspen
thomaslillelund.jpg
• Chief Executive Officer, Aspen Re — 2016 to present
• Managing Director of Asia-Pacific, Aspen Re — 2012 to 2016
• General Manager and Principal Officer of the Singapore Branch — 2008 to 2012
Thomas LillelundPrior Experience and Skills
Age: 45
Mr. Lillelund served as the Chairman of the Singapore Reinsurance Association from 2014 to 2016 and was a member of the Board of the Singapore College of Insurance from 2015 to 2016. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Lillelund spent four years at American International Group, Inc. where he was the Regional Vice President for Commercial Property in the South East Asia Region. Mr. Lillelund previously held management roles at Swiss Re in Hong Kong and South Africa. He began his underwriting career at Gen Re in the United States in 1995 and in this role undertook further study to become an Associate in Reinsurance of the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters.

Officer of Aspen
since May 2016
Directorships
None
Position, Principal Occupation and Business Experience within Aspen
davidschick.jpg
• Group Chief Operating Officer — 2017 to present

David SchickPrior Experience and Skills
Age: 52
Mr. Schick joined the Company from Malayan Baning Berhad (“Maybank”) where he was Executive Vice President, Group Strategy and Transformation and Director of Strategic Operational Excellence from 2014 to 2017. At Maybank, he was responsible for driving effectiveness and efficiency group-wide, including within the insurance business. Prior to this, Mr. Schick was at Raiffeisen Bank International from 2008 to 2014 where he led transformational efforts from both a line and functional perspective. He also worked at organizations such as Citigroup Inc. and Mercer Consulting driving transformation across multiple geographies, businesses and industries.


Officer of Aspen
since December 2017
Directorships
None
Position, Principal Occupation and Business Experience within Aspen
katevacher.jpg
• Director and Chief Executive Officer, Aspen Bermuda Limited (“ABL”) — 2017 to present
• Chair, Aspen Risk Management Limited — 2015 to 2017
• Director, AMAL — 2010 to 2017
• Director of Underwriting — 2007 to present
• Active Underwriter, Syndicate 4711 — 2010 to 2016
• Head of Group Planning — 2003 to 2006
• Property Reinsurance Underwriter — 2002 to 2006
Kate VacherPrior Experience and Skills
Age: 46
Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Vacher worked as an underwriter with Wellington Syndicate 2020 from 1999 until 2002 and was an assistant underwriter at Syndicate 51 from 1995 until 1999.

Officer of Aspen
since May 2006
Directorships
ABL


Role in Risk Oversight
In this section, we provide a summary of our risk governance arrangements and current risk management strategy. We also provide more detail on the management of core underwriting and market risks and on our internal model. The internal model is an economic capital model which has been developed internally for use in certain business decision-making processes, the assessment of risk-based capital requirements and for various regulatory purposes.
Risk Governance
Board of Directors.  The Board considers effective identification, measurement, monitoring, management and reporting of the risks facing our business to be key elements of its responsibilities and those of the Group Chief Executive Officer and management. Matters relating to risk management that are reserved to the Board include approval of the internal controls and risk management framework and any changes to the Group’s risk appetite statement and key risk limits. The Board also receives reports at each scheduled meeting from the Group Chief Risk Officer and the Chair of the Risk Committee as well as training in risk management processes including the design, operation, use and limitations of the internal model. As a result of these arrangements and processes, the Board, assisted by management and the Board committees, is able to exercise effective oversight of the operation of the risk management strategy described in “Risk Management Strategy” below.
Board Committees.  The Board delegates oversight of the management of certain key risks to its Risk, Audit and Investment Committees. Each of the committees is chaired by an independent director of the Company who also reports to the Board on the committees’ discussions and matters arising.
Risk Committee:  The purpose of this committee is to assist the Board in its oversight duties in respect of the management of risk, including:
making recommendations to the Board regarding management’s proposals for the risk management framework, risk appetite, key risk limits and the use of our internal model;
monitoring compliance with the agreed Group risk appetite and key risk limits; and
oversight of the process of stress and scenario testing established by management.
Audit Committee:  This committee is primarily responsible for assisting the Board in its oversight of the integrity of the financial statements. It is also responsible for reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls and receives regular reports from both internal and external audit in this regard.
Investment Committee:  This committee is primarily responsible for setting and monitoring the Group’s investment risk and asset allocation policies and ensuring that the Chairman of the Risk Committee is kept informed of such matters.
Management Committees.  The Group also has a number of executive management committees which have oversight of certain risk management processes including the following:
Group Executive Committee:  This committee is the main executive committee responsible for advising the Group Chief Executive Officer on matters relating to the strategy and conduct of the Group’s business.
Capital and Risk Principles Committee:  The primary purpose of the Capital and Risk Principles Committee is to assist the Group Chief Executive Officer and the Group Chief Risk Officer in their oversight duties in respect of the design and operation of the Group’s risk management systems. In particular, it has specific responsibilities in relation to the internal model and for the establishment of risk limits for accumulating underwriting exposures and monitoring solvency and liquidity requirements.
Reserve Committee:  This committee is responsible for managing reserving risk and making recommendations to the Group Chief Executive Officer and the Group Chief Financial Officer relating to the appropriate level of reserves to include in the Group’s financial statements.
Underwriting Committee: The purpose of this committee is to assist the Group Chief Executive Officer in his oversight duties in respect of the management and control of underwriting risk, including oversight of the independent review of the quality of each team’s underwriting.
Reinsurance Credit Committee:  The purpose of this committee is to seek to minimize credit risks arising from insurance and reinsurance counterparties by the assessment and monitoring of collateralized reinsurance arrangements, direct cedants, intermediaries and reinsurers.
Group Chief Risk Officer.  Among other things, our Group Chief Risk Officer provides the Board and the Risk Committee with reports and advice on risk management issues.


Risk Management Strategy
We operate an integrated enterprise-wide risk management strategy designed to deliver shareholder value in a sustainable and efficient manner while providing a high level of policyholder protection. The execution of our integrated risk management strategy is based on:
the establishment and maintenance of a risk management and internal control system based on a three lines of defense approach to the allocation of responsibilities between risk accepting units (first line), risk management activity and oversight from other central control functions (second line) and independent assurance (third line);
identifying material risks to the achievement of the Group’s objectives including emerging risks;
the articulation at Group level of our risk appetite and a consistent set of key risk limits for each material component of risk;
the cascading of key risk limits for material risks to each operating subsidiary and, where appropriate, risk accepting business units;
measuring, monitoring, managing and reporting risk positions and trends;
the use, subject to an understanding of its limitations, of the internal model to test strategic and tactical business decisions and to assess compliance with the risk appetite statement; and
stress and scenario testing, including reverse stress testing, designed to help us better understand and develop contingency plans for the likely effects of extreme events or combinations of events on capital adequacy and liquidity.
Risk Appetite Statement.  The risk appetite statement is a central component of the Group’s overall risk management framework and is approved by the Board. It sets out, at a high level, how we think about risk in the context of our business model, Group objectives and strategy. It sets out boundary conditions and limits for the level of risk we assume, together with a statement of the reward we aim to receive for this level of risk.
Our risk appetite statement comprises the following components:
Risk preferences:  a high level description of the types of risks we prefer to assume and those we prefer to minimize or avoid;
Return objective:  the levels of return on capital we seek to achieve, subject to our risk constraints;
Volatility constraint:  a target limit on earnings volatility; and
Capital constraint:  a minimum level of risk adjusted capital.
Risk Components.  The main types of risks that we face are summarized as follows:
Insurance risk:  The risk that underwriting results vary from their expected amounts, including the risk that reserves established in respect of prior periods differ significantly from the level of reserves included in the Group’s financial statements.
Market risk:  The risk of variation in the income generated by, and the fair value of, our investment portfolio, cash and cash equivalents and derivative contracts including the effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
Credit risk:  The risk of diminution in the value of insurance receivables as a result of counter-party default. This principally comprises default and concentration risks relating to amounts receivable from intermediaries, policyholders and reinsurers. We include credit risks related to our investment portfolio under market risk. We include credit risks related to insurance contracts (e.g., credit and political risk policies) under insurance risk.
Liquidity risk:  The risks of failing to maintain sufficient liquid financial resources to meet liabilities as they fall due or to provide collateral as required for commercial or regulatory purposes.
Operational risk:  The risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, personnel or systems, or from external events.
Strategic risk:  The risk of adverse impact on shareholder value or income and capital of adverse business decisions, poor execution or failure to respond to market changes.


Regulatory risk: The risk of non-compliance with regulatory requirements, including ensuring we understand and comply with changes to those requirements. There is a residual risk that changes in regulation impact our ability to operate profitably in some jurisdictions or some lines of business.
Taxation risk: The risk that we do not understand, plan for and manage our tax obligations. There is a residual risk that changes in taxation impact our ability to operate profitably in some jurisdictions or some lines of business.
Emerging risk:  The risk that events or issues not previously identified or fully understood impact the operations or financial results of the Group.
We divide risks into “core” and “non-core” risks. Core risks comprise those risks which are inherent in the operation of our business, including insurance risks in respect of our underwriting operations and market and liquidity risks in respect of our investment activity. We intentionally expose the Company to core risks with a view to generating shareholder value but seek to manage the resulting volatility in our earnings and financial condition within the limits defined by our risk appetite. However, these core risks are intrinsically difficult to measure and manage and we may not, therefore, be successful in this respect. All other risks, including regulatory and operational risks, are classified as non-core. We seek, to the extent we regard as reasonably practicable and economically viable, to avoid or minimize our exposure to non-core risks.
Key Risk Limits.  We use the term risk limit to mean the upper limit of our tolerance for exposure to a given risk. Key risk limits are a sub-set of risk limits and are subject to annual approval by the Board on the advice of the Risk Committee as part of the annual business planning process. If a risk exceeds key risk limits, the Group Chief Risk Officer is required to report the excess and management’s plans for dealing with it to the Risk Committee.
Review and Approval of Transactions with Related Persons
We analyze all transactions in which the Company participates and in which a “related person” may have a direct or indirect material interest. Related persons include directors, executive officers, principal shareholders owning 5% or more of the Company’s ordinary shares and any of their immediate family members. Our Code of Conduct provides guidelines for any transaction which may create a potential or actual conflict of interest. All directors, officers and employees of the Company who have a potential or actual conflict of interest are required to fully disclose the relevant facts promptly to their respective local General Counsel. The Company will review personal benefits received, personal financial interest in a transaction and certain business relationships in evaluating whether a conflict of interest exists. As at March 1, 2018, the Company had no related party transactions.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
During the year ended December 31, 2017, none of the directors that served on the Compensation Committee served as an officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. In addition, during the year ended December 31, 2017, none of our executive officers served as a member of the Compensation Committee or as a director of an entity with at least one executive officer who served on our Compensation Committee or as one of our directors.


COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis provides information regarding the compensation of our (i) Chief Executive Officer, (ii) Chief Financial Officer and (iii) the three most highly compensated executive officers for 2015, not including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer (collectively, our “NEOs”). This Compensation Discussion and Analysis also describes the overall objectives of our compensation program, each element of compensation and key compensation decisions that the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”) has made under our compensation program and the factors considered in making those decisions.

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis also provides information regarding the compensation of (i) our Group Chief Executive Officer, (ii) our Group Chief Financial Officer, (iii) the three most highly compensated executive officers for 2017, not including the Group Chief Executive Officer and the Group Chief Financial Officer, as of December 31, 2017 and (iv) our former Group Chief Operating Officer and Group Head of Strategy (collectively, the “NEOs”).
Executive Summary
Given the Company did not achieve its performance goals in 2017 in what was a very challenging year for the insurance and reinsurance industry and consistent with the Company’s pay-for-performance philosophy, the Compensation Committee did not approve bonus payments for any full-year member of the Group Executive Committee, including all NEOs. In addition, one-third of each of the 2015, 2016 and 2017 performance shares and phantom shares subject to 2017 performance testing were forfeited based on the Company’s 2017 adjusted annual growth in diluted book value per ordinary share (“BVPS”) test. The Compensation Committee likewise did not approve adjustments to any of the NEO’s base salary in 2018 and reduced the value of the equity awards granted to the NEOs in February 2018.
In 2017, our Say-On-Pay Vote received overwhelming support with approximately 94%99% of shareholders who cast a vote voting in favor of our compensation programs, which weprogram. We believe this favorable response from our shareholders evidences our shareholders’their strong support for our NEOs’ compensation arrangements and our general executive compensation practices. We believe this strong support is the result ofas well as the Company’s executive compensation program beingwhich is designed to align pay and performance and to reflect market competitiveness and industry best practice.

2017 NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Our 2015 Named Executive Officers


Christopher O’Kane

,
Group Chief Executive Officer


Scott Kirk,

Group Chief Financial Officer


Stephen Postlewhite

Thomas Lillelund,
Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re


Brian Boornazian,

Chairman of Aspen Re


Stephen Postlewhite,
Emil IssaviFormer Chief Executive Officer of
Aspen Insurance

President Richard Thornton,
Former Group Chief Operating Officer
and Chief Underwriting OfficerGroup Head of Aspen Re




Strategy
Our results for 2015 were strong despite a continuing challenging environment. Reflecting the Compensation Committee’s desire to maintain a strong programsand effective compensation program which is aligned with our shareholders,shareholder interests over the short term and long term, the Compensation Committee reviewedreviews all elements of our current executive compensation program regularly to ensure that theits overall design continues to support the Company’s financial, operational and strategic program. The Compensation Committee decided to retainretained the core design of our executive compensation program in fiscal year 20152017 as it believes the current compensation program designthat it continues to properly reward our executives for their performance, motivate them to work towards achieving our short- and long-term objectives and strengthensstrengthen the alignment of their interests with those of our shareholders. Given our pay-for-performance orientation,To further align pay and performance, however, the compensation for our NEOs in 2015 reflected these outcomes, taking into account performance against our business plans. The Compensation Committee will continue to routinely review, evaluate and,approved a new structure for bonus pool funding in 2017 as appropriate, take into account the viewsfurther described under “— Elements of our shareholders, to enhance our compensation program.Compensation — Annual Cash Incentive” below.
Our Board unanimously recommends that shareholders vote “FOR”FOR the approval of the compensation of our NEOs as disclosed in this Proxy Statement. For more information, see Proposal 2 “Non-Binding“— Non-Binding Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation.”Compensation” below.


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Overview of 2017 Results
The insurance and reinsurance industry continued to be challenged in 2017 as a result of the impact of a series of costly catastrophe events and losses, including losses associated with Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, the earthquakes in Mexico, wildfires in California, a tornado in Mississippi, Cyclone Debbie in Australia and other U.S. weather-related events. In our insurance segment, we experienced a significant underwriting loss in 2017 due to a combination of catastrophe losses and an increased incidence of large losses and attritional losses. In our reinsurance segment, our results in 2017 were driven by the significant level of natural catastrophe losses, primarily in the United States. These factors impacted our business and contributed to a net return on equity (ROE) of 11.1% loss and a 10.3% decrease in adjusted diluted book value per share in 2017.
Following the large catastrophe losses in 2017, we continue to seek to balance our insurance portfolio and to target the best risk-adjusted returns. As a result, we expect to reduce our exposure to major property accounts that contain considerable catastrophe accumulations. As a result of the increased frequency of large and attritional losses in our insurance segment in 2017, we have likewise taken a more risk-averse view by retaining less risk and ceding more premiums with the aim to stabilize earnings. We have also significantly reduced our voluntary participation into our internal reinsurance vehicle.



2015Notwithstanding the above, we made solid progress on the comprehensive program we launched in 2017 to enhance the operating effectiveness and efficiency across our organization and enhance our market position (the “Effectiveness and Efficiency Program”). The Effectiveness and Efficiency Program is intended to allow us to be a more nimble organization with faster decision-making ability and a more competitive expense ratio. We expect the Effectiveness and Efficiency Program to deliver cumulative total expense savings of approximately $160 million over the next three years. We expect to achieve approximately $30 million of the savings in 2018, $55 million in 2019 and $75 million in 2020, after which run-rate savings are expected to be approximately $80 million per year. We expect approximately 70% of the total expected savings to benefit our insurance segment.
A full description of our performance can be found in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 filed with the SEC on February 22, 2018.
2017 Performance Highlights
We are pleased with our strong results for 2015 despite a continuing challenging environment. The following table highlights our 20152017 performance by setting forth the year-over-year comparison of some of our key financial metrics during the past three fiscal years:
Key Metric (1)
201520142013201720162015
Operating Return on Equity (2)
10.0%11.5%9.7%
Net Income Return on Equity (2)
(11.1)%5.4%10.0%
Operating Return on Equity (3)
(14.0)%4.8%10.0%
Diluted Book Value per Ordinary Share$46.00$45.13$40.90$40.10$46.72$46.00
Adjusted Diluted Book Value per Ordinary Share Growth (3)
10.7%13.3%6.2%
Adjusted Diluted Book Value per Ordinary Share Growth (4)
(10.3)%5.9%10.7%
Combined Ratio91.9%91.7%92.6%125.7%98.5%91.9%
Gross Written Premiums$3.00 Bn$2.90 Bn$2.65 Bn$3.36 Bn$3.15 Bn$3.00 Bn
Diluted Net Income per Share$4.54$4.82$4.14
Diluted Net (Loss)/Income per Share($5.22)$2.61$4.54
___________
(1)See
Certain of these metrics are not calculated and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). For reconciliations of these metrics to the most comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure, please see Appendix A “ReconciliationReconciliation of Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of non-U.S. GAAP financial measures.Measures.”
(2)Net income ROE is calculated using net income after tax less preference share dividends and non-controlling interests, divided by average equity.
(3)Operating return on equityROE is calculated using operating income after tax less preference share dividends and non-controlling interest, divided by average equity.
(3)(4)Adjusted diluted book value per ordinary share growth, a test for purposes of the vesting condition of our performance shares was 10.7% for 2015. Adjusted diluted book value per ordinary share as at December 31, 2015 is calculated using the adjusted total shareholders’shareholders' equity, of $2,854.1 million divided by the number of diluted ordinary shares outstanding as at December 31, 2015 of 62,240,466. This is compared to the adjusted diluted book value per ordinary share as at December 31, 2014, which is calculated usingby deducting from total shareholders' equity the adjusted total shareholders’of: accumulated other comprehensive income; the value of preference shares less issue expenses; the share of equity as at December 31, 2014 of $2,679.0 million, deducting $50.3 million ofdue to non-controlling interests; and adding back ordinary dividends issued in 2014, divided by the number of diluted ordinary shares outstanding as at December 31, 2014 of 63,448,319.dividends.
2015The change in adjusted diluted book value per ordinary share as of December 31, 2017 was negative 10.3% and is calculated by using the adjusted total shareholders’ equity of $2,526.0 million, less ordinary dividends of $56.2 million, divided by the number of diluted ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 2017 of 60,202,409, plus $0.94 dividends per ordinary share distributed in 2017. This is compared to the adjusted diluted book value per ordinary share as of December 31, 2016, which is calculated using the adjusted total shareholders’ equity as at December 31, 2016 of $2,907.6 million, less $52.7 million of ordinary dividends issued in 2016, divided by the number of diluted ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 2016 of 61,001,071.


2017 Compensation Highlights for the NEOs
As our compensation programs are highly performance-based, our key compensation actions for 2015 reflect our strong financial performance despite a continuing challenging environment.
A substantial portion of total compensation awarded to ourthe NEOs is performance-based and is comprisedcomposed of short-term annual bonus awards and long-term equity awards. As illustrated in the table below, there was a significant difference between the continuing NEO’s actual earned compensation and target compensation in respect of performance share awards.
Basedin 2017 reflecting the Company’s performance in what was one of the most challenging insurance and reinsurance loss years on our bonus pool funding formula and taking into account our performance throughoutrecord. Consistent with the year,Company’s pay-for-performance philosophy, the Compensation Committee approved an overalldid not approve bonus pool fundingpayments for any full-year member of 75.0% of target. See “— Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Annual Cash Incentive — Bonus Pool and Actual Award Levels” below for additional information.
Basedthe Group Executive Committee, including all NEOs, in 2017. In addition, based on our 2015the Company’s 2017 adjusted annual growth in diluted book value per ordinary share (“BVPS”)BVPS test, for purposesone-third of the vesting condition for our performance shares one-third of each of the 2013-2015, 2014-2016 and 2015-2017 performance share cycles vested at 93.5%. See “— Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives” below for additional information.granted in 2017 were forfeited.
To continue to align executives with the long-term interests of our shareholders, the Board approved changes to our executive share ownership guidelines requiring the members of our Group Executive Committee to own Company shares valued at two and one-half to three times their base salary effective February 2015.

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The following table illustrates the compensation decisions made for our NEOs in respect of performance in 2015.(1)targetvprojected19march.jpg
___________
(1) Represents base salary earned in the year, annual bonus for 2015 and the 2015 restricted share unit and performance share grants. In respect of the annual bonus for 2015, Messrs. O’Kane and Kirk each received a portion (73%) of their annual bonus in cash and a portion (27%) of their annual bonus in restricted share units granted on February 8, 2016. The 2015 bonus amounts for Messrs. O’Kane and Kirk reflected in the table above include both the cash and equity components of their annual bonus. The decision to grant a portion of their 2015 annual bonus in equity was taken in the context of our overall 2015 performance and 2015 bonus pool funding model and to further align their interests with our shareholders. For a description of our restricted share units, see “Executive Compensation — Narrative Description of Summary Compensation and Grants of Plan-Based Awards — Share Incentive Plan — Restricted Share Units” below. The value of the restricted share units and the performance shares granted in 2015 is based on2017 and disclosed in the average closing share price during the first quarter of 2015 up to and including March 5, 2015 and therefore differs from what is contained in our 2015 Summary Compensation Table below. In the actual“Target” column in respect of the performance shares granted in 2015, this represents 93.5% of one-third of the grant which has been earned based on our growth in diluted BVPS of 10.7% in 2015 and assumes 100% vesting for the remaining two tranches. For the performance shares and restricted share units, valuationtable above is based on the grant date fair values of the awards calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, without regard to forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions.
(2)The value of the restricted share units and the performance shares disclosed in the “Adjusted” column in the table above is based on the closing price of $40.60 per ordinary share as at December 29, 2017, as reported by the NYSE. With respect to performance shares, the “Adjusted” column in the table above reflects a forfeiture of one-third of the grant based on a 10.3% decrease in diluted book value per share in 2017 and assumes 100% vesting for the remaining two tranches.
The “Adjusted” column in the table above and the amount reported in the “Total” column under “— 2017 Summary Compensation Table” below differ for the following reasons: (i) the calculation of total compensation reported under “— 2017 Summary Compensation Table” below includes other compensation required to be disclosed by the SEC’s rules that the Compensation Committee does not consider conceptually as a component of total compensation (such as Company pension contributions or relocation costs) because such amounts are not related to an NEO’s performance with respect to a given year and/or are available to all employees and (ii) with respect to performance shares, the amount included under “— 2017 Summary Compensation Table” below does not take into account the performance testing for 2017, and (iii) with respect to performance shares and restricted share units, the valuation in the “Adjusted” column in the table above is based on the closing share price of $40.60 per ordinary share as at December 29, 2017, while the valuation reported under “— 2017 Summary Compensation Table” below is based on the grant date fair value calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.

Link Between Pay and Performance
We did not make significant changes to our executive compensation programs in 2015. We continuedcontinue to maintain a strong link between pay and performance while balancing our performance and retention objectives, and to align our compensation programs with our objectives and compensation philosophy. When analyzing pay for performance, the Compensation Committee seeks to assess performance across all aspects of our business and also considers the achievement of non-financial objectives such as the progress made in 2017 on our Effectiveness and Efficiency Program which we believe will ultimately generate greater shareholder value (as further described under “— Overview of 2017 Results” above).
The Compensation Committee believes that Mr. O’Kane’s pay is appropriate considering the Company’s performance against key financial measures when both are compared to our peers. Each year, the Compensation Committee engages itsCommittee’s independent advisor, Willis


Towers Watson, to conduct a review ofreviews the alignment between our pay and performance for our Group Chief Executive Officer as compared to our peers. For the five-year period from January 1, 20102013 through December 31, 2014,2017, Willis Towers Watson reviewed the relative realizable pay of Mr. O’Kane as compared to the following three key financial measures for the Company, our industryshareholders and shareholders:the industry: total shareholder return, return on equityROE and diluted BVPS. For the purpose of this analysis,Willis Towers Watson defines realizable pay is defined as base salary, actual annual bonus paid and the current value of long-term incentives earned within the period (the market value of restricted share units, the in-the-money value of share options vested as of December 31, 20142017 and the market value or cash value of any actual award earned or vested and issued under a performance plan).  
TheBased on this analysis, the Compensation Committee believes that Mr. O’Kane’s realizable pay relative to peers was at a level that is supported byappropriate considering the Company’s relative performance measured by the selected key financial measures. Itmeasures, whether the metrics are considered individually or in the aggregate. The Compensation Committee came to this conclusion when considering that both the Chief Executive Officer’sbecause Mr. O’Kane’s realizable pay and the composite performance which reflects a straight average of the percentile rank for each of the three performance measuresare aligned over theone-, three- and five-year period as discussed above, are reasonably aligned.periods.
Our Executive Compensation Program and Philosophy
We encourage a performance-based culture throughout the Company, and at senior levels we have developed an approachOur compensation program seeks to align our executive compensation that alignswith the executive’s compensation with his or herrespective performance and contribution to the results of the Company.Company while, at the same time, reflecting an assessment of performance across all aspects of our business. Overall, our compensation programs are designed to linkalign variable compensation decisions for individual executives to the achievement of the Company’s financial and strategic goals while meetingof the Company and, where relevant, the financial and strategic goals of the division in which the executive is principally engaged. At the same time, however, we believe that it is appropriate for the Compensation Committee to consider other aspects of performance which seek to generate long-term value but may impact the Company’s short-term financial goals. In addition, our compensation programs are designed to meet high governance standards and encouragingmaintain an appropriate level of risk. We seek
Our target incentive compensation opportunities are aligned with peer market practices. The Compensation Committee seeks to create a total

19



compensation opportunity for NEOs with the potential to deliver actualtarget total compensation atapproximating the upper quartile of peer companiesmedian for high performance relative to competitors and the Company’s internal business objectives.peer group. The actual payout will depend on actual performance and may be below or above the median of the Company’s peer group as warranted by performance.
The three elements of total direct compensation for our executives are (i) base salary, (ii) annual bonus and (iii) long-term incentive awards. Unlike base salary, which is non-discretionary compensation, annual bonus and long-term incentive awards each represent variable compensation. These three elements are balanced such that each executive has an appropriate amount of long-term pay that is contingent on performance. This relationship is
Compensation
 Element
Key Philosophical Underpinning
Base Salary
• Attract and retain key talent
• Provide financial certainty and stability
Annual Cash Incentive
• Incentivize and motivate executives to meet or exceed our short-term business and financial objectives
• Promote team orientation by encouraging participants in all areas of the Company to work together to achieve common Company goals
Long-Term Incentive

(Performance Shares, Phantom Shares and Restricted Share Units)
 • Incentivize and motivate executives to achieve key long-term business priorities and objectives

 • Align executives’ interests with shareholders’ interests

 • Foster a long-term focus to increase shareholder value
 • Attract and retain key talent

 • Encourage executive share ownership


As illustrated in the table below, which shows each element of total target direct compensation for 2015 and demonstrates that a substantial majority of each of our NEOs’ payNEO’s target compensation for 20152017 was delivered through performance-basedvariable compensation which is contingent on performance (86% for the Group Chief Executive Officer and 80%78% on average for the other continuing NEOs) with a significant portion realized over more than one year when performance warrants. Equity awards in particular are intended to encourage alignment of our executives’ interests with those of our shareholders over the long term..
Compensation
Element
Key Philosophical Underpinning
Mix of 2015
Total Target Direct
Compensation
Chief
Executive
Officer
Average
Other
NEOs
Base Salary
• Attract and retain key talent
• Provide financial certainty and stability
14%20%
Annual Cash Incentive
• Incentivize and motivate executives to meet or exceed our short-term business and financial objectives
• Promote team orientation by encouraging participants in all areas of the Company to work together to achieve common Company goals
25%28%
Long-Term
Incentive

(Performance Shares and Restricted Share Units)
 • Incentivize and motivate executives to achieve key long-term business priorities and objectives

 • Align executives’ interests with shareholders’ interests

 • Foster a long-term focus to increase shareholder value
 • Attract and retain key talent

 • Encourage executive share ownership
61%52%
neotargetcomp5march.jpg
We also provide our NEOs with employee benefits and perquisites and severance and double-trigger change of control benefits.benefits as further outlined in the table below.
Compensation Element
 
Key Philosophical Underpinning
Benefits and Perquisites
• Attract and retain key talent
• Provide for safety and wellness of executives
• Provide financial security for retirement
• Enhance executive productivity
• Provide certain expatriate relocation needs as well as specific local market practices that are competitive
Severance and Double-Trigger (1) Change of Control Benefits
• Attract and retain key talent
• Provide financial security in the event of termination
• Allow our executives to continue to focus their attention on our business operations in the face of the potentially disruptive impact of a change of control transaction and allow our executives to assess potential strategic actions objectively without regard to the potential impact on their own job security
___________
(1)A double-trigger clause requires two distinct events to trigger the acceleration of vesting of stock awards. One event is a change of control of the Company, and the other event is termination of the employee without cause or for good reason within two years following a change of control.
All elements of total compensation are considered togethercollectively rather than considering each element in isolation. This process ensures that judgments made in respect of any individual element of compensation are taken in the context of the total compensation that an individual receives, particularly the balance between base salary, annual bonus and long-term incentive awards.

20



Market Intelligence
A core principle of our compensation program and philosophy is that shareholders are best served when the compensation packages of our senior executives are competitive and fair. A fair compensation package is one that reflects the executive’s market value and personal contribution to the business. To ensure our compensation levels and programs are competitive with those


companies with which we compete for talent, we review external market data including:
   research of peer company proxy and/or annual reports;
   publicly available compensation surveys from reputable survey providers;
advice and tailored research from compensation consultants; and
   experience with recruiting senior positions in the marketplace.
 
TheOur Market for Talent
Our business model is unique in that we are a U.S.-listed company, domiciled in Bermuda but with significant operations in the U.K. As we employ senior executives in all three markets, our compensation plans strive to be considerate of the varying nature of these geographies. In addition, we operate in both the insurance and reinsurance businesses, whereas many of our competitors for executive talent focus on one primary business.
 
 
We utilize a peer group for purposes of reviewing our executive compensation levels and programs. Our peer group, described in the table below, is regularly reviewed and reflects companies similar to us in terms of size and business mix and reflects those companies we compare to in terms of assessing our business performance. In 2015, the Compensation Committee, with the advice of Towers Watson, approved changes 
to our peer group as a result of industry consolidation and our continued growth. The Compensation Committee also approved the removal of our “near” peer group in 2015 which was previously used in certain circumstances for benchmarking specific roles or reviewing the practices of other companies. Our revised peer group is as follows:

Peer Group
Alleghany CorporationEverest Re Group, Ltd.
Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AGHiscox Ltd.
Amlin PlcMarkel Corporation
Arch Capital Group Ltd.PartnerRe Ltd.Markel Corporation
Argo Group International Holdings Ltd.RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd.
Axis Capital Holdings Limited
Validus Holdings, Ltd.(1)
Beazley PlcWhite Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd.
Endurance SpecialtyEverest Re Group, Ltd.
XL Group Ltd (2)
___________
(1)On January 22, 2018, American International Group Inc. announced that it would acquire Validus Holdings, Ltd.
(2)On March 5, 2018, AXA SA announced that it would acquire XL Group PlcLtd.
Determining Individual Compensation Levels
Although the Company’s results remain thea primary focus of our performance-based programs, the Compensation Committee also considers other quantitative and qualitative factors in making compensation determinations due to the highly volatile nature of our industry and the potentially significant external factors impacting our business. In particular, the individual decisions taken by, and contributions of, our executives are important to our business and therefore may determine both the allocation of ourinfluence bonus poolfunding and individual long-term incentive awards granted each year.
Individual contributions to our corporate goals are taken into consideration through our annual appraisal process, whereby at the outset of each year objectives are established and achievement of these goals is assessed at the end of each performance year. For all NEOs, other than himself, the Group Chief Executive Officer provides recommendations to the Compensation Committee with regard to individual performance. Compensation for the Group Chief Executive Officer is assessed by the Compensation Committee alone.
The following table outlines

Outlined below are the 2014 and 2015 individual achievements for each continuing NEO considered by the Compensation Committee in making its compensation determinations. The 2014 achievements help determine any base salary increasesAlthough all of the NEOs made significant contributions to the Company and long-term incentive awards grantedtook actions which we believe will ultimately generate greater shareholder value, none of the NEOs received an annual bonus given the Company did not achieve its performance goals in early 20152017 in what was a very challenging year for the insurance and the 2015 individual achievements help determine bonus amounts earned for performance in 2015 and paid in early 2016.reinsurance industry.

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Named Executive Officer
Christopher O’Kane

2014 Individual Achievements20152017 Individual Achievements
Christopher O’Kane
  Achieved• Successfully launched the 2014 business plan. Effectiveness and Efficiency Program to enhance the Company’s operating effectiveness and efficiency and to enhance the Company’s market position
  Successfully executed all• Implemented a new initiatives, including Finance Shared Services.human resources structure to support the Company’s strategic objectives
  Met or exceeded• Set a strategy to standardize certain specialty products to better serve our clients in Aspen Insurance and Aspen Re
• Supported the business plan target for third-party capital under management and for fee generation under Aspen Capital Markets division.
   Implemented enhanced performance management systems to ensure effective employee differentiation in a manner which supports overall strategy.
   Assessed opportunities for future development and successfully defended against Endurance’s unsolicited approach for an inadequate offer, which our Board believed significantly undervalued the Company.
  Maintained adequate capital and liquidity across the Group and maintained efficient capital management.

  Materially achieved the 2015 business plan within the Group's risk tolerances and underwriting disciplines.
  Finalized Group Target Operating Model and developed a comprehensive implementation plan for execution.
  Continued to strengthen Aspen's leadership and management teams, particularly in Insurance.
  Continuedcontinued growth and development of Aspen Capital Markets ("ACM") initiatives, including Silverton, our sidecar, and other collateralized reinsurance arrangements.the assets under its management
Continued to integrate Internationaldevelop the Company’s governance, audit and U.S. Insurance.review processes to support the ongoing threat in cyber security
  Achievement• Further enhanced the Company’s approach to talent management to ensure the Company is well positioned to attract, develop and retain the best talent at all levels of internal model approval and Solvency II compliance by January 1, 2016.the organization
Scott Kirk

2017 Individual Achievements
Provided advice on numerous• Made a key contribution to developing the Effectiveness and Efficiency Program and ensuring its successful implementation
• Successfully executed the sale of AgriLogic, the Company’s U.S. crop insurance business, in exchange for a strategic and operational matters even prior to his appointmentpartnership with CGB Diversified Services, a highly respected company in the crop insurance industry (“CGB DS”)
• Acted as Group Chief Financial Officer.Risk Officer during the period December 2016 through February 2017
  Made an excellent transition to his new responsibilities as Group Chief Financial Officer.• Successfully redeemed the Series A and Series B preference shares in January and July 2017, respectively
  Performed well at our 2015 planning session and built on his relationships with investors, analysts and other stakeholders.• Executed ordinary share repurchases


  Helped to materially achieve the 2015 business plan.
  Successful transition to the Group Chief Financial Officer role.
  Successful oversight of the Solvency II Pillar 3 regulatory reporting requirements.
  Continued execution of Finance Shared Services plan.
  Worked as an effective and collaborative member of the Group Executive Committee.
  Implemented further development in Group Finance, upgraded talent and led senior finance leadership workshops.
  Executed successful share repurchases.
Stephen Postlewhite (1)
Thomas Lillelund2017 Individual Achievements
  Oversaw• Supported the implementation of our business plan to ensure we are Solvency II compliant.
  Kept senior management and boards appraised of all major risk issues and maintained the Group Risk Management framework and the Group Risk Appetite Statement.
  Strengthened the price adequacy and rate monitoring control processes.
  Contributed to Aspen's strategy, with particular focus on third party capital, and improved the framework for considering the marginal contribution of business lines to our profitability.
  Reviewed the balance of risk and reward across underwriting and investments to ensure the best use of capital.
  Performed optimization of the investment portfolio.
  Exceeded delivery of Aspen Re's 2015 business plan as measured by gross written premium, underwriting profit and combined ratios.
  Executed key strategic initiatives, including the opening of new offices and the creation of new products
  Broadened Aspen’s partnership with alternative capital by continuing to expand the activitiescontinued growth of Aspen Capital Markets and assets under management; increased assets under management by more than 20% to approximately $550 million
  Worked as an effective and collaborative member• Implemented a global review of the Executive Committeetalent development initiatives
  Advanced marketing and distribution process which helped lead• Helped to greater submission flow, new opportunities and closer and more intensive broker relationships
  Improved alignment withinimplement a strategy across Aspen Re and Insurance with a view to standardizing certain specialty products that would serve our clients in either business segment
• Drove the standardization of marketing efforts, including development and implementation of a global broker relationship management plan and enhanced coordination across geographiesregions and senior managementhubs
  Developed plan to improve diversity• Assisted with the execution of a strategic partnership with CGB DS in Aspen Re leadership teamexchange for the sale of AgriLogic

Brian Boornazian

2017 Individual Achievements
  Ensured• Assisted with the execution of a strategic partnership with CGB DS in exchange for the sale of AgriLogic
• Supported the Aspen Re delivered on its 2014 business plan.distribution and marketing strategy
  Supported distribution strategy for expansion with core clients in each region and ensured the successful implementation of the U.S. regional, agriculture and surety business initiatives.
Worked with the Aspen Re leadership to significantly enhance Aspen Re’s marketing strategy.
  Ensured that 100%office of audits were satisfactory and that there were no significant compliance breaches in Aspen Re.
  Provided leadership to our ARA operation in Rocky Hill and addressed the operational requirements of the U.S. platform as a whole.

  Exceeded delivery of Aspen Re's 2015 business plan as measured by net income, loss ratio, and combined ratio.
  In conjunction with others, refined and implemented Aspen Re’s distribution and marketing strategy.
  Ensured the successful implementation of the U.S. regional initiative through marketing, client contact, product support and technical guidance.
  Continued growth and development of Aspen Capital Market initiatives, including successful renewal of Silverton and other collateralized reinsurance arrangements.
  Helped to ensure Aspen Re achieved satisfactory audits.
  Worked as an effective and collaborative member of the senior executive team.
Emil Issavi
   Achieved the 2014 business plan as measured by GWP, Combined ratio and ROE.
   Successfully rationalized Product head and Managing director responsibilities and reporting lines to achieve a more efficient management reporting structure within Aspen Re.
   In conjunction with the Group Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re, developed the next phase of the Aspen Re strategy.
   Ensured that 100% of audits were satisfactory and that there were no significant compliance breaches in Aspen Re.
   Supported the development of our successful distribution and marketing strategy.

  Exceeded delivery of the 2015 business plan as measured by GWP, combined ratio and ROE
  Facilitated the underwriting of a number of large, profitable new contracts which enhanced GWP growth
Ensured that underwriting standards properly cascaded through Aspen Re’s regional structure
   Ensured all audits were satisfactory and there were no significant compliance breaches in Aspen Re
   Worked with the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Aspen Re to successfully execute Aspen Re’s strategy
Successfully assumed the role of Chief Underwriting Officer for Aspen U.K.to maintain a “growth through prudence” control framework

(1) Mr. Postlewhite’s achievements in 2014 were in connection with his role as Group Chief Risk Officer prior to his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re in September 2014.

Based on Company performance, the performance of our business segments and teams, and the achievement of individual objectives, theThe following table summarizes the key compensation decisions made in 2015 for each of ourthe continuing NEOs in 2017. Given the Company did not meet its performance goals in 2017 and consistent with the Company’s pay-for-performance philosophy, the Compensation Committee did not approve bonus payments to any of the continuing NEOs. DetailsFor information on the weighting of these

22



actions are described in more detail in the sections below. Theeach component of compensation for Messrs. O’Kane and Kirk in 2015 reflects our overall Group results andeach of the fact that their annual bonus is established 100% by reference to group results, whereas the compensation for Messrs. Postlewhite, Boornazian and Issavi reflect the relative over-performance of Aspen Re. See “ElementsNEOs, see “ — Elements of Compensation — Annual Cash Incentive — Annual Incentive Pool Funding Components” below. As illustrated in the table below, Mr. Kirk was the only NEO whose base salary was adjusted in February 2017 in order to align his pay with his performance since assuming the role of Group Chief Financial Officer and to bring him in line with the median salary for his role among the weighting of each component of compensation for each of our NEOs.Company’s peers.


Named Executive Officer
2015
% Salary
Increase
(1) 
2015
Actual
Bonus
Awarded
(2)
2015
Actual
Bonus
Awarded
(% of
Target)
Grant Date Fair
Value of 2015
Performance
Shares (2015-2018)
Grant Date
Fair Value  of
Restricted
Share Units (2015-2018)
Value of  2015
Performance
Shares Earned in 2015
(3)
Continuing NEOs
2017
% Base Salary
Increase
(1) 
2017
Actual
Bonus
Awarded
2017
Actual
Bonus
Awarded
(% of
Target)
Grant Date Fair
Value of 2017
Performance
Shares (2017-2019)
(2)
Grant Date
Fair Value  of
Restricted
Share Units (2017-2019)
(2)
Value of  2017 Performance
Shares Earned in 2017
(3)
Christopher O’Kane3.3%$1,257,06676%$2,619,082$926,849$1,013,0440.0%$00%$2,523,550$892,401$0
Scott Kirk(4)2.9%$411,60377%$654,751$231,681$253,28514.3%$00%$788,633$278,900$0
Stephen Postlewhite0.0%$1,007,510120%$1,145,844$405,473$443,249
Thomas Lillelund0.0%$00%$788,633$278,900$0
Brian Boornazian2.0%$826,000100%$982,146$347,543$379,9280.0%$00%$946,331$334,650$0
Emil Issavi0.0%$907,500110%$982,146$347,543$379,928
___________
(1)
RepresentsThis percentage represents the increase of base salary at year-end 2017 over the base salary rate in effect at year-end 20152016. Compensation paid to Messrs. O’Kane and Kirk was denominated in British Pounds. To demonstrate the quantum of base salary increases, amounts for both 2016 and 2017 were converted into U.S. Dollars at the exchange rate of $1.3016 which is the average exchange rate for 2017. The average exchange rate for 2017 was calculated based on a monthly exchange rate, sourced from a third-party provider, averaged over the rate in effect at year-end 2014.2017 calendar year.
(2)
Messrs. O’KaneValuation is based on the grant date fair values of the awards calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, without regard to forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions, which is $47.30 for the performance shares granted to the continuing NEOs on February 10, 2017 and Kirk each received a portion (73%) of their annual bonus in cash and a portion (27%) of their annual bonus in$50.18 for the restricted share units granted to the continuing NEOs on February 8, 2016. The 2015 bonus amounts for Messrs. O’Kane and Kirk reflected in the table above include both the cash and equity components of their annual bonus. The decision to grant a portion of their 2015 annual bonus in equity was taken in the context of our overall 2015 performance and 2015 bonus pool funding model and to further align their interests with our shareholders. For a description of our restricted share units, see “Executive Compensation — Narrative Description of Summary Compensation and Grants of Plan-Based Awards — Share Incentive Plan — Restricted Share Units” below.10, 2017.
(3)
93.5% of one-thirdOne-third of the 20152017 performance shares granted were eligible to be earned and “banked”forfeited based on the 20152017 annual growth in diluted BVPS growth test described in “— Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives” below. Value is based on a closing price
(4)
    The increase in Mr. Kirk’s base salary was approved by the Compensation Committee in order to align his pay with his performance since assuming the role of $48.30 per share ofGroup Chief Financial Officer and to bring him in line with the median salary for his role among the Company’s ordinary shares on December 31, 2015, as reported by the NYSE. All performance shares earned remain outstanding until the completion of a three-year service-vesting period.peer group.

Elements of Compensation
Base Salary
Although base salary is not the primary element of the total direct compensation for our NEOs, it remains a critical component of our pay program and allows us to attract and retain key talent. Base salary is normally a fixed amount based on relevant market comparisons and any increases to base salary for our NEOs are based on their performance and awarded at the discretion of the Compensation Committee based on the recommendations made by our Group Chief Executive Officer (other than with respect to himself). In the case of the Group Chief Executive Officer, the Chair of the Compensation Committee develops any recommendedrecommends changes to base salary, and is provided withif any, based on information and advice by the Company’s compensation consultant, Willis Towers Watson.
We consider numerous factors when reviewingThe annual base salary including:
    our goalreview process is governed by an overall budget related to generally provide base salaries at the median ofmarket conditions in the relevant market for similar roles;
    ouremployment markets and broader economic considerations. Our annual base salary review process is not intended to be solely a “cost of living” increase or a contractual entitlement to base salary increases. Within this overall merit increase budget;
    the performance of the business and the executive;
    the historical context of the executive’s compensation;
    the importance and responsibilities of the role;
    the experience, skills and knowledge brought to the role by the executive; and
    the function undertaken by the role.

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The annual salary review process is governed by an overall budget related to market conditions in the relevant employment markets and broader economic considerations. Our annual salary review process is not intended to be solely a “cost of living” increase or a contractual entitlement to salary increases. Within this overall governing budget, individual salary increases are discretionary and take into account the above-mentioned factors and internal equity considerations.governing budget, individual base salary increases are discretionary. We believe this approach mitigates the risk associated with linking base salary increases to short-term outcomes. In the last three years, the overall budget for salary increases averaged 3.0% per annum.Base salary increases for our NEOs in 2015 generally reflect typical market movement.
Each of our NEOs have an employment agreement with either the Company or one of the Company’s subsidiaries that specifies their initial base salary. Generally, our NEOs are entitled to an annual review of their base salary with any changes effective as of April 1 of the relevant year. Although we conduct an annual review of base salaries, we are not legally obligated to increase salaries. However, we are contractually precluded from decreasing salaries.
The following table summarizes the 2015 base salary increases for our NEOs. For 2015,all employees averaged 1.7% per annum.
The Compensation Committee seeks to target total compensation approximating the averagemedian for the Company’s peer group. As summarized in the table below, Mr. Kirk was the only continuing NEO to receive an adjustment to his base salary increasein 2017 in order to align his pay with his performance since assuming the role of Group Chief Financial Officer and to bring him in line with the median salary for ourhis role among the Company’s peers. The Compensation Committee did not approve any base salary adjustments for the NEOs was 1.64%.in February 2018.






 Named Executive Officer
2014 Annualized
Base Salary (1)
2015 Annualized Base
Salary
(1)
% Increase
Christopher O’Kane (2)
$920,100$950,7703.3%
Scott Kirk (2) (3)
$521,390$536,7252.9%
Stephen Postlewhite (2) (4)
$559,728$559,7280.0%
Brian Boornazian$600,000$612,0002.0%
Emil Issavi (5)
$550,000$550,0000.0%
 NEOs
2016
Base Salary (1)
2017 Base
Salary
(1)
% Base Salary Increase
Christopher O’Kane (2)
$806,992$806,9920.0%
Scott Kirk (2)
$455,560$520,66014.3%
Thomas Lillelund (3)
$525,000$525,0000.0%
Brian Boornazian$612,000$612,0000.0%
___________
(1)
Represents base salary rate at year-end 20142016 and 2015,2017, respectively.
(2)
Compensation paid to Messrs. O’Kane Kirk and PostlewhiteKirk was denominated in British Pounds. To demonstrate the quantum of base salary increases, amounts for both 20142016 and 20152017 were converted into U.S. Dollars at the exchange rate of $1.5335$1.3016 to £1 which is the average exchange rate for 2015.2017. The average exchange rate for 20152017 was calculated based on a monthly exchange rate, sourced from a third-party provider, averaged over the 20152017 calendar year.
(3)
Mr. Kirk’s 2014 annualizedLillelund’s contractual base salary representsis denominated in U.S. Dollars. However, following Mr. Lillelund’s promotion, the Company agreed to pay 30% of Mr. Lillelund’s base salary in British Pounds due to his salary at year-end 2014 after taking into account his “acting-up” allowance of £8,168 ($12,526) in 2014, which is the pro rata amount of £106,190 ($162,842), to provide him with a salary equivalent of £340,000 ($521,390) in connection with his appointmentthree-year international assignment to the positionUnited Kingdom and the remaining 70% of Group Chief Financial Officerhis base salary in December 2014.
(4)U.S. Dollars. The portion of Mr. Postlewhite entered intoLillelund’s base salary paid in British Pounds was converted from U.S. Dollars at a new service agreement with Aspen Insurance UK Services Limited (“Aspen Services”) infixed exchange rate of £0.7667 to $1, the exchange rate on September 2014 in connection with his appointment to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re. In connection with such appointment, Mr. Postlewhite’s salary increased from £329,000 ($505,442) to £365,000 ($559,728), which represented an 11% increase. As a result, he did not receive a salary increase during the annual salary review in early 2015.
(5)Mr. Issavi received a salary and bonus adjustment in October 2014 in connection with his appointment to the position of President of Aspen Re in September 2014. In connection with such adjustment, Mr. Issavi’s salary increased from $500,000 to $550,000, which represented a 10% increase, and a bonus potential increase from 120% to 150% of base salary. As a result, he did not receive a salary increase during the annual salary review in early 2015.30, 2016.
Annual Cash Incentive
Our annual cash incentive program is a strategic and important element of our total direct compensation program and is key for measuring and rewarding performance in the short-term.short term. Annual cash bonuses are intended to reward executives and other staff for consolidated annual performance, individual team results and individual achievements and contributions over the previous fiscal year.
Annual Incentive Pool Funding Components
In early 2012,2017, the Compensation Committee, approvedin conjunction with management and Willis Towers Watson, the Company’s independent compensation consultant, reviewed the bonus pool funding structure. The Compensation Committee determined that certain changes to the structure of the bonus pool funding were warranted in order to more closely align pay with performance throughout the organization and with our shareholders’ interests.
2012-2016 Bonus Pool Funding Model
Historically, the Company employed a formulaic funding mechanism for the funding of a single bonus pool. The Compensation Committee determined that this structure occasionally benefited underwriting teams that had underperformed relative to others. This result was viewed as acceptable while the Company was adding new underwriting lines that necessarily take time to generate their own ROE. As the Company has matured, however, this result was no longer viewed as desirable. Instead, the Compensation Committee determined that bonuses should be correlated to business segment performance, where relevant.
2017 Bonus Pool Funding Model
In 2017, the Compensation Committee created a formulaic mechanism for the funding of four separate bonus pools: one for the Company’s Group Executive Committee and three separate bonus pools for non-executive employees in each of our or insurance segment, reinsurance segment and corporate functions. We continue to use a formulaic bonus pool funding mechanism to allowinitially assess potential bonus funding. Our bonus pool funding allows for a component of the bonus for our underwriting populationpopulation’s bonus pool to be funded equally based on reference to corporate performance in terms of the Company’s overall operating return on equityROE and business segment performance againstin terms of return on allocated equity. Beginning in 2017, the weighting of each component for each of our continuing NEOs was adjusted to better align pay with performance. The following table illustrates the weighting of each component for each of our NEOs. continuing NEOs under our revised and historic bonus pool funding models:

24



Executive Group

Corporate Funding

Business Segment Funding

Chief Executive Officer100%0%
Corporate Executive Committee Members
(Scott Kirk)
100%0%
Underwriting Executive Committee Members
(Messrs. Boornazian, Postlewhite, and Issavi)
50%50%
Continuing NEOs2017 Funding Model2016 Funding Model
Corporate FundingBusiness Segment FundingCorporate FundingBusiness Segment Funding
Corporate Functions (e.g., Messrs O’Kane and Kirk)
100%N/A100%N/A
Insurance25%75%50%50%
Reinsurance (e.g., Messrs. Boornazian and Lillelund)
25%75%50%50%
Pool Funding Measures and Achievement
Consistent with our historic practice,

The table below summarizes the corporate component of our annual incentiveperformance targets for the bonus pool funding for 2015 was quantitativethe continuing NEOs in 2017:
Continuing NEOsROE ThresholdFunding at ThresholdROE TargetFunding at Target
Corporate Functions (e.g., Messrs O’Kane and Kirk)
4.65%50%9.3%100%
Insurance 
  
Segment4.9%50%9.8%100%
Company4.65%50%9.3%100%
Reinsurance (e.g., Messrs Boornazian and Lillelund)
 
  
Segment4.65%50%9.3%100%
Company4.65%50%9.3%100%

While the operating ROE thresholds listed in the table above decreased from those approved in 2016, the Compensation Committee believes that such targets are just as rigorous, if not more so, in light of the continued challenging environment in the insurance and based on performance againstreinsurance industry and that they appropriately incentivize the Company’s operating return on equity (including accumulated other comprehensive income)employees.
The bonus funding formula provides an initial and objective point for the Compensation Committee’s assessment of overall bonus funding for 2017. Consistent with its approach of assessing performance across all aspects of the business during any given year, the Compensation Committee retains discretion to better representdeviate from the formulaic figure if it does not appropriately reflect performance relative to the total ordinary shareholders’ accumulated investment inacross the business and, retained earnings.as a result, does not operate in the best interests of the Company’s shareholders.
In reviewing the Company’s bonus pool structure, the Compensation Committee was also mindful that the funds available to be paid as bonuses should be managed to maintain an acceptable proportion of net income available for distribution to the Company’s shareholders. Accordingly, the Compensation Committee also introduced the concept of a variable compensation ratio (the “VCR”) in order to adjust the size of the bonus pools to manage the share of net profits paid as bonuses and maintain an acceptable proportion of net income available for distribution to the Company’s shareholders. As a result of the introduction of the VCR, the Compensation Committee believes the 2017 bonus funding model more closely aligns pay with performance and shareholder value. The Compensation Committee establishedintends to review and potentially adjust the 2015 corporate operating return on equity (including accumulated other comprehensive income) bonus pool funding target based on our business plans and an assessmentVCR each year in conjunction with setting performance targets.
In light of the investment and business cycle. The corporate componentintroduction of the annual incentive pool is funded at:

100% upon achievement of an operating return on equity of 11.0% (including other comprehensive income),
50% upon achievement of an operating return on equity of 7.33% (including other comprehensive income) and
140% upon achievement of an operating return on equity of 16.5% (including other comprehensive income).

For a reconciliation of return on equity to operating return on equity, see “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” in Appendix A.
Our underwriting teams, including our NEOs responsible for an underwriting team or segment, had a portion of their bonus pool funding based on business segment return on allocated equity performance against plan for 2015. To determine the funding levels for each underwriting team, the Chief Executive Officer presented the Compensation Committee with a scorecard summarizing return on allocated equity performance against plan and other considerations pertinent forVCR, which allows the Compensation Committee to review in makingadjust the pool determination.
Based onsize of the bonus pools to maintain an acceptable proportion of net income available for distribution to the Company’s shareholders, the Compensation Committee eliminated the bonus pool funding formula and taking into account performance throughout the year, the Compensation Committee approved an overall bonus pool funding of 75% of target for 2015.cap in 2017.
Bonus Potential and Actual Award Levels
Each eligible employee is allocated a “bonus potential” which expresses the amount of bonus they should expect to receive if the Company, the team to which they belong and themselves individually perform at target. While individual bonus potentials are not capped, there is a cap on the formulaic bonus pool funding in any one year.
Once the bonus pool is established, underwriting and functional teams are allocated portions of the bonus pool based on team performance as assessed by the Group Chief Executive Officer, considering both quantitative and qualitative performance and risk data. Individual bonusesEach eligible employee is allocated a “bonus potential” which expresses the amount of bonus they should expect to receive if the employee, the Company and, if relevant, the business segment to which they belong perform at target. While individual bonus potentials are thennot capped, they are allocated based on achievement against individual objectives set forth in the beginning of each year and evaluated during the annual performance review, as well as qualitative analysis, risk data and cultural and behavioral aspects of performance. Individual objectives may be qualitative and/or quantitative and may include financial goals, enhanced efficiencies and expense reduction, talent development or other strategic initiatives. Individual objectives may change one or more times duringthroughout the year in order to ensure they remain fair, relevant and responsive to the complex and dynamic nature of our business.
We believe basing awards on a variety of factors diversifies the risk associated with any single indicator. In particular, individual awards are not tied to formulas, which we believe could focus executives on specific short-term outcomes that might encourage excessive risk-taking. In addition, through the exercise of prudent judgement, the Compensation Committee may adjust awards as it deems appropriate.appropriate through the exercise of prudent judgment. 
In determining each of our NEO’s annual bonus for 2015, the Compensation Committee tookTaking into account our financialthe Company’s overall performance during 2015,2017, including ourthe results in each of ourthe insurance and reinsurance segments the achievement of our NEOs’ 2015 individual objectives (each as described above), andwhere relevant, the Compensation Committee’s determinationCommittee approved a bonus pool funding of our progress to date0% of target for each of the continuing NEOs in executing our long-term goal to deliver enhanced returns to shareholders.2017. The following table provides a comparison of bonus potential for each continuing NEO, which is set forth in their respective employment agreement, and actual awards for each of our NEOs.the continuing NEOs:

25




Named Executive Officer2015 Bonus  Potential2015 Actual Bonus
% of Base
Salary
$ Value% of Base
Salary
$ Value% of Bonus
Potential
Continuing NEOs2017 Bonus  Potential at Maximum2017 Actual Bonus
% of Base
Salary
Value% of Base
Salary
Value% of Bonus
Potential
Christopher O’Kane (1)
175%$1,663,848
133%$1,257,066
76%175%$1,412,236
0%$00%
Scott Kirk (1)
100%$536,725
77%$411,603
77%100%$520,660
0%$00%
Stephen Postlewhite150%$839,591
180%$1,007,510
120%
Thomas Lillelund135%$708,750
0%$00%
Brian Boornazian135%$826,200
135%$826,000
100%135%$826,200
0%$00%
Emil Issavi150%$825,000
165%$907,500
110%
(1) Messrs. O’KaneTaking into account progress on our Effectiveness and Kirk each receivedEfficiency program, which we believe will ultimately generate greater shareholder value, and the need to continue to motivate non-executive employees to work towards achieving our short- and long-term objectives, the Compensation Committee approved a portion (73%) of their annual bonus in cash and a portion (27%) of their annual bonus in restricted share units granted on February 8, 2016. The 2015 bonus amounts for Messrs. O’Kane and Kirk reflected in the table above include both the cash and equity components of their annual bonus. The decision to grant a portion of their 2015 annual bonus in equity was taken in the context of our overall 2015 performance and 2015 bonus pool funding model and to further align their interests with our shareholders. For a descriptionof 50% of target for each of our restricted share units, see “Executive Compensation — Narrative Description of Summary Compensationinsurance segment, reinsurance segment and Grants of Plan-Based Awards — Share Incentive Plan — Restricted Share Units” below.corporate functions.
Long-Term Equity Incentives
For our NEOs, long-termLong-term equity compensation reflects the largest single portion, (61% for 2015 in the case of the CEO and an overall average of 52% for 2015 in the case of our other NEOs) as well as the most critical component, of theirthe NEOs’ total target direct compensation package.package (61% in the case of the Group Chief Executive Officer and an overall average of 49% in the case of the other continuing NEOs for 2017). We believe this approach continues to strongly align the interests of our senior executives with those of our shareholders and serves as an effective retention tool.
In order to balance our performance and retention objectives and align our program with the types of programs offered by our peers, the Compensation Committee approved a portfolio approach to delivering equity for 2015. For our2017. NEOs received 75% of thetheir 2017 long-term equity award was delivered in the form of performance shares and the remaining 25% was delivered in the form of time-based restricted share units. The mix is weighted sosuch that a greater portion of ourthe NEOs’ long-term equity compensation is performance-based and aligned with our shareholders’ interests. The portion delivered in time-based restricted share units is intended to serve as an ongoing retention tool and a continuing link to shareholder value, given thatshareholders’ interests as the value of the restricted share units increases only towhen the extent thatprice of the Company’s share priceordinary shares increases. The portion delivered in performance shares deliverprovides value to ourthe NEOs if the shares are earned over the performance period based on pre-determined financial metrics and the value of the performance shares is also linked to the value of the Company’s ordinary shares.
graphandtitlea2016a01.jpg
legendforgrapha2016a01.jpg
2015Performance SharesGrant
When making 2015 award determinations, the Compensation Committee considered numerous factors, including:
cost and annual share usage;
number of employees who will be participating in the plan;
market data from competitors;
individual achievements against objectives; and
retention and motivation needs for key employees.

Grants of time-based restricted shares made in 2015 typically vest in three equal installments over three years subject to continued service with the Company. The performance shares granted in 2015 are subject to a three-year service vesting period with a separate annual growth in BVPS test for each calendar year during the vesting period (one-third of the award may be earned in each calendar year). Any portion of the performance shares earned based on the annual BVPS growth is deemed “banked” or

26



“earned” and issued following completion of the three-year service-vesting period. Other than with respect to special equity awards that the Compensation Committee elects to grant from time to time, the Compensation Committee typically makes determinations with respect to and grants annual long-term equity compensation at its February meeting each year. 

The table below provides a summary of the equity awards made for each NEO in 2015:
Named Executive OfficerPerformance SharesRestricted Share Units
Target # of
Shares
Awarded
Grant Date Fair
Value of Award
# of Shares
Awarded
Grant Date  Fair
Value of Award
Christopher O’Kane67,294
$2,619,082
22,431$926,849
Scott Kirk16,823
$654,751
5,607$231,681
Stephen Postlewhite29,441
$1,145,844
9,813$405,473
Brian Boornazian25,235
$982,146
8,411$347,543
Emil Issavi25,235
$982,146
8,411$347,543



2015-2017, 2014-2016 and 2013-2015 Performance Share Cycles
The Compensation Committee determined that the annual performance measure for the 2015 performance share grant, which covers the 2015-2017 cycle, would be based on annual growth in diluted BVPS. This is consistent with the performance measure for the 2013 and 2014 performance share grants which cover the 2013-2015 and 2014-2016 cycles.
As noted above, the performance shares granted in each of 2013, 2014 and 2015to our NEOs which are subject to a three-year service vesting period with a separate annual growth in diluted BVPSBPVS test for each calendar year during the vesting period (one-third of the award may be earned each calendar year). Any portion of the performance shares earned based on the BVPS growth is deemed “banked” or “earned” and issued following completion of the three-year service-vesting period.
To ensure that the Company performs consistently over the long-term, the maximum number of shares that may be earned with respect to a fiscal year will be limited to the “target” for such fiscal year if the average BVPS growth for such fiscal year and the immediately preceding fiscal year does not exceed the “threshold” average for that same period. However, if the Compensation Committee determines that performance may be due to circumstances outside of the executive’s control, such as rising interest rates and bond yields, they may in their discretion disregard this limitation and provide for an award above target.
The Compensation Committee establishes the annual growth in BVPS test taking into account the Company’s business plans, to the extent practicable, at the beginning of each fiscal year. For 2015, the performance criteria for the 2015 annual growth in BVPS test (for which one-third of the 2015-2017, one-third of the 2014-2016 and one-third of the 2013-2015 performance share grants may be earned) is as follows:
Performance Level2015 Growth in Adjusted Diluted 
Book Value per Ordinary Share
Approximate Resulting 
Shares Earned
(as a % of target)
(1)
Threshold5.6%10.0%
Target11.1%100.0%
Maximum22.2%200.0%
(1)Shares earned will be determined on a straight line basis between 10% and 100% if growth in BVPS is between threshold and target and between 100% and 200% if growth in BVPS is between target and maximum.

For purposes of the annual growth in the diluted BVPS test, dilutedDiluted BVPS is defined as the diluted BVPS (as adjusted to add back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of the relevant year), as calculated in accordance with the accounting policies and definitions adopted for purposes of preparation of the Company’s annual audited financial statements. The Compensation Committee establishes the annual growth in diluted BVPS test taking into account the Company’s business plans, to the extent practicable, at the beginning of each fiscal year.
One-third of the performance share award may be “earned” or “banked” in each calendar year. If performance goals are achieved, the performance shares will vest up to a maximum of 200% of target. At the end of the three-year performance period, participants are paid one ordinary share for each earned performance share subject to the employee’s continued employment.
Notwithstanding the vesting criteria for each given year, if in any given year the shares eligible for vesting are greater than 100% or the portion of such year’s grant and the average diluted BVPS growth over such year and the preceding year is less than the average of the minimum vesting thresholds for such year and the preceding year, then only 100% (and no more) of the shares that are eligible for vesting in such year shall vest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if in the judgment of the Compensation Committee the main reason for the BVPS metric in the earlier year falling below the minimum threshold is due to the impact of rising interest rates and bond yields, then the Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, disapply the limitation on 100% vesting.
Recipients of performance shares generally will not be entitled to any rights of a holder of ordinary shares, including the right to vote, unless and until their performance shares vest and ordinary shares are issued. Performance share awards are not entitled to dividends


before they vest. For information on the performance criteria for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 performance shares, see “— Long-Term Equity Incentives — 2015-2017, 2016-2018 and 2017-2019 Performance Share Cycles” below.
Phantom Shares. In certain instances, the Compensation Committee has granted phantom shares to our NEOs prior to their appointment on the Group Executive Committee. Phantom shares are subject to the same terms as performance shares with the only difference being that they are settled in cash rather than ordinary shares.
Restricted Share Units. As part of our long-term incentive program, the Compensation Committee also grants time-based restricted share units to our NEOs which typically vest in three equal installments over three years subject to continued service with the Company. Participants are paid one ordinary share for each restricted share unit that vests. Recipients of restricted share units generally will not be entitled to any rights of a holder of ordinary shares, including the right to vote, unless and until their restricted share units vest and ordinary shares are issued. Participants are nevertheless entitled to receive dividend equivalents with respect to their restricted share units. Dividend equivalents are denominated in cash and paid in cash if and when the underlying restricted share units vest.
2017 Equity Award Grants
When making 2017 equity award determinations in February 2017, the Compensation Committee considered numerous factors, including:
cost and annual share usage;
number of employees who will be participating in the plan;
market data from competitors;
individual achievements against objectives; and
retention and motivation needs for key employees.
The table below provides a summary of the equity awards granted for each continuing NEO in 2017:
Continuing NEOsPerformance (Phantom) SharesRestricted Share Units
Target # of
Shares
Awarded
Grant Date Fair
Value
# of Shares
Awarded
Grant Date Fair
Value
Christopher O’Kane53,352$2,523,550
17,784$892,401
Scott Kirk16,673$788,633
5,558$278,900
Thomas Lillelund16,673$788,633
5,558$278,900
Brian Boornazian20,007$946,331
6,669$334,650

2015-2017, 2016-2018 and 2017-2019 Performance Share Cycles
Consistent with the 2014, 2015 and 2016 performance share grants, the Compensation Committee determined that the annual performance measure for the 2017 performance share grant, which covers the 2017-2019 cycle, will be based on annual growth in diluted BVPS. To ensure that the Company performs consistently over the long term, the maximum number of shares that may be earned with respect to a fiscal year will be limited to the “target” for such fiscal year if the average diluted BVPS growth for such fiscal year and the immediately preceding fiscal year does not exceed the “threshold” average for that same period. However, if the Compensation Committee determines that performance may be due to circumstances outside of management’s control, such as rising interest rates and bond yields, they may in their discretion disregard this limitation and provide for an award above target.
The definition of diluted BVPS growth for purposes of the annual growth in diluted BVPS test for 20152017 excludes (i) accumulated other comprehensive income, (ii) all transactional expenses incurred in connection with any transaction which, if consummated, would result in a change inof control including, without limitation, the cost of defending against any such transaction and any third-party legal and advisory costs and (iii) the impact of any capital management actions, including share repurchases and special dividends. See Appendix A “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” forFor a reconciliation of adjusted total shareholders’ equity to total shareholders’ equity for purposes of the diluted BVPS test. Thetest, please see Appendix A “— Reconciliation of Non-U.S GAAP Financial Measures.” For 2017, the Compensation Committee determined that it was appropriate to exclude accumulated

27



other comprehensive income because management does not have any control over interest rate movements and credit spread movements, each of which can be fairly significant and adversely impact growth in diluted BVPS. Furthermore, the Compensation Committee determined that the other exclusions from the calculation of growth in diluted BVPS were similarly outside the control of management and therefore warranted exclusion.exclusion from the diluted BVPS test for 2017. The Compensation Committee will continue to review and evaluate the performance measure for our performance share grants in the future.


Based on the growth in diluted BVPS astest described above, the awards resulted in a vesting of 93.5%forfeiture of one-third of each of the 2013, 20142015, 2016 and 20152017 performance share awards that are subject to the growth in diluted BVPS test for 2015.
Outstanding Performance Share Plans: 2013-2015, 2014-2016 and 2015-2017 Cycles2017.
The following table setstables set out the annual performance tests for the 2013, 2014 and 2015 performance share awards and the vesting results through 2015.for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 performance share and phantom share awards:
 
2013 (2)
2014
2015 (3)
Threshold Adjusted Diluted Book Value per Ordinary Share Growth (1)
5.0%5.2%5.6%
Target Adjusted Diluted Book Value per Ordinary Share Growth (1)
10.0%10.4%11.1%
Actual Adjusted Diluted Book Value per Ordinary Share Growth (1)
6.2%13.3%10.7%
2013 Performance Share Awards31.6%129.0%93.5%
2014 Performance Share Awards

129.0%93.5%
2015 Performance Share Awards



93.5%
Performance Level
Vesting Percentage (1)
Adjusted Diluted Book Value Per Share Growth Test
201520162017
Threshold (2)
10%5.6%4.65%5.0 %
Target100%11.1%9.3%10.0 %
Maximum200%22.2%18.6%20.0 %
    
Actual Annual Vesting Performance Results (3)
201520162017
Adjusted Diluted Book Value Per Ordinary Share Growth10.7%5.9%(10.3)%
Performance Share Awards Eligible for Vesting (4)
93.5%36.1%0.0 %
___________
(1)Shares earned are determined on a straight line basis between 10% and 100% if growth in diluted BVPS is between threshold and target and between 100% and 200% if growth in diluted BVPS is between target and maximum.
(2)If the growth in diluted BVPS is less than the threshold for the year, the portion of the performance or phantom shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited.
(3)Represents annual performance test; percentage to be applied to one-third of the original grant.
(2)(4)The growthvesting percentage for the performance shares and phantom shares earned for 2016 performance was previously correctly reported as 34.2%. Due to an administrative error, however, the corresponding number of shares issued reflected a vesting percentage of 36.1%, resulting in diluted BVPS testan average of 345 additional shares being issued to members of the Group Executive Committee at the time of vesting. Accordingly, the vesting percentage for 2013 was refined by2016 and the Compensation Committeecorresponding shares have been restated in this Proxy Statement to reflect the impactactual number of all of our 5.625% Perpetual Preferred Income Equity Replacement Securities being retired during the second quarter of 2013 and the variance between our assumptions of the price at which we would execute our share repurchase program in 2013 against the price at which we actually repurchased our ordinary shares.
(3)The growth in diluted BVPS test for 2015 is described above.shares issued.






2015




2017Actual Performance Shares Earned (Reflects Performance Share Cycles for 2013-2015, 2014-2016
As illustrated in the table below, one-third of each of the 2015, 2016 and 2015-2017)
The following table sets out the2017 performance shares earned by the NEOs in 2015and phantom shares subject to 2017 performance testing were forfeited based on the 2015Company’s 2017 annual growth in diluted BVPS test (described(as described above) for our 2013-2015, 2014-2016 and 2015-2017 performance share cycles.. The shares earned under the 2013-20152015-2017 cycle have been issued and the shares earned under the 2014-20162016-2018 and 2015-20172017-2019 cycles have been “banked” or “earned” for issuance at the end of the applicable three-year service-vesting period.
Continuing NEO2015 Performance (Phantom) Shares2016 Performance (Phantom) Shares2017 Performance Shares
# of Shares Earned
(2017 Test)
Total # of Shares Earned and Issued (2015-2017 Tests)# of Shares Earned
(2017 Test)
# of Shares Earned
(2017 Test)
Christopher O’Kane0
29,072
0
0
Scott Kirk0
7,269
0
0
Thomas Lillelund (1)
0
1,213
0
0
Brian Boornazian0
10,903
0
0
 Cycles Based on Adjusted Diluted Book Value Per Ordinary Share Performance
Named Executive
Officer
2013 – 2015 Cycle2014 – 2016 Cycle2015 – 2017 Cycle
# of Shares Earned
(Based on 2015
Test Only)
Total # of Shares Earned and to be Issued# of Shares Earned
(Based on 2015
Test Only)
# of Shares Earned
(Based on 2015
Test Only)
Christopher O’Kane18,825
51,159
24,049
20,974
Scott Kirk (1)
595
1,616
2,104
5,244
Stephen Postlewhite4,954
13,464
4,509
9,177
Brian Boornazian9,248
25,131
8,417
7,866
Emil Issavi4,624
12,565
5,110
7,866
___________
(1)The awards granted to Mr. KirkLillelund in 20132015 and 2016 represent 1,9072,803, and 2,738 phantom shares, respectively, which he was granted prior to his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Insurance on the Group Executive Committee on April 1, 2014.May 18, 2016. The 2013 phantom shares are subjectearned based on achievement of the same goals that apply to the same testing and vesting conditions as the 2013 performance shares but they are settledpay out in cash following vesting rather than shares.cash.

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Share Ownership Guidelines and Policies2018 Equity Award Grants

The Compensation Committee believes share ownership guidelines are a key vehicle for aligning the interests of management and the Company’s shareholders. Moreover, a meaningful direct ownership stake by our executive officers demonstrates to our investors a strong commitment to the Company’s success. Accordingly, onWhen making 2018 equity award determinations in February 1, 2012,2018, the Compensation Committee approved share ownership guidelines forconsidered numerous factors, including the Chief Executive Officer which require him to own ordinary shares ofCompany’s performance in 2017. Consistent with the Company valued at five times his base salary within five years of the approval of the guidelines (or, for any future Chief Executive Officer, within five years of becoming subject to the guidelines). Shares and equity awards issued or granted to the Chief Executive Officer by the Company prior to the approval of the guidelines are not taken into account for purposes of the guidelines.
On February 4, 2015,Company’s pay-for-performance philosophy, the Compensation Committee approved revised share ownership guidelines forreduced the Group Executive Committee, including the NEOs other than the Chief Executive Officer. The revised share ownership guidelines provide that the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Risk Officer, the Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Insurance, the President of Aspen Insurance, the Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re and the Chairman of Aspen Re should seek to own Company shares valued at three times their base salary within approximately five yearsvalue of the approval of the guidelines, inclusive of all previous shares outstanding and granted restricted share units. The revised guidelines also provide that all other members of the Group Executive Committee should seekequity award grants to own Company shares valued at two and one-half times their base salary within approximately five years of the approval of the guidelines, inclusive of all previous shares outstanding and restricted share units.NEOs in February 2018.
Our share ownership policies are intended to work in conjunction with our “Insider Trading and Misuse of Inside Information Policy” which applies to all of the Company’s employees, officers and directors, including our NEOs, and which prohibits, among other things, “hedging” transactions designed to limit or eliminate economic risks from owning the Company’s shares, such as buying or selling puts or calls, pledging of shares, short sales and trading of Company shares on a short term basis, and pledging of shares as collateral for a loan or other extension of credit.

Other Executive Benefits and Perquisites
We also maintainThe Company maintains employee benefit programs for our NEOs and other employees. Our NEOs generally participate in our retirement and health and welfare benefits, including medical, dental and vision coverage and life and long-term disability insurance, as applicable, on the same basis as all of the other employees in their local jurisdiction, subject to satisfying any eligibility requirements and applicable local law. In addition, Mr. Boornazian is eligible for supplemental life and disability insurance. Mr. Issavi is also provided with supplemental disability insurance.
OurThe NEOs that are benefit-eligible in the United States are eligible to participate, on the same basis as all our benefit-eligible U.S.-based employees, in a tax-qualified retirement savings plan that we sponsor in the United States that provides a cost-effective retirement benefit for all benefit-eligible U.S.-based employees. The Company makes profit sharing and matching contributions to the plan on behalf of the employees. In addition, certain of our NEOs are eligible to participate in retirement plans sponsored by us in a non-United Statesnon-U.S. jurisdiction on the same basis as other employees in that jurisdiction. For a further discussion of our retirement benefit plans, see “Retirement“—Retirement Benefits” below. Messrs. Boornazian and Issavi also participate in
In addition, the Company adopted the Aspen Insurance U.S. Services Inc. Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan (which we refer to as the Nonqualified(the “Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan). The Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan was established primarily due to the limitations imposed on benefits payable under tax-qualified retirement plans by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. During 2014, the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan was adopted andPlan”) which is made available to the Company’s senior executives located in the United States. By providing these executives withStates to offer them the opportunity to participatedefer compensation in excess of the amount that can be contributed to the Company’s tax-qualified plans. Mr. Boornazian participates in the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan, the Compensation Committee believed it will assist the Company in retaining these executives.Plan. For a further discussion of ourthe Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan, see the “2015 Non-Qualified“— 2017 Nonqualified Deferred Compensation” table below.
The Company doesWe do not have a formal perquisite policy although the Compensation Committee periodically reviews perquisites for our NEOs. However, there are certain specific perquisites and benefits which the Company has agreed to compensate particular executives based on their specific situations. For example, club membership is provided to ourthe U.S.-based NEOs to enable them to establish social networks with clients and executives in our industry in furtherance of our business.
For more information regarding other executivethe benefits and perquisites for the NEOs, please see “—2015 Executive Compensation — 2017 Summary Compensation Table” and the accompanying footnotes below.
Employment Agreements; Change in Control and Severance Benefits
We have employment agreements with each of our NEOs setting forth the terms and conditions of their employment with us, which we believe provide a total compensation package competitive with the package offered by companies with whom we compete for executive talent. For more information regarding the terms and conditions of our NEOs’ employment, please see “Narrative Description of Summary Compensation Table and Grants of Plan-Based Awards — Employment-Related Agreements” below.

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The Compensation Committee believes that agreeing to provide reasonable severance benefits is common among similar companies and is essential to recruiting and retaining key executives, which is a fundamental objective of our executive compensation program. Accordingly, we provide the opportunity for our NEOs to be protected under the severance and change in control provisions contained in their employment agreements. We provide this opportunity to attract and retain an appropriate caliber of talent for the position and also to allow an executive to remain focused on our business without undue personal concern in the event that his or her position is eliminated or, in some cases, significantly altered by the Company, which is particularly important in light of the executives’ leadership roles at the Company.
In February 2015, following a review of our NEOs’ employment of service agreements, the Board agreed to increase the cash severance payable to certain of our NEOs in connection with a termination without “cause” or for “good reason,” in each case prior to or within two years following a “change in control” of the Company. In particular, the change of control employment agreements (which are an addendum to the NEOs’ employment of service agreements) of Messrs. Kirk, Postlewhite, Boornazian and Issavi increase the cash severance payable to them in connection with such a qualifying termination from one times the sum of the highest salary during the term of the agreement and the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination to, in the case of Mr. Kirk, one and one-half times such sum and, in the case of Messrs. Postlewhite, Boornazian and Issavi, two times such sum. Our severance and change in control provisions for the NEOs are summarized in “Narrative Description of Summary Compensation Table and Grants of Plan-Based Awards — Employment-Related Agreements” and “— Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control.”
Executive Compensation Governance and Process
The Role of the Independent Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee is responsible for establishing and implementing the Company’s compensation philosophy and determining compensation actions for the Company’s senior leadership. In the case of the Group Chief Executive Officer, the ChairmanChair of the Board assesses his performance against the Company’s business plans and other objectives established by the Board and makes compensation recommendations to the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee reviews management’s recommendations but specifically approves awards for other senior executives, including the NEOs. OurThe Compensation Committee is comprisedconsists solely of independent directors. Each member of the Compensation Committee is deemed independent. The Compensation Committee’s charter, which sets out its specific duties and responsibilities, can be found on our website at www.aspen.co.
Compensation Consultants and the Role of the Independent Compensation Consultant
The Compensation Committee appointedrenewed its appointment of Willis Towers Watson as its executive compensation consultant for 2017 to provide (i) input on the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, (ii) benchmarking analysis in respect of the Group Chief Executive Officer, ChairmanChair of the Board and non-executive director compensation, (iii) realizable pay and performance study for the Group Chief Executive Officer, (iv) input on peer group filings and establishment of a peer group for compensation benchmarking purposes, (v) a review of the competitive market for executive positions, (vi) a review of the Company’s goal setting and metrics calibration process and (vii) input on performance-based program design changes including performance targets underfor the 2015 performance sharesannual and bonus funding. Welong-term incentive plans.
The Company paid approximately $338,220$284,276 in compensation-relatedexecutive compensation consulting-related fees to Willis Towers Watson in 2015. In 2015, we2017. The Company also paid Willis Towers Watson Software, which became an affiliate of Willis Towers Watson after the predecessor software company was purchased by Willis Towers Watson in January 2011, approximately $996,508$573,492 for capital modeling software and related services of which, due to the timing of invoices, approximately $545,138 were pre-payments for software services to be received by the Company in 2016. Management at the2017. The Company previously purchased software and services from such predecessor company of Willis Towers Watson and, in light of such legacy software systems, the Compensation Committee did not recommend or approve such software and services purchased.
In addition, Willis Group Holdings, Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Willis Towers Watson which mergedacted as a broker or agent with Willis Group Holdings Limited on January 4, 2016respect to form Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company, reports directly to the Chair13.1% of the Compensation Committee but partners with management, at the request of the Compensation Committee, to ensure the Compensation Committee receives the most comprehensive information for decision making. We have also sought advice on specific employment and taxation issues from PricewaterhouseCoopers who provide services only to managementCompany’s gross written premiums written in this respect.2017.
The Compensation Committee assessed the independence of Willis Towers Watson pursuant to the SEC rules and the NYSE listing standards and concluded that no conflict of interest exists that would prevent Willis Towers Watson from independently representing the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee, among other things, reviewed and was satisfied with Willis Towers Watson’s policies and procedures to prevent or mitigate conflicts of interest. They also reviewed and were satisfied that there was no business or personal relationships between members of the Compensation Committee and the individuals at Willis Towers Watson supporting the Compensation Committee. Finally, the Compensation Committee considered other factors relevant to Willis Towers Watson’s independence from management, including the factors set forth in the NYSE listing standards. The Compensation Committee also considers the independence factors in the NYSE listing standards before receiving advice from any other compensation advisor.

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The Role of the Group Chief Executive Officer and the Human Resources Department
While the Compensation Committee has the sole authority with regard to paycompensation decisions related tofor the NEOs, our Group Chief Executive Officer and members of our Human Resources Department routinelyalso participate in this process. The Group Chief Executive Officer does not participate in the Compensation Committee’s decisions with regard to his own compensation. At the Compensation Committee’s request, the Group Chief Executive Officer presents individual pay recommendations to the Compensation Committee for the other NEOs and executives under the Compensation Committee’s purview. The recommendations are based on an assessment of individual contributions to the Company’s financial performance, team performance, as applicable, the achievement of specified individual objectives, as well as competitive pay data, risk and other factors. The Group Chief Executive Officer’s recommendations are one of the factors considered by the Compensation Committee in making its determinations.
Frequency Say-on-Pay Vote

Consistent with the preference expressed by our shareholders at theour 2013 annual general meeting ourof shareholders, the Board decided that wethe Company will include an advisory vote to approve our executive compensation in our proxy materials every year until the next required advisory vote to approve the frequency of an advisory vote on executive compensation, which will occur no later than our 2019 annual general meeting of shareholdersshareholders.
Share Ownership Guidelines and Policies
The Compensation Committee believes share ownership guidelines are a key vehicle for aligning the interests of management and the Company’s shareholders. Moreover, a meaningful direct ownership stake by our executive officers demonstrates to be heldour investors a strong commitment to the Company’s success. The share ownership guidelines for the Group Chief Executive Officer require him to own ordinary shares of the Company valued at five times his base salary within five years of the approval of the guidelines (or, for any future Group Chief Executive Officer, within five years of becoming subject to the guidelines). Shares and equity awards issued or granted to the Group Chief Executive Officer by the Company prior to the approval of the guidelines are not taken into account for purposes of the guidelines.
The share ownership guidelines for members of the Group Executive Committee, including the NEOs other than the Group Chief Executive Officer, provide that the Group Chief Financial Officer, the Group Chief Risk Officer, the Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Insurance, the Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re and the Chairman of Aspen Re should seek to own Company ordinary shares valued at three times their base salary within approximately five years of the approval of the guidelines, inclusive of all previous ordinary shares outstanding and granted restricted share units. All other members of the Group Executive Committee should seek to own Company ordinary shares valued at two and one-half times their base salary within approximately five years of the approval of the guidelines, inclusive of all previous ordinary shares outstanding and restricted share units.
The share ownership policies are intended to work in 2019.conjunction with the Company’s “Insider Trading and Misuse of Inside Information Policy” which applies to all of the Company’s employees, officers and directors and which prohibits, among other things, “hedging” transactions designed to limit or eliminate economic risks from owning the Company’s ordinary shares, such as buying or selling puts or calls, pledging of shares, short sales and trading of Company ordinary shares on a short-term basis, and pledging of shares as collateral for a loan or other extension of credit.
Clawback Policyand Malus Policies
In order to better align executives’ long-term interests with those of the Company’s,Company, the Compensation Committee adopted a clawback policy in 2010 that applies to bonus and long-term incentive awards granted to executive officers, including the NEOs. In October 2016, the Compensation Committee agreed to extend the clawback policy to all of the Company’s employees. Under the Company’s clawback policy, in circumstances where there is a subsequent and material negative restatement of the Company’s published financial results as a result ofdue to fraud, the Company will seek to recover any erroneously paid performance-based compensation from employees involved in such executive officers.fraudulent activity for the periods subject to material negative restatement.
On July 1, 2015, the SEC issued proposed clawback rules which, if implemented, would require listed companies to adopt a clawback policy with certain requirements. The Compensation Committee continues its review of additional executive compensation clawback practices and expects to revise the Company’s clawback policy in accordance with andfinal clawback rules following the adoption by the SEC of final clawback rules.SEC.
Tax Considerations
The Compensation Committee will consider the potential impact on the Company of Section 162(m) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code when designing its compensation programs. Section 162(m) generally disallows a tax deduction to public corporations for compensation greater than $1 million paid for any fiscal year to each of the corporation’s “covered employees” (generally, the Chief Executive Officer and the three most highly compensated executive officers other than the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer as of the end of any fiscal year). However, compensation which qualifies as “performance-based” is excluded from the $1 million per executive officer limit if, among other requirements, the compensation is payable only upon attainment of pre-established, objective performance goals under a plan approved by our shareholders. In 2013, our shareholders approved the 2013 Share Incentive Plan, which is structured so that future cash or equity compensation may be designed to satisfy the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m) and therefore be deductible, ifOctober 2016, the Compensation Committee deems it appropriate to do so.
Conclusion
In summary, 2015 wasadopted a year of strong performancemalus policy for the Company despite a continued challenging environment. Our compensation programs and performance measures continue to align the interests of our executives with those of our shareholders and therefore strive to deliver long-term value creation. In addition, our pay levels and programs are highly aligned with the performanceall of the Company. Based onCompany’s employees. Under the above, we recommend shareholders vote “FOR” approving our Say-On-Pay Vote proposal on our executive compensation program (“Say-On-Pay Vote”).


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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The following table sets forth, formalus policy, all variable remuneration awards, including annual bonus awards and long-term incentive awards, are conditional upon a sustainable and risk-adjusted performance. Such variable remuneration awards made to individual employees are therefore capable of forfeiture or reduction at the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, the compensation paid or earned for servicesCompany’s discretion in all capacitiescircumstances of malus. Any adjustment to each of our NEOs:
2015 Summary Compensation Table (1)
Name and Principal Position Year 
Salary 
($)(2)
 
Bonus ($)(3)
 
Share 
Awards 
($)(4)
 
Option 
Awards ($)
 
Change in 
Pension Value 
and 
Nonqualified 
Deferred 
Compensation 
Earnings ($)
 
All Other 
Compensation 
($)
 
Total ($) 
                 
Christopher O’Kane, 2015 943,107
 923,103
 3,545,931
 
 
 188,923
 5,601,064
Group Chief Executive Officer (5)
 2014 977,014
 2,468,250
 4,018,493
 
 
 195,732
 7,659,489
  2013 887,085
 1,180,577
 2,426,680
 
 
 177,735
 4,672,077
                 
Scott Kirk, 2015 532,894
 302,253
 886,432
 
 
 59,061
 1,780,640
Group Chief Financial Officer (6)
 2014 381,933
 675,423
 351,578
 
 
 45,832
 1,454,766

 2013 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                 
Stephen Postlewhite, 2015 559,734
 1,007,510
 1,551,317
 
 
 64,458
 3,183,019
Chief Executive Officer of Aspen 2014 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Re (7)
 2013 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                 
Brian Boornazian, 2015 609,081
 826,000
 1,329,689
 
 
 79,512
 2,844,282
Chairman of Aspen Re (8)
 2014 594,200
 980,000
 1,406,472
 
 
 68,186
 3,048,858

 2013 572,600
 1,040,000
 1,192,027
 
 
 47,920
 2,852,547
                 
Emil Issavi, 2015 550,086
 907,500
 1,329,689
 
 
 46,544
 2,833,819
President and Chief Underwriting 2014 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Officer of Aspen Re (9)
 2013 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__________
(1)Unless otherwise indicated, compensation payments paid in British Pounds have been translated into U.S. Dollars at the average exchange rate of $1.5335 to £1, $1.6455 to £1 and $1.5643 to £1 for 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
(2)Salaries represent earned salaries for the applicable fiscal year.
(3)Bonus amounts represent the cash amounts earned with respect to the applicable fiscal year and are typically paid in the first quarter following the end of each fiscal year. For a description of our bonus plan, see “Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Bonus Potential and Actual Award Levels” above. In respect of the annual bonus for 2015, Messrs. O’Kane and Kirk each received a portion (73%) of their annual bonus in cash and a portion (27%) of their annual bonus in restricted share units granted on February 8, 2016. In accordance with SEC regulations, the portion (27%) of their bonus received in restricted share units is reportable in the 2016 Summary Compensation Table and is not included in the table above. The value of such restricted share units ($333,963 in the case of Mr. O’Kane and $109,350 in the case of Mr. Kirk) was established using an exchange rate of $1.5000 to £1. For a description of our restricted share units, see “Executive Compensation — Narrative Description of Summary Compensation and Grants of Plan-Based Awards — Share Incentive Plan — Restricted Share Units” below.
(4)Consists of performance shares and restricted share units granted. Valuation is based on the grant date fair values of thean employee’s long-term incentive awards calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, without regard to forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions. The performance share awards’ potential maximum value, assuming the highest level of performance conditions are met, are $5,238,165, $1,309,502, $2,291,687, $1,964,292 and $1,964,292 for Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk, Postlewhite Boornazian, and Issavi, respectively. Please refer to Note 18 of our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on February 19, 2016, for the assumptions made with respect to these awards. The actual value, if any, that an executive may realize from an award is contingent upon the satisfaction of the conditions to vesting in that award. As a result, there is no assurance that the value, if any, eventually realized by the executive will correspond to the amount shown in this Proxy Statement.

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(5)Mr. O’Kane’s compensation was paid in British Pounds. With respect to “All Other Compensation” in 2015, this consists of cash payments of $188,923 in lieu of the Company’s contribution to the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan on his behalf as Mr. O’Kane opted out of the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan due to lifetime allowance limits. See “—Retirement Benefits” below for additional information. Mr. O’Kane’s salary increased by 3.3% in British Pounds but is shown as a decrease in the table due to exchange rate translations with the U.S. Dollar strengthening significantly in 2015.
(6)Mr. Kirk’s compensation was paid in British Pounds. Mr. Kirk’s salary includes £26,547 ($40,710), which is the pro rata amount of the acting-up allowance Mr. Kirk earned during 2015 in connection with his appointment as Group Chief Financial Officer on December 5, 2014. With respect to “All Other Compensation” in 2015, this consists of the Company’s contribution to the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan on Mr. Kirk’s behalf in an amount of $59,061.
(7)Mr. Postlewhite’s compensation was paid in British Pounds. With respect to “All Other Compensation” in 2015, this includes the Company’s contribution to the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan on Mr. Postlewhite’s behalf in an amount of $44,019 and cash payments of $20,439 in lieu of certain of the Company contributions to the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan on his behalf due to the annual allowance limits. See “—Retirement Benefits” below for additional information. In accordance with SEC regulations, only compensation information starting in the fiscal year in which an individual became an NEO is reported in the Summary Compensation Table.
(8)Mr. Boornazian’s compensation was paid in U.S. Dollars. With respect to “All Other Compensation” in 2015, this consists of (i) the Company’s contribution to the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan of $20,820 (see “—2015 Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation” below for additional information regarding the Aspen Insurance U.S. Services, Inc. Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan), (ii) a profit sharing and matching contribution to the Aspen Insurance U.S. Services, Inc. 401(k) plan (the “401(k) Plan”) on Mr. Boornazian’s behalf in an amount of $26,500 (see “—Retirement Benefits” below for additional information regarding the 401(k) Plan), (iii) additional premium paid of $1,076 for additional life insurance and $23,517 for additional disability benefits and (iv) club membership fees of $7,599.
(9)Mr. Issavi’s compensation was paid in U.S. Dollars. With respect to “All Other Compensation” in 2015, this includes (i) the Company’s contribution to the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan of $17,100 (see “—2015 Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan” below for additional information regarding the Aspen Insurance U.S. Services, Inc. Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan), (ii) a profit sharing and matching contribution to the 401(k) Plan on Mr. Issavi’s behalf in an amount of $26,500 (see “—Retirement Benefits” below for additional information regarding the 401(k) Plan), and (iii) additional premium paid of $2,944 for additional disability benefits. In accordance with SEC regulations, only compensation information starting in the fiscal year in which an individual became an NEO is reported in the Summary Compensation Table.

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2015 Grants of Plan-Based Awards
The following table sets forth information concerning awards granted during the twelve months ended December 31, 2015 to each of the NEOs:
Name 
 
Grant
Date
(1)
 
Approval
Date
(1) 
 
Estimated Future Payouts Under
Equity Incentive Plan Awards
(2) 
 
All Other
Share Awards:
Number of
Shares
 
or Units (4) 
(#) 
 
Grant Date
Fair Value
of Share
 
Awards (5) ($) 
 
Threshold
(#)
 
 
Target
(#)
 
 
Maximum(3) (#) 
 
Christopher O’Kane 03/05/2015 03/05/2015 0 67,294 134,588   2,619,082
  03/05/2015 03/05/2015       22,431 926,849
Scott Kirk 03/05/2015 03/05/2015 0 16,823 33,646   654,751
  03/05/2015 03/05/2015       5,607 231,681
Stephen Postlewhite 03/05/2015 03/05/2015 0 29,441 58,882   1,145,844
  03/05/2015 03/05/2015       9,813 405,473
Brian Boornazian 03/05/2015 03/05/2015 0 25,235 50,470   982,146
  03/05/2015 03/05/2015       8,411 347,543
Emil Issavi 03/05/2015 03/05/2015 0 25,235 50,470   982,146
  03/05/2015 03/05/2015       8,411 347,543
______
(1)
The Compensation Committee approves annual grants at its meeting. If such a meeting takes place while the Company is in a close period (i.e., prior to the release of our quarterly or yearly earnings), the grant date will be the day on which our close period ends. The approval date of March 5, 2015 was not during our close period and therefore the grant date was on the same day (i.e., March 5, 2015).
(2)Under the terms of the 2015 performance share awards, one-third of the grant is eligible for vesting (or “banked”) each year based on growth in diluted BVPS (as adjusted to add back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of the relevant year). All shares eligible for vesting will vest and be issued following the completion of a three-year service-vesting period. For a more detailed description of our performance share awards granted in 2015, including the vesting conditions, refer to “—Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives” above and “—Narrative Description of Summary Compensation and Grants of Plan-Based Awards — Share Incentive Plan — 2015 Awards” below.
(3)Amounts represent 200% vesting for the entire grant, notwithstanding that 93.5% of one-third of the performance share award is eligible for vesting based on our annual growth in diluted BVPS test for 2015, as discussed above under “—Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives.”
(4)
For a description of our restricted share units, refer to “—Narrative Description of Summary Compensation and Grants of Plan-Based Awards — Share Incentive Plan — Restricted Share Units” below.
(5)Valuation is based on the grant date fair value of the awards calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, without regard to forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions, which is $38.92 for the performance shares granted to our NEOs on March 5, 2015 and $41.32 for the restricted share units granted to our NEOs on March 5, 2015. Refer to Note 18 of our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on February 19, 2016, for the assumptions made with respect to these awards. The actual value, if any, that an NEO may realize from an award is contingent upon the satisfaction of the conditions to vesting in that award. As a result, there is no assurance that the value, if any, eventually realized by the NEOs will correspond to the amounts shown in this Proxy Statement.
Narrative Description of Summary Compensation and Grants of Plan-Based Awards
Share Incentive Plan
On April 24, 2013, shareholders approved our 2013 Share Incentive Plan (the “2013 Share Incentive Plan”) to aid us in recruiting and retaining key employees and directors and to motivate such employees and directors. The 2013 Share Incentive Plan provides for the grant to selected employees of share options, share appreciation rights, restricted shares and other share-based awards. The 2013 Share Incentive Plan replaced the Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited 2003 Share Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2003 Share Incentive Plan”), which expired in August 2013. The total number of ordinary shares that may be issued under

34



the 2013 Share Incentive Plan is 2,845,683 (which included 595,683 shares available for grant under the 2003 Share Incentive Plan as of February 25, 2013). The number of ordinary shares that may be issued under the 2013 Share Incentive Plan is adjusted per the number of awards that may be forfeited under the 2003 Share Incentive Plan.
Restricted Share Units. Prior to 2012, restricted share units were typically only granted to new employees as a replacement for awards forfeited from their prior employers. On February 1, 2012,result of malus will be determined by the Compensation Committee approved, as part of our(in consultation with the Company’s relevant U.K. subsidiary for Solvency II purposes) in accordance with its powers under the relevant long-term incentive program, the grant of restricted share units which represented 25% of the annual incentive grants to our NEOs. These restricted share units vest in equal installments over a three-year service vesting period and may be accelerated in the event of the NEO’s deathaward plan or, disability. In respect of restricted share units granted as replacement for forfeiture from prior employers or as a portion of annual bonus, vesting of a participant’s units may be accelerated if the participant’s employment with the Company and its subsidiaries is terminated without “cause” (as defined in such participant’s award agreement), on account of the participant’s death or disability (as defined in such participant’s award agreement), or, with respect to some of the participants, by the participant for good reason (as defined in such participant’s award agreement). In accordance with the employment agreements of our senior executives, the vesting of restricted share units will also be accelerated upon certain terminations of employment within a certain period of a change in control.
Participants will be paid one ordinary share for each unit that vests as soon as practicable following the vesting date. Recipients of restricted share units generally will not be entitled to any rights of a holder of ordinary shares, including the right to vote, unless and until their units vest and ordinary shares are issued; provided, however, that participants will be entitled to receive dividend equivalents with respect to their restricted share units. Dividend equivalents will be denominated in cash and paid in cash if and when the underlying units vest.
2013 Performance Share Awards.  On February 6, 2013, the Compensation Committee approved a grant of an aggregate of 250,066 performance share awards with a grant date of February 11, 2013. The performance shares are subject to a three-year service-vesting period, and all shares eligible for vesting will vest and be issuable only at the end of the three-year period. One-third of the 2013 performance-share awards will be eligible for vesting each year based on a growth in diluted BVPS, after adding back dividends. If the BVPS growth achieved in 2013 is:
less than 5%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5% and 10%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or
between 10% and 20%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
Based on the achievement of a diluted BVPS growth (as refined by the Compensation Committee) of 6.2% in 2013, 31.6% of one-third of the 2013 performance share award is eligible for vesting.
Notwithstanding the vesting criteria for 2013, if in any given year the shares eligible for vesting are greater than 100% for the portion of such year’s grant and the BVPS growth over such year and the preceding year is less than the average of the minimum vesting thresholds for such year and the preceding year (or, in the case of the 2013 portion of the grant, less than 5% of BVPS), then only 100% (and no more) of the shares will be eligible for vesting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if in the judgment ofannual bonus awards, by the Compensation Committee the main reason for the BVPS growth metric in the earlier year falling below the minimum threshold (or below 5% in the case of 2012 BVPS) is the impact of rising interest rates and bond yields, then the Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, disregard this limitation on 100% vesting.
At its meeting held on April 22, 2014, the Compensation Committee approved the vesting conditions for the portion of the 2013 performance shares subject to 2014 performance testing. If the diluted BVPS growth achieved in 2014 is:
less than 5.2%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5.2% and 10.4%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or
between 10.4% and 20.8%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
Based on the achievement of diluted BVPS growth in 2014 of 13.3%, 129.0% of one-third of the 2013 performance share award is eligible for vesting. See “—Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives” above for additional information.
At its meeting held on March 5, 2015, the Compensation Committee approved the vesting conditions for the portion of the 2013 performance shares subject to 2015 performance testing. If the diluted BVPS growth achieved in 2015 is:

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less than 5.6%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5.6% and 11.1%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or
between 11.1% and 22.2%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
Based on the achievement of diluted BVPS growth in 2015 of 10.7%, 93.5% of one-third of the 2013 performance share award is eligible for vesting. See “—Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives” above for additional information.
2013 Phantom Share Awards. The 2013 phantom shares granted to Mr. Kirk follow the same testing and vesting conditions as the 2013 performance shares but pay out in cash following vesting rather than shares.
2014 Performance Share Awards.  On April 22, 2014, the Compensation Committee approved a grant of an aggregate of 315,389 performance share awards based on the average closing share price during the first quarter of 2014,(in consultation with a grant date of April 25, 2014. The performance shares are subject to a three-year service-vesting period and all shares eligible for vesting will vest and be issuable only at the end of the three-year period. One-third of the 2014 performance-share awards will be eligible for vesting each year based on a growth in diluted BVPS. If the BVPS growth achieved in 2014 is:
less than 5.2%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5.2% and 10.4%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or
between 10.4% and 20.8%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
Based on the achievement of a diluted BVPS growth of 13.3% in 2014, 129.0% of one-third of the 2014 performance share award is eligible for vesting. See “—Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives” above for additional information.
At its meeting held on March 5, 2015, the Compensation Committee approved the vesting conditions for the portion of the 2014 performance shares subject to 2015 performance testing. If the diluted BVPS growth achieved in 2015 is:
less than 5.6%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5.6% and 11.1%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or
between 11.1% and 22.2%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
Based on the achievement of diluted BVPS growth in 2015 of 10.7%, 93.5% of one-third of the 2014 performance share award is eligible for vesting. See “—Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives” above for additional information.
In calculating diluted BVPS growth for 2014 and 2015, the definition of diluted BVPS excludes (i) accumulated other comprehensive income, (ii) the costs payable to third-party service providers resulting from the Company’s response torelevant U.K. subsidiary for Solvency II purposes), the employee’s manager or senior management approving any acquisition, amalgamation or merger and (iii) the impact of any capital management actions, including share repurchases and special dividends. The Compensation Committee determined it was appropriate to exclude accumulated other comprehensive income, as management does not have any control over interest rate movements and credit spread movements. Furthermore, the Compensation Committee determined that the other exclusions from the calculation of growth in BVPS were similarly outside the control of management and warranted exclusion. The Compensation Committee will continue to review and evaluate the performance measure for our performance share grants in the future.proposed bonus.
Notwithstanding the vesting criteria for each given year other than 2014, if the shares eligible for vesting in 2015 and 2016 are greater than 100% for the portion of such year’s grant and the average diluted BVPS growth over such year and the preceding year is less than the average of the minimum vesting thresholds for such year and the preceding year, then only 100% (and no more) of the ordinary shares that are eligible for vesting in such year shall vest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if in the judgment of the Compensation Committee the main reason for the BVPS metric in the earlier year falling below the minimum threshold is due to the impact of rising interest rates and bond yields, then the Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, disapply this limitation on 100% vesting.
2015 Performance Share Awards.  On March 5, 2015, the Compensation Committee approved a grant of an aggregate of 277,585 performance share awards with a grant date of March 5, 2015. The performance shares are subject to a three-year service-

36




vesting period, and all shares eligible for vesting will vest and be issuable only at the end of the three-year period. One-third of the 2015 performance-share awards will be eligible for vesting each year based on a growth in diluted BVPS. If the BVPS growth achieved in 2015 is:
less than 5.6%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5.6% and 11.1%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or
between 11.1% and 22.2%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
In calculating diluted BVPS growth for 2015, the definition of diluted BVPS excludes (i) accumulated other comprehensive income, (ii) the costs payable to third-party service providers resulting from the Company’s response to any acquisition, amalgamation or merger and (iii) the impact of any capital management actions, including share repurchases and special dividends. The Compensation Committee determined it was appropriate to exclude accumulated other comprehensive income, as management does not have any control over interest rate movements and credit spread movements. Furthermore, the Compensation Committee determined that the other exclusions from the calculation of growth in BVPS were similarly outside the control of management and warranted exclusion. The Compensation Committee will continue to review and evaluate the performance measure for our performance share grants in the future.
Notwithstanding the vesting criteria for each given year other than 2015, if the shares eligible for vesting in 2016 and 2017 are greater than 100% for the portion of such year’s grant and the average diluted BVPS growth over such year and the preceding year is less than the average of the minimum vesting thresholds for such year and the preceding year, then only 100% (and no more) of the ordinary shares that are eligible for vesting in such year shall vest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if in the judgment of the Compensation Committee the main reason for the BVPS metric in the earlier year falling below the minimum threshold is due to the impact of rising interest rates and bond yields, then the Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, disapply this limitation on 100% vesting.
Based on the achievement of a diluted BVPS growth of 10.7% in 2015, 93.5% of one-third of the 2015 performance share award is eligible for vesting. See “—Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives” above for additional information.
Employment-Related Agreements
The following information summarizes the (i) service agreement for Mr. O’Kane, dated September 24, 2004 (as further amended on October 28, 2014 and February 23, 2015), (ii) service agreement for Mr. Kirk, dated May 19, 2014 (as supplemented by addendum dated December 18, 2014 and further amended on February 23, 2015), (iii) employment agreement for Mr. Postlewhite, dated September 4, 2014 (as further amended on February 23, 2015), (iv) employment agreement for Mr. Boornazian, dated January 12, 2004 (as supplemented by addendum dated February 5, 2008 and as further amended effective October 28, 2008, December 31, 2008, February 8, 2010 and February 23, 2015) and (v) employment agreement for Mr. Issavi, dated January 24, 2011 (as further amended on February 24, 2015)Employment Agreements. Additional information regarding each NEO’s employment orWe have entered into service agreements is set forth further below in “—Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control.”
Christopher O’Kane. Mr. O’Kane entered into a service agreementemployment agreements (“Employment Agreements”) with the Company and Aspen Services and under which he agreed to serve as Chief Executive Officereach of the Company and Aspen U.K. and a director of both companies,our NEOs. The Employment Agreements generally terminable upon 12 months’ notice by either party. Mr. O’ Kane’s contract was originallyprovide for a three-year period and renews automatically unless terminated. The agreement originally provided that Mr. O’Kane would be paid anbase salary, discretionary annual salary of £346,830 ($531,864), subject to annual review for increase. Mr. O’Kane’s service agreement also entitles him to participatecash bonus, participation in all management incentive plans and other employee benefits and fringe benefit plans made available to other senior executives or employees generally, including membershipthe NEO’s applicable pension scheme or employer-sponsored retirement plans, health and welfare benefits. In the case of Mr. Lillelund, his Employment Agreement likewise provides tax equalization payments to put him in the Aspen Services’ pension scheme, medical insurance, permanent health insurance, personal accident insurance and life insurance. The service agreement also provides for a discretionary bonus to be awarded annuallyequivalent hypothetical tax position as the Compensation Committee may determine. On October 28, 2014, the service agreement was amended to eliminate the provision that would have entitled Mr. O’Kane to an additional payment from Aspen Services if any excise tax was imposed under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, with respect to any payment received by Mr. O’Kanehe had remained working in connection with a termination of his employment by Aspen Services without cause or by Mr. O’Kane for good reason within six months prior to a change in control or two years following a change in control. Mr. O’Kane’s current bonus potential is 175% of his salary. Effective April 1, 2015, Mr. O’Kane’s salary increased to £620,000 ($950,770) from £600,000 ($920,100). Effective April 1, 2016, Mr. O’ Kane’s salary remained at £620,000 ($950,770).
Scott Kirk. Mr. Kirk currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Mr. Kirk originally entered into a service agreement with Aspen Services under which he agreed to serve as Group Financial Controller. Mr. Kirk entered into a new service agreement with Aspen Services on May 19, 2014, generally terminable upon 12 months’ notice by either party. Mr. Kirk’s service agreement entitles him to participate in all management incentive plans and other employee benefits and fringe benefit plans made

37



available to other senior executives or employees generally, including membership in the Aspen Services’ pension scheme, medical insurance, permanent health insurance, personal accident insurance and life insurance. The service agreement also provides for a discretionary bonus to be awarded annually as the Compensation Committee may determine. Effective April 1, 2014, Mr. Kirk’s salary increased to £233,810 ($358,548) from £227,000 ($348,105). In connection with Mr. Kirk’s appointment to the position of Group Chief Financial Officer on December 5, 2014, Mr. Kirk received an acting-up allowance of £34,715 ($53,235) in 2015, the pro rata amount of £106,190 ($162,842), to provide him with a salary equivalent to £340,000 ($521,390). On February 4, 2015, the Compensation Committee approved the removal of Mr. Kirk’s acting-up allowance effective April 1, 2015 and approved an increase in Mr. Kirk’s salary from £340,000 ($521,390), including his acting-up allowance, to £350,000 ($536,725) and an increase in his bonus potential from 60% to 100% of his salary effective April 1, 2015. Mr. Kirk’s current bonus potential is 100% of his salary. Effective April 1, 2016, Mr. Kirk’s salary remained at £350,000 ($536,725).
Stephen Postlewhite. Mr. Postlewhite currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re. Mr. Postlewhite originally entered into a service agreement with Aspen Services on July 21, 2003 under which he agreed to serve as an actuary. Mr. Postlewhite entered into a new service agreement with Aspen Services on November 1, 2010 under which he agreed to serve as Head of Risk Capital and subsequently entered into a new service agreement with Aspen Services on September 4, 2014 under which he agreed to serve as Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re, which is generally terminable upon 12 months’ notice by either party. Mr. Postlewhite’s service agreement entitles him to participate in all management incentive plans and other employee benefits and fringe benefit plans made available to other senior executives or employees generally, including membership in the Aspen Services’ pension scheme, medical insurance, permanent health insurance, personal accident insurance and life insurance. The service agreement also provides for a discretionary bonus to be awarded annually as the Compensation Committee may determine. Mr. Postlewhite's current bonus potential is 150% of his salary. Effective September 4, 2014, Mr. Postlewhite’s salary increased to £365,000 ($559,728) from £329,600 ($505,442). Effective April 1, 2016, Mr. Postlewhite’s salary remained at £365,000 ($559,728).
Brian Boornazian. Mr. Boornazian currently serves as Chairman of Aspen Re. Mr. Boornazian originally entered into an employment agreement with Aspen Insurance U.S. Services Inc. under which he agreed to serve as President and Chief Underwriting Officer, Property Reinsurance, of Aspen Re America, Inc. for an initial three-year term, with annual extensions thereafter. The agreement originally provided that Mr. Boornazian would be paid an annual salary of $330,000, subject to review from time to time,Singapore, as well as eligibilityhousing allowance and tuition assistance for a discretionary annual bonus and participation in all incentive compensation, retirement and deferred compensation plans available generally to senior officers. Mr. Boornazian is also entitled to supplemental life and disability coverage. Mr. Boornazian’s current bonus potential is 135% of his salary. Effective April 1, 2015, Mr. Boornazian’s salary increased to $612,000 from $600,000. Effective April 1, 2016, Mr. Boornazian’s salary remained at $612,000.
Emil Issavi. Mr. Issavi currently serves as President and Chief Underwriting Officer of Aspen Re. Mr. Issavi originally entered into an employment agreement with Aspen Insurance U.S. Services Inc. under which he agreed to serve as Head of Casualty Reinsurance for a three-year term, with annual extensions thereafter. The agreement originally provided that Mr. Issavi would be paid an annual salary of $400,000, subject to review from time to time, as well as eligibility for a discretionary annual bonus and participation in all incentive compensation, retirement and deferred compensation plans available generally to senior officers. Mr. Issavi is also entitled to supplemental disability benefits. Mr. Issavi received a salary and bonus adjustment in October 2014 in connection with his appointment to the position of President of Aspen Re in September 2014. Mr. Issavi’s current bonus potential is 150% of his salary and his salary was $550,000 in 2015. Effective April 1, 2016, Mr. Issavi’s salary remained at $550,000.
In addition, the agreements for our NEOs contain provisions relating to reimbursement of expenses, confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation.family. In the case of Mr. Boornazian, hehis Employment Agreement also receivesprovides for supplemental life and disability benefits. In addition, the Employment Agreements for our NEOs contain non-competition and non-solicitation restrictions, generally for a period of one year following termination, and provisions relating to confidentiality and the reimbursement of expenses.
The Employment Agreements are generally terminable upon death or disability of the employee or by either party upon 12 months’ notice (90 days’ notice in the case of Mr. Issavi, heBoornazian). In lieu of the notice period, in the case of Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk, Lillelund and Postlewhite, we may elect to place the employee on “garden leave” which means that we release the employee from his duties but continue to compensate him for the remaining notice period. The Employment Agreements also receives supplemental disability benefits.provide that we may terminate the NEO’s employment immediately for cause and the NEO may terminate his employment immediately for good reason. In the event the NEO’s employment is terminated by the Company without cause or by the employee for good reason (each as defined in the Employee Agreements and, collectively, an “Involuntary Termination”), the Employment Agreements provide for certain separation payments generally equal to 12 months salary plus the lesser of the (i) employee’s target bonus or (ii) the average bonus amount actually earned in each of the last three fiscal years. The Employment Agreements also provide for the continuation of certain benefits and certain other payments. Additional information regarding each NEO’s Employment Agreements is set forth under “— Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control.”
Change of Control Employment Agreements. We have also entered into Change of Control Employments Agreements (the “Change of Control Agreements”) with each NEO (which are an addendum to the NEOs’ Employment Agreements) which provides for certain severance payments in the event the NEO is terminated from the Company without cause or by the employee for good reason within two years following a Change of Control (as defined in the Change of Control Agreements). The Compensation Committee believes that agreeing to provide reasonable change of control severance benefits is common among peer companies and is essential to recruiting and retaining key executives. Such provisions help us to attract and retain an appropriate caliber of talent and allow our executives to remain focused on our business without undue personal concern in the event their position is eliminated or significantly altered in connection with a corporate transaction. Accordingly, we provide the opportunity for our NEOs to be protected under the severance and change of control provisions contained in their change of control employment agreements.
In February 2018, following a review conducted during 2017 of the market competitiveness of our NEOs’ Change of Control Agreements by our independent compensation consultants, the Compensation Committee agreed to increase the cash severance payable to Messrs. O’Kane and Kirk in connection with a termination without “cause” or for “good reason,” in each case prior to or within two years following a Change in Control of the Company, to bring them in line with the median severance multiple for their respective roles. In particular, the Change of Control Agreement for Mr. O’Kane was amended to increase the cash severance payable to him in connection with such a qualifying termination from two times the sum of the highest salary during the term of the agreement and the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination to three times such sum. The Change of Control Agreement for Mr. Kirk was amended to increase the cash severance payable to him in connection with such a qualifying termination from one and a half times the sum of the highest salary during the term of the agreement and the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination to two times such sum. Each of Messrs. O’Kane and Kirk signed the amendment to their respective Change of Control Agreement on March 15, 2018. The Change of Control Agreements for Messrs. Boornazian and Lillelund were not amended as their severance multiple was already in line with the median in the market for their respective roles. Additional information regarding payments each continuing NEO could receive under their respective Change of Control Agreement is set forth further below in “— Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control.”
Tax Considerations
As a Bermuda-domiciled company, we do not receive a U.S. tax deduction for compensation paid to employees of the Company and, accordingly, the limitations of Section 162(m) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (“Section 162(m)”) do not impact compensation paid to our NEOs who are employees of non-U.S. companies (Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk, Lillelund, Postlewhite and Thornton). However, in the case of Mr. Boornazian, an NEO who is an employee of a subsidiary that is organized in the United States, Section 162(m) generally limited the deductibility of his compensation to $1 million but contained an exception for compensation which qualified as “performance-based” compensation. The U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was signed into law on December 22, 2017, eliminated the “performance-based” compensation exception under Section 162(m) for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and expanded the group of employees covered by the limitation. Accordingly, we will no longer be able to structure executive compensation paid to certain executive officers who are employees of subsidiaries that are organized in the United States in excess of $1 million to qualify as “performance-based” compensation under Section 162(m) in order to preserve the tax deductibility of that compensation (unless the compensation is provided pursuant to a written binding contract which was in effect on November 2, 2017, and which was not modified in any material


respect on or after November 2, 2017). Rather, beginning in 2018, compensation paid to certain executive officers who are employees of subsidiaries that are organized in the United States in excess of $1 million will generally not be deductible. We believe that deductibility of executive compensation is an important consideration in structuring our executive compensation program but we reserve the right to pay compensation and/or approve executive compensation arrangements that are not fully tax deductible if we believe that doing so is in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders. The Compensation Committee intends to consider the impact of the enactment of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the design of the Company’s executive compensation programs and practices.
38Solvency II Remuneration Requirements
Effective January 1, 2016, the remuneration requirements set out in Article 275 of the European Commission Delegated Regulation 2015/35 (“Article 275”) came into effect for our U.K. operating subsidiaries. Article 275 requires our U.K. operating subsidiaries to identify a group of individuals that have a material impact on the risk profile of our U.K. operating subsidiaries (the “Covered Employees”) on a regular basis and to apply a number of specific remunerations arrangements to those Covered Employees. In accordance with guidance issued by the Prudential Regulation Authority regarding Article 275, Covered Employees are required to have an appropriate balance of fixed and variable compensation and must have a minimum of 40% of variable compensation deferred for a minimum period of three years. As of the date of this Proxy Statement, Messrs. Kirk and Lillelund are Covered Employees and their compensation arrangements comply with the requirements of Article 275.

Vote Recommendation
As illustrated in this Proxy Statement, the NEOs received no bonus payments and significantly reduced total compensation in 2017 as a result of the Company’s performance, demonstrating that the Company’s compensation programs are highly aligned with the performance of the Company. In addition, the Company’s compensation programs align the interests of our executives with those of our shareholders and strive to deliver long-term value creation. Based on the above, we recommend shareholders vote “FOR” approving our Say-On-Pay Vote proposal on our executive compensation program.



EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The following table sets forth the compensation paid or earned for services in all capacities to each of our NEOs for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015:
2017 Summary Compensation Table(1)
Name and Principal Position Year 
Salary 
($)(2)
 
Bonus ($)(3)
 
Share 
Awards 
($)(4)
 
All Other 
Compensation 
($)
 
Total ($) 
             
Christopher O’Kane, 2017 806,992
 
 3,415,951
 161,398
 4,384,341
Group Chief Executive Officer (5)
 2016 832,727
 960,000
 3,343,338
 166,808
 5,302,873
  2015 943,107
 923,103
 3,545,931
 188,923
 5,601,064
             
Scott Kirk, 2017 504,385
 
 1,067,533
 58,869
 1,630,787
Group Chief Financial Officer (6)
 2016 470,085
 282,051
 1,010,405
 38,887
 1,801,428
  2015 532,894
 302,253
 886,432
 59,061
 1,780,640
             
Thomas Lillelund, 2017 525,000
 
 1,067,533
 1,412,149
 3,004,682
Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re (7)
 2016 446,536
 1,044,365
 825,353
 1,487,284
 3,803,538
  2015 
 
 
 
 
             
Brian Boornazian, 2017 612,000
 
 1,280,981
 93,306
 1,986,287
Chairman of Aspen Re (8) 2016 612,000
 495,720
 1,152,365
 88,099
 2,348,184

 2015 609,081
 826,000
 1,329,689
 79,512
 2,844,282
             
Stephen Postlewhite, 2017 528,781
 
 1,494,528
 71,776
 2,095,085
Former Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Insurance (9)
 2016 490,232
 514,743
 2,109,483
 58,827
 3,173,285

 2015 559,734
 1,007,510
 1,551,317
 64,458
 3,183,019
             
Richard Thornton 2017 440,880
 
 640,539
 1,139,368
 2,220,787
Former Group Chief Operating Officer (10)
 2016 
 
 
 
 

 2015 
 
 
 
 
___________
(1)
Unless otherwise indicated, compensation payments paid in British Pounds have been converted into U.S. Dollars at the average exchange rate of $1.3016 to £1, $1.3431 to £1 and $1.5335 to £1 for 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. As a result of his international assignment to the United Kingdom, the Company agreed to pay 30% of Mr. Lillelund’s base salary in British Pounds and the remaining 70% of his base salary in U.S. Dollars. The portion of Mr. Lillelund’s base salary paid in British Pounds was converted from U.S. Dollars at a fixed exchange rate of £0.7667 to $1 (i.e., the exchange rate on September 30, 2016). In accordance with SEC regulations, only compensation information for any fiscal year in which an individual was an NEO is reported in the Summary Compensation Table.
(2)Salaries represent earned salaries for the applicable fiscal year.
(3)Bonus amounts represent the cash amounts earned with respect to the applicable fiscal year and are typically paid in the first quarter following the end of each fiscal year. For a description of our bonus plan, see “— Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Bonus Potential and Actual Award Levels” above.
(4)
Consists of granted performance shares, phantom shares and restricted share units. Valuation is based on the grant date fair values of the awards calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, without regard to forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions, which is $47.30 for the performance shares and phantom shares granted to the NEOs on February 10, 2017 and $50.18 for the restricted share units granted to the NEOs on February 10, 2017.
Assuming the highest level of performance conditions are met, the potential maximum value for the 2017 performance share awards would equate to $5,047,099, $1,577,266, $1,577,266, $1,892,662, $2,208,153, and $946,378 for Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk, Lillelund, Boornazian, Postlewhite, and Thornton respectively. Mr Thornton forfeited these performance share awards upon his departure on December 8, 2017. The actual value, if any, that an executive may realize from an award is contingent upon the satisfaction of the conditions to vesting in that award. As a result, there is no assurance that the value, if any, eventually realized by the executive will correspond to the amount shown in this Proxy Statement. Please refer to Note 17 of our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on February 22, 2018, for the assumptions made with respect to these awards.


(5)Mr. O’Kane’s compensation was paid in British Pounds. With respect to “All Other Compensation” in 2017, this consists of cash payments of $161,398 in lieu of the Company’s contribution to the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan on his behalf as Mr. O’Kane opted out of the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan due to lifetime allowance limits. See “— Retirement Benefits” below for additional information. Mr. O’Kane’s base salary did not change in 2017 but is shown as a decrease in the table above due to the continued strengthening of the U.S. Dollar compared to the British Pound in 2017.
(6)Mr. Kirk’s compensation was paid in British Pounds. With respect to “All Other Compensation” in 2017, this consists of cash payments of $58,869 in lieu of certain of the Company’s contributions to the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan on his behalf due to the annual allowance limits. See “— Retirement Benefits” below for additional information.
(7)Mr. Lillelund is formally domiciled in Singapore where he was previously employed by the Company as Managing Director of Asia-Pacific of Aspen Re prior to his appointment to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re on May 18, 2016. Mr. Lillelund is a Danish national who was originally subject to certain expatriate arrangements in Singapore with his former employer. In order to recruit Mr. Lillelund, the Company agreed to maintain those tax arrangements in place and, as a result, was liable to pay income taxes on behalf of Mr. Lillelund in his former role as Managing Director of Asia-Pacific of Aspen Re. In connection with his promotion, the Company and Mr. Lillelund agreed to the terms of a three-year international assignment from Singapore to the United Kingdom. The Company did not believe it was appropriate to maintain such tax arrangements for Mr. Lillelund in his role as Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re. Accordingly, the Company agreed to “tax equalize” Mr. Lillelund following his promotion such that he is subject to the equivalent hypothetical taxes had he remained in Singapore. The Company believes this tax equalization arrangement is cost-effective and consistent with market practice for internationally mobile executives.
Mr. Lillelund’s contractual base salary is denominated in U.S. Dollars but, as a result of his international assignment to the United Kingdom, the Company agreed to pay 30% of Mr. Lillelund’s base salary in British Pounds and the remaining 70% of his base salary in U.S. Dollars. For more information on Mr. Lillelund’s salary, see footnote 1 above. With respect to “All Other Compensation” in 2017, this consists of (i) $1,129,013 in respect of tax equalization payments on behalf of Mr. Lillelund in connection with his international assignment to the United Kingdom, (ii) housing costs of $123,121 on behalf of Mr. Lillelund, (ii) $24,379 in respect of home leave costs, (iv) the Company’s contribution to the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan on behalf of Mr. Lillelund in an amount of $51,405, (v) school fees of $70,281 for his family, (vi) additional premium paid of $10,696 for international medical insurance and (vii) club membership fees of $3,254.
(8)Mr. Boornazian’s compensation was paid in U.S. Dollars. With respect to “All Other Compensation” in 2017, this consists of (i) the Company’s contribution to the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan of $20,520 (see “— 2017 Nonqualified Deferred Compensation” below for additional information regarding the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan), (ii) a profit sharing and matching contribution to the Aspen Insurance US Services, Inc. 401(k) Plan (the “401(k) Plan”) on Mr. Boornazian’s behalf in an amount of $26,500 (see “— Retirement Benefits” below for additional information regarding the 401(k) Plan), (iii) additional premium paid of $23,538 for additional disability benefits and $14,992 for additional life insurance and (iv) club membership fees of $7,756.
(9)Mr. Postlewhite ceased acting as Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Insurance effective January 26, 2018. Mr. Postlewhite’s compensation was paid in British Pounds. With respect to “All Other Compensation” in 2017, this consists of (i) club membership fee of $390 and (ii) cash payments of $71,386 in lieu of certain of the Company’s contributions to the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan on his behalf due to the annual allowance limits. See “— Retirement Benefits” below for additional information.
(10)Mr. Thornton’s employment with the Company ended on December 8, 2017. Mr Thornton’s compensation was paid in British Pounds. With respect to “All Other Compensation” in 2017, this consists of (i) a cash payment in the amount of $902,637 in connection with his departure from the Company which represents the sum of his annual bonus award in respect of the 2017 performance year, 100% of his base salary and the average of his bonus awards in respect of the 2015 and 2016 performance years, (ii) a cash payment in the amount of $179,060 in lieu of Mr Thornton’s banked 2015 performance shares, which were settled in cash based on the closing price as of his departure date and (iii) cash payments of $57,671 in lieu of certain of the Company’s contributions to the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan on his behalf due to the annual allowance limits.


2017 Grants of Plan-Based Awards
On April 24, 2013, shareholders approved our 2013 Share Incentive Plan (the “2013 Share Incentive Plan”) to aid us in recruiting and retaining key employees and to motivate such employees. The 2013 Share Incentive Plan provides for the grant to selected employees of share options, share appreciation rights, restricted shares and other share-based awards. The total number of ordinary shares that may be issued under the 2013 Share Incentive Plan is 2,845,683. The following table sets forth information concerning awards granted to each of the NEOs during the twelve months ended December 31, 2017:
Name 
 Grant
Date
 
Approval
Date
 
 
Estimated Future Payouts Under
Equity Incentive Plan Awards
(1) 
 
All Other
Share Awards:
Number of
Shares
 
or Units (3) 
(#) 
 
Grant Date
Fair Value
of Share
 
Awards (4) ($) 
 
Threshold
(#)
 
 
Target
(#)
 
 
Maximum(2) (#) 
 
Christopher O’Kane 02/10/2017 02/08/2017 0 53,352 106,704   2,523,550
  02/10/2017 02/08/2017       17,784 892,401
Scott Kirk 02/10/2017 02/08/2017 0 16,673 33,346   788,633
  02/10/2017 02/08/2017       5,558 278,900
Thomas Lillelund 02/10/2017 02/08/2017 0 16,673 33,346   788,633
  02/10/2017 02/08/2017       5,558 278,900
Brian Boornazian 02/10/2017 02/08/2017 0 20,007 40,014   946,331
  02/10/2017 02/08/2017       6,669 334,650
Stephen Postlewhite 02/10/2017 02/08/2017 0 23,342 46,684   1,104,077
  02/10/2017 02/08/2017       7,781 390,451
Richard Thornton (4)
 02/10/2017 02/08/2017 0 10,004 20,008   473,189
  02/10/2017 02/08/2017       3,335 167,350
______
(1)Under the terms of the 2017 performance share awards, one-third of the grant is eligible for vesting (or “banked”) each year based on growth in diluted BVPS (as adjusted to add back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of the relevant year). All shares eligible for vesting will vest and be issued following the completion of a three-year period. For a more detailed description of our performance share awards granted in 2017, including the vesting conditions, please refer to “— Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives” above.
(2)Amounts represent 200% vesting for the entire grant, notwithstanding that one-third of the performance share award was forfeited based on our annual growth in diluted BVPS test for 2017 as discussed above under “— Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives.”
(3)Valuation is based on the grant date fair value of the awards calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, without regard to forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions, which is $47.30 for the performance shares granted to our NEOs on February 10, 2017 and $50.18 for the restricted share units granted to our NEOs on February 10, 2017. Please refer to Note 17 of our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on February 22, 2018, for the assumptions made with respect to these awards. The actual value, if any, that an NEO may realize from an award is contingent upon the satisfaction of the conditions to vesting in that award. As a result, there is no assurance that the value, if any, eventually realized by the NEOs will correspond to the amounts shown in this Proxy Statement.
(4)
In connection with Mr. Thornton’s departure from the Company on December 8, 2017, Mr Thornton forfeited all of the performance shares and restricted share units granted to Mr. Thornton in 2017 and reported in the table above. For additional information regarding the treatment of Mr. Thornton’s outstanding equity awards in connection with his departure from the Company, please refer to “— Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control below.



Outstanding Equity Awards at 2015 Fiscal Year-End
The following table sets forth information concerning outstanding share awards held by the NEOs as of December 31, 2015:2017:
 
Share Awards 
 
Share Awards 
Name 
Year of
Grant
 
 
Number of
Shares or
Units That
Have Not
Vested
 
(#)
 
Market
Value of
Shares or
Units
That
Have Not
Vested 
(1) 
($)
 
 
Equity
Incentive
Plan Awards:
Number of
Unearned
Shares,
 
Units or
Other Rights
That Have
Not Vested
(#)
 
 
Equity
Incentive  Plan
Awards:
Market
 
Value or
Payout Value of
Unearned
Shares, Units or
Other Rights
That Have
 
Not Vested (1) 
($)
 
 
Year of
Grant
 
 
Number of
Shares or
Units That
Have Not
Vested
 
(#)
 
Market
Value of
Shares or
Units
That
Have Not
Vested 
(1) 
($)
 
 
Equity
Incentive
Plan Awards:
Number of
Unearned
Shares,
 
Units or
Other Rights
That Have
Not Vested
(#)
 
 
Equity
Incentive  Plan
Awards:
Market
 
Value or
Payout Value of
Unearned
Shares, Units or
Other Rights
That Have
 
Not Vested (1) 
($)
 
Christopher O’Kane 2013 57,898(2)2,796,473
 


 2015 36,549
(2)1,483,889
 


 2014 74,374(3)3,592,264
 25,720
(4)1,242,276
 2016 27,390
(3)1,112,034
 2,191
(4)88,955
 2015 43,405(5)2,096,462
 44,862
(6)2,166,835
 2017 17,784
(5)722,030
 3,557
(6)144,414
Scott Kirk 2013 2,254(2)(7)108,868
 


 2015 9,138
(2)371,003
 


 2014 6,508(3)314,336
 2,250
(4)108,675
 2016 8,350
(3)339,010
 657
(4)26,674
 2015 10,851(5)524,103
 11,215
(6)541,685
 2017 5,558
(5)225,655
 1,112
(6)45,147
Stephen Postlewhite 2013 15,237(2)735,947
 


Thomas Lillelund 2015 2,147
(2)87,168
 
 
 2014 13,945(3)673,544
 4,822
(4)232,903
 2016 13,109
(3)532,225
 91
(4)3,695
 2015 18,990(5)917,217
 19,627
(6)947,984
 2017 5,558
(5)225,655
 1,112
(6)45,147
Brian Boornazian 2013 28,441(2)1,373,700
 


 2015 13,707
(2)556,504
 
 
 2014 26,031(3)1,257,297
 9,002
(4)434,797
 2016 8,442
(3)342,745
 821
(4)33,333
 2015 16,277(5)786,179
 16,823
(6)812,551
 2017 6,669
(5)270,761
 1,334
(6)54,160
Emil Issavi 2013 14,220(2)686,826
 
 
Stephen Postlewhite 2015 15,991
(2)649,235
 


 2014 15,805(3)763,382
 5,465
(4)263,960
 2016 22,265
(3)903,959
 958
(4)38,895
 2015 16,277(5)786,179
 16,823
(6)812,551
 2017 7,781
(5)315,909
 1,556
(6)63,174
Richard Thornton 2015 3,552
(2)144,211
 
 
 2016 1,186
(3)48,152
 
(4)
 2017 
(5)
 
(6)
 
___________
(1)
Calculated based upon the closing price of $48.30$40.60 per share of the Company’s ordinary sharesshare on December 31, 2015,29, 2017 as reported by the NYSE.  
(2) Under the terms of the 2013 performance share awards, one-third of the grant is eligible for vesting each year. All shares eligible to vest will vest following the completion of a three-year service-vesting period.
If the growth in diluted BVPS, after adding back dividends, achieved in 2013 is:
less than 5%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5% and 10%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or
between 10% and 20%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
Notwithstanding the vesting criteria for 2013, if in any given year, the shares eligible for vesting are greater than 100% for the portion of such year’s grant and the average BVPS growth over such year and the preceding year is less than the average of the minimum vesting thresholds for such year and the preceding year (or, in the case of the 2013 portion of the grant, less than 5% of BVPS), then only 100% (and no more) of the shares that are eligible for vesting in such year shall vest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if in the judgment of the Compensation Committee, the main reason for the BVPS growth metric in the earlier year falling below the minimum threshold (or below 5% in the case of 2012 BVPS) is the impact of rising interest rates and bond yields, then the Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, disregard this 100% limitation on performance shares that may become eligible for vesting. All shares eligible for vesting will vest and become issuable following the completion of the three-year service vesting period, provided the NEO remains continuously employed through the issuance date. For purposes of the 2013 performance share awards, BVPS is defined as diluted BVPS adjusted to add back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of the relevant year.
If the growth in diluted BVPS achieved in 2014 is:
less than 5.2%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5.2% and 10.4%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or

39



between 10.4% and 20.8%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
If the growth in diluted BVPS achieved in 2015 is:
less than 5.6%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5.6% and 11.1%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or
between 11.1% and 22.2%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
For more information, please see “—Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives — 2015-2017, 2014-2016 and 2013-2015 Performance Share Cycles” above.
AmountThe figure represents (i) 31.6% vesting in respect of one-third of the grant as our diluted BVPS growth after adding back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of 2013, and as further refined by the Compensation Committee, was 6.2%, (ii) 129.0% vesting in respect of one-third of the grant as our diluted BVPS growth after adding back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of 2014, and as further described above, was 13.3%, and (iii) 93.5% vesting in respect of one-third of the grant as ourbased on the achievement of 10.7% diluted BVPS growth after adding back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of 2015, and as further described above, was 10.7%. Figures provided also include unvested restricted share units granted on February 11, 2013, of which the final tranche vested on February 11, 2016. Mr. Kirk was not granted any performance shares during 2013, rather he was granted phantom shares. The phantom shares are subject to the same testing and vesting conditions as the performance shares described herein but are settled in cash following vesting rather than shares.
 2013 Performance (Phantom) Shares Earned Based on 2013, 2014 and 2015 Performance2013 Unvested Restricted Share Units
Christopher O’Kane51,1596,739
Scott Kirk1,616638
Stephen Postlewhite13,4641,773
Brian Boornazian25,1313,310
Emil Issavi12,5651,655
(3)Under the terms of the 2014 performance share awards, one-third of the grant is eligible for vesting each year. All shares eligible to vest will vest following the completion of a three-year service-vesting period.
If the growth in diluted BVPS, after adding back dividends, achieved in 2014 is:
less than 5.2%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5.2% and 10.4%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or
between 10.4% and 20.8%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
If the growth in diluted BVPS achieved in 2015 is:
less than 5.6%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5.6% and 11.1%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or
between 11.1% and 22.2%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
For more information, please see “Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives — 2015-2017, 2014-2016 and 2013-2015 Performance Share Cycles” and “Executive Compensation—Narrative Description of Summary Compensation and Grants of Plan-Based Awards — Share Incentive Plan — 2014 Performance Share Awards” above.
Amount represents (i) 129.0%(ii) 36.1% vesting in respect of one-third of the grant as ourbased on the achievement of 5.9% diluted BVPS growth after adding back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of 2014 was 13.3%2016, and (ii) 93.5% vesting in respect(iii) forfeiture of one-third of the grant as ourbased on a 10.3% diluted BVPS growthdecrease after adding back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of 2015, and as further described above, was 10.7%. Figures provided2017. The figure also include unvestedincludes restricted share units granted on April 25, 2014,March 5, 2015 which had not vested as at December 31, 2017, the final tranche which vested on March 5, 2018. Mr. Lillelund was not granted any performance shares in 2015 but was granted phantom shares. The phantom shares are scheduledearned based on achievement of the same goals that apply to vestthe performance shares but are paid out in one-third increments on April 25, 2016 and 2017.cash. For additional information regarding the treatment of Mr. Thornton’s performance shares in connection with his departure from the Company, please see “—Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control” below.

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Portion of 2014 Performance Shares Earned Based on 2014 and 2015 Performance2014 Unvested Restricted Share Units2015 Performance (Phantom) Shares Earned Based on 2015, 2016 and 2017 Performance2015 Unvested Restricted Share Units
Christopher O’Kane57,228
17,14629,0727,477
Scott Kirk5,008
1,5007,2691,869
Thomas Lillelund1,213934
Brian Boornazian10,9032,804
Stephen Postlewhite10,731
3,21412,7203,271
Brian Boornazian20,030
6,001
Emil Issavi12,162
3,643
Richard Thornton3,5520
(4)Reflects 2014 performance shares, amount assumes a vesting of 100% for the remaining one-third of the grant.
(5) UnderFor more information on the terms of the 2015 performance share awards, one-third of the grant is eligible for vesting each year. All shares eligible to vest will vest following the completion of a three-year service-vesting period.
If the growth in diluted BVPS, after adding back dividends, achieved in 2015 is:
less than 5.6%, then the portion of the performance shares subject to the vesting conditions will be forfeited (i.e., one-third of the initial grant);
between 5.6% and 11.1%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 10% and 100% on a straight-line basis; or
between 11.1% and 22.2%, then the percentage of the performance shares eligible for vesting will be between 100% and 200% on a straight-line basis.
For more information, please see “Compensation“ — Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives — 2015-2017, 2014-20162017-2019, 2016-2018 and 2013-20152015-2017 Performance Share Cycles” above.
(3)The figure represents (i) 36.1% vesting in respect of one-third of the grant based on the achievement of 5.9% diluted BVPS growth after adding back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of 2016 and (ii) forfeiture of one-third of the grant based on a 10.3% diluted BVPS decrease after adding back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of 2017. Mr. Lillelund was not granted any performance


shares in 2016 but was granted phantom shares. The phantom shares are earned based on achievement of the same goals that apply to the performance shares but are paid out in cash. In the case of Messrs. O’Kane and “Executive Compensation—Narrative DescriptionKirk, the restricted share units granted on February 8, 2016 include the restricted share units granted as part of Summary Compensation and Grants of Plan-Based Awards — Share Incentive Plan — 2015 Performance Share Awards” above.
Amount represents 93.5% vestingtheir annual bonus in respect of one-third2015. In addition, in the case of Messrs. Lillelund and Postlewhite, the grant as our diluted BVPS growth after adding back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of 2015, as further described above, was 10.7%. Figures providedfigure also includeincludes unvested restricted share units granted on March 5, 2015,July 27, 2016, of which the remaining tranches are scheduled to vest in two additional one-third increments on March 5, 2016, 2017July 28, 2018 and 2018.2019. For additional information regarding the treatment of Mr. Thornton’s performance shares in connection with his departure from the Company, please see “— Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control” below.
Portion of 2015 Performance Shares
Earned Based on 2015 Performance
2015 Unvested Restricted Share UnitsPortion of 2016 Performance (Phantom) Shares Earned Based on 2016 and 2017 Performance2016 Unvested Restricted Share Units
Christopher O’Kane20,97422,4317,909
19,481
Scott Kirk5,2445,6072,373
5,977
Thomas Lillelund330
12,779
Brian Boornazian2,966
5,476
Stephen Postlewhite9,1779,8133,460
18,805
Brian Boornazian7,8668,411
Emil Issavi7,8668,411
Richard Thornton1,186
0
For more information on the terms of the 2016 performance shares, please see “— Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives — 2017-2019, 2016-2018 and 2015-2017 Performance Share Cycles” above.
(4)As a result of our below-threshold performance for the 2017 performance period, in accordance with SEC rules, the number of unearned 2016 performance shares are reported assuming a vesting of the threshold number of performance shares (10% of target) that may be earned for the remaining one-third of the grant.
(5)The figure reflects the forfeiture of one-third of the performance share grant based on a 10.3% diluted BVPS decrease after adding back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equity at the end of 2017. The figure also includes unvested restricted share units granted on February 10, 2017 which are scheduled to vest in one-third increments on February 10, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
 Portion of 2017 Performance (Phantom) Shares
Earned Based on 2017 Performance
2017 Unvested Restricted Share Units
Christopher O’Kane017,784
Scott Kirk05,558
Thomas Lillelund05,558
Brian Boornazian06,669
Stephen Postlewhite07,781
Richard Thornton00
For more information on the terms of the 2017 performance share awards, please see “— Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Elements of Compensation — Long-Term Equity Incentives — 2017-2019, 2016-2018 and 2015-2017 Performance Share Cycles” above.
(6)Reflects 2015As a result of our below-threshold performance for the 2017 performance period, in accordance with SEC rules, the number of unearned 2017 performance shares amount assumesare reported assuming a vesting of 100%the threshold number of performance shares (10% of target) that may be earned for the remaining two-thirds of the grant.
(7)Reflects 1,907 phantom shares granted to Mr. Kirk on February 11, 2013 prior to his appointment to the Group Executive Committee. Mr. Kirk was not granted any performance shares in 2013. Of the 1,907 phantom shares granted, a total of 1,616 phantom shares vested based on the tests described in footnote 2 above. The vested phantom shares are settled in cash rather than shares.

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2015 Option Exercises and Shares Vested During 2017
The following table summarizes share option exercises and share issuances byto our NEOs during the twelve months ended December 31, 20152017 (excluding any shares purchased under our employee share purchase plans):. None of the NEOs exercised share options during the twelve months ended December 31, 2017.
 
Option Awards 
 
Share Awards 
 
Share Awards 
Name 
Number of 
Shares 
Acquired on 
Exercise (#) 
 
Value 
Realized on 
Exercise (1)($) 
 
Number of 
Shares 
Acquired on 
Vesting (#) 
 
Value 
Realized on 
Vesting (2)($) 
 
Number of 
Shares 
Acquired on 
Vesting (#) 
 
Value 
Realized on 
Vesting (1)($) 
Christopher O’KaneChristopher O’Kane 116,388 1,619,381 69,178 3,197,520Christopher O’Kane 92,304 5,154,074
Scott Kirk (3)
Scott Kirk (3)
   2,096 96,883
Scott Kirk (3)
 11,430 640,160
Stephen Postlewhite   19,540 901,821
Thomas Lillelund (2) (3)
Thomas Lillelund (2) (3)
 10,400 566,871
Brian BoornazianBrian Boornazian   38,630 1,782,642Brian Boornazian 31,823 1,776,617
Emil Issavi   19,636 906,657
Stephen Postlewhite (3)
Stephen Postlewhite (3)
 26,753 1,446,973
Richard Thornton (2)
Richard Thornton (2)
 6,747 374,895
__________
(1)Value realized is calculated based on the closing price of an ordinary share as reported by the NYSE on the date of exercise less the exercise price. The amounts reflect the amount received upon exercise (gross of tax). This related to the exercise of (i) 28,669 options granted in 2007, of which 17,850 were exercised on February 3, 2015 and 10,819 were exercised on February 4, 2015, and (ii) 87,719 options granted in 2006 which were exercised on November 19, 2015.
(2)In respect of Messrs. O’Kane, Boornazian, Postlewhite and Issavi, value realized represents their 2012 performance shares which vested on the date we filed our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 (February 23, 2015). The market value was calculated based on the closing price of $46.19 on February 23, 2015 as reported by the NYSE. This also includes one-third of the restricted shares units granted on February 8, 2012, one-third of the restricted share units granted on February 11, 2013, and one-third of the restricted share units granted on April 25, 2014, each of which vest on an annual basis on the anniversary of the grant date. The closing price on February 8, 2015, February 11, 2015 and April 25, 2015 was $45.10, $45.65 and $47.82, respectively, as reported by the NYSE. The amounts reflect the amount vested (gross of tax).
In respect of Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk, Boornazian, Postlewhite and Thornton value realized represents their 2014 performance shares which vested on February 22, 2017, the date we filed our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. The market value was calculated based on the closing price of $56.25 per ordinary share on February 22, 2017 as reported by the NYSE. This also includes one-third of the restricted share units granted on April 25, 2014, one-third of the restricted share units granted on March 5, 2015 and one-third of the restricted share units granted on February 8, 2016, each of which vest on an annual basis on the anniversary of the grant date. The closing price on February 8, 2017, March 5, 2017 and April 25, 2017 was $56.45, $56.35 and $51.50, respectively, per ordinary share as reported by the NYSE.     
(3)(2)In respect of Mr. Kirk,Messrs. Lillelund and Thornton, the figures above do not include his 2012their 2014 phantom shares which followed the same testing and vesting conditions as the 20122014 performance shares withdescribed in the differencefootnote above except that they settled in cash rather than shares.
(3)In respect of Messrs. Lillelund and Postlewhite, the figures above also include one-third of the restricted share units granted to them on July 27, 2016 in connection with their appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Re and Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Insurance, respectively. The closing price on July 27, 2017 was $48.00 per ordinary share as reported by the NYSE.
20152017 Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
The following table shows the non-qualifiednonqualified deferred compensation benefits accrued in respect of Messrs.Mr. Boornazian and Issavi as ofat December 31, 2015:2017:
Name 
Executive 
Contributions  in 
Last FY ($) 
 
Registrant 
Contributions  in 
Last FY(1) ($) 
 
Aggregate 
Earnings/(Loss) 
in Last FY ($) 
 
Aggregate 
Withdrawals/ 
Distributions ($) 
 
Aggregate 
Balance 
at Last FYE(2) ($)  
 
Executive 
Contributions  in 
Last FY ($) 
 
Registrant 
Contributions  in 
Last FY(1) ($) 
 
Aggregate 
Earnings/(Loss) 
in Last FY(2) ($) 
 
Aggregate 
Withdrawals/ 
Distributions ($) 
 
Aggregate 
Balance
at Last FYE(3) ($)  
Brian BoornazianBrian Boornazian 
 20,820
 
 
 41,220
Brian Boornazian 
 20,520
 
 
 82,560
Emil Issavi 
 17,100
 (1,336) 
 32,764
__________
(1)These amountsThe amount in this column represents the Company’s contributions made in 2018 in respect of 2017 service and are also reported in the “All Other Compensation” column of the 20152017 Summary Compensation Table.Table above.
(2) Aggregate balance reflects correction made in 2015 as a result of an administrative error.
(2)Represents capital gains (losses) and dividends on and earnings (losses) from the investments made in one or more investment alternatives selected by the NEO. These amounts do not represent above-market or preferential earnings and, accordingly, are not reported in the 2017 Summary Compensation Table above.
(3)
The amount in this column that was previously reported as compensation to Mr. Boornazian in the Summary Compensation Table for previous years is $51,220. 
In addition to the 401(k) Plan operated in the U.S., Aspen U.S. operates the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan. The Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan was adopted duringin 2014 to provide the Company’s senior executives located in the United Sates,States, including Messrs.Mr. Boornazian, and Issavi, with supplemental retirement benefits. The Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan was implemented primarily duebenefits and to the limitations imposed on benefits payable under tax-qualified retirement plans by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. It is intended that the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan, by providing this supplemental retirement benefit, will assist the Company in retaining Messrs.senior U.S.-based executives. Mr. Boornazian and Issavi. On August 1, 2014, each of Messrs. Boornazian and Issavi began participating in the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan.Plan in March 2015.
Employer contributions to the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan are determined each year by the Compensation Committee. Employer contributions made may consist of matching contributions, profit sharing contributions, and other discretionary contributions as determined by the Compensation Committee. Matching contributions and profit sharing contributions are made in order to equal the full amount of contributions that would have been made under the 401(k) Plan, assuming the maximum amount of elective


deferral contributions permitted were contributed, where the actual amount of matching contributions and profit sharing

42



contributions made were less than that maximum amount due to U.S. Internal Revenue Code limitations. Employer contributions are subject to three-year cliff vesting.

Pursuant to the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan, participating NEOs are provided with a choice of investment options with varying degrees of risk. The amounts shown in the “Aggregate Earnings/(Loss)” column represents the amount of investment earnings or losses realized by each of Messrs.Mr. Boornazian and Issavi under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan during 2015.2017.
Chief Executive Officer Pay Ratio
The annual total compensation of our Group Chief Executive Officer in 2017 was $4,384,341 as reflected under “Executive Compensation 2017 Summary Compensation Table” above. We estimate that the median of the annual total direct compensation of all our employees, excluding our Group Chief Executive Officer, was $112,670 for 2017. As a result, we estimate that the total annual direct compensation of our Group Chief Executive Officer was approximately 39 times that of the median annual total direct compensation of all our other employees.
Our Group Chief Executive Officer to median employee pay ratio was calculated in accordance with Item 402(u) of Regulation S-K. We identified the median employee by examining the following pay elements for all employees, excluding the Group Chief Executive Officer, who were employed by us on December 31, 2017:
base salary,
annual incentive compensation,
grant date fair value of equity awards and
employer pension contributions and cash in lieu of pension
We included all employees, whether employed on a full-time, part-time or seasonal basis, and annualized the compensation for full-time and part-time employees that were not employed by us for all of 2017. We did not make any assumptions, adjustments or estimates to identify the median employee. Compensation paid in currencies other than U.S. Dollars was converted into U.S. Dollars using the exchange rate sourced by a third party provider as at December 31, 2017. After identifying the median employee, we calculated the annual total direct compensation for such employee using the same methodology used for our Group Chief Executive Officer as reflected under “Executive Compensation 2017 — 2017 Summary Compensation Table” above.
Retirement Benefits
We do not have a defined benefit plan. Generally, our NEOs participate in our retirement benefits on the same basis as all other employees in their local jurisdiction, subject to satisfying any eligibility requirements and applicable local law. We do not have a defined benefit plan.
United Kingdom.  We have a defined contribution plan the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan in the United Kingdom which was established in 2005 for our U.K. employees, called the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan.employees. All employees are eligible to participate in the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan in accordance with the auto enrollment legislation introduced in the United Kingdom. Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk, Lillelund and Postlewhite were eligible to participate in the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan during 2015.2017. Under the rules of the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan, participating employees are required to contribute a minimum of 3% of their base salary into the plan. This contribution can be made via a base salary sacrifice arrangement. TheAs illustrated in the table below, employer contributions made to the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan are based on a percentage of base salary based on the age of the employee. There are two scales: a standard scale for all U.K. participants and a directors’ scale which applies to certain key senior employees. Mr. O’Kane is eligible for employer contributions based on the directors’ scale while the other U.K.-based NEOs are eligible for employer contributions based on the standard scale.
Scale
Employee 
Contribution 
Percentage of 
Salary 
Age of 
Employee
Company 
Contribution 
Percentage of 
Employee’s Salary
Standard Scale   
3.0%18 - 195.0%
 3.0%20 - 247.0%
 3.0%25 - 298.0%
 3.0%30 - 349.5%
 3.0%35 - 3910.5%
 3.0%40 - 4412.0%
 3.0%45 - 4913.5%
 3.0%50 - 5414.5%
 3.0%55 plus15.5%
Director Scale   
3.0%20 - 247.0%
 3.0%25 - 298.0%
 3.0%30 - 349.5%
 3.0%35 - 3912.0%
 3.0%40 - 4414.0%
 3.0%45 - 4916.0%
 3.0%50 - 5418.0%
 3.0%55 plus20.0%
Employee 
Contribution 
Percentage of 
Base Salary 
Age of 
Employee
Company 
Contribution 
Percentage of 
Employee’s Base Salary
3 %18 - 195 %
3 %20 - 247 %
3 %25 - 298 %
3 %30 - 349.5 %
3 %35 - 3910.5 %
3 %40 - 4412 %
3 %45 - 4913.5 %
3 %50 - 5414.5 %
3 %55 plus15.5 %


The employee and employer contributions are paid to individual investment accounts set up in the name of the employee. Employees may choose from a selection of investment funds although the day-to-day management of the investments is undertaken by professional investment managers.
If an employee leavesAll U.K. employees who have been members of the Aspen U.K. Pension Plan since prior to May 1, 2012 or who have joined the Company before retirement all contributionsprior to the account will cease. If an employee has at least two years of qualifying service, the employee has the option of (i) keeping his or her account, in which case the full value in the pension will continue to be invested until retirement age, or (ii) transferring the valuethis date but have opted out of the account either to another employer’s approved pension plan or to an approved personal pension plan. Where an employee leavesAspen U.K. Pension Plan (as is the Company with less than two years of service, the employee has the option of (i) receiving a refund equal to the part of their account which represents their contributions only, such refund being subject to U.K. taxcase for Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk, Postlewhite and social security, or (ii) transferring the value of the account to another employer’s approved pension plan or to an approved personal pension plan within three months of their leaving date.

As of November 2015, the dependent’s pension equalling 30% of the employee’s basic salary and a children’s pension equalling 15% of the employee’s basic salary for one child and up to 30% of the employee’s basic salary for up to three children was replaced by an additional eight times basic salary lump sum. All U.K. employeesLillelund), receive a life assurance payment equivalentbenefit equal to fourtwelve times

43



basic the employee’s base salary in the event of death in service before retirement. If the employee wasservice. Employees who have been a member of the Aspen U.K. pension plan prior toPension Plan since after May 1, 2012 as is the case for Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk and Postlewhite, the employee would receive an additional in-service lump sum deatha life assurance benefit equal to eightten times basic salary. If the employee wasemployee’s base salary in the event of death in service. Employees who are not a membermembers of the Aspen U.K. pension plan prior to May 1, 2012, the employee wouldPension Plan receive an additional lump sum deatha life assurance benefit equal to sixfour times the employee’s basic salary.base salary in the event of death in service. The lump sumlife assurance benefit is split between a registered policy (which insures amounts up to £1 million) with benefits in excess of this being insured under an excepted policy.policies.
Changes in the rules regarding U.K. tax relief on pension contributions relating both to the total annual contribution amounts and to a “life-time” allowance limit have reduced the tax effectiveness of the defined contribution scheme for some staff that have or may have either higher levels of contribution or higher levels of pension savings.
For those employees who would have employer pension contributioncontributions over the annual limit, we have agreed that we may pay them the difference between the employer plan contribution rate and the annual contribution limit. This amount is subject to statutory deductions. For those employees who have or are likely to have total pension savings over the “life-time” allowance limit, we have agreed that they may elect to opt out of the pension plan, in which case we will pay them a cash amount, subject to statutory deductions, equal to the employer pension contribution they would otherwise have received.
Mr.Messrs. O’Kane and Postlewhite opted out of the Aspen U.K. pension planPension Plan due to the likelihood that histheir total pension savings at retirement would otherwise be above thetheir lifetime allowance limit. HeThey therefore receivesreceive a cash payment in lieu of pension contribution subject to statutory deduction.
Contributions follow the scale described above and are calculated on base salary. Messrs. Kirk and PostlewhiteLillelund participate in the Aspen U.K. pension plan. Contributions follow the standard scale and are calculated on base salary.Pension Plan. As the level of our contribution exceeds the U.K. annual allowance limit, Mr. PostlewhiteKirk also receives a cash payment in lieu of part of the Company’s contribution.
Mr Lillelund is currently not in receipt of cash in lieu of pension. The Company continues to review these arrangements in light of possible future legislation and regulation of U.K. pension schemes.
United States.  In the U.S., we operate the 401(k) Plan. EmployeesUnited States, employees of Aspen Insurance U.S. Services Inc. are eligible to participate in the 401(k) Plan. There are three types of contributions to the 401(k) Plan: (i) employee contributions, (ii) employer matching contributions and (iii) employer discretionary profit sharing contributions. Messrs.Mr. Boornazian and Issavi participateparticipates in the 401(k) Plan.
Employee contributions. Participants may elect to defer a percentage of their eligible compensation, subject to certain limits, on a pre-tax or after-tax basis into the 401(k) Plan. Their eligible compensation is then reduced by this election and contributed into the 401(k) Plan which may reduce their federal and most state income taxes.
Employer matching contributions. Employees are eligible for matching contributions from the Company only if they elect to make deferral contributions. We have elected to make matching contributions to all eligible participants in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%)100% of the first three percent (3%)3% of an employee’s eligible compensation and fifty percent (50%)50% of the next two percent (2%)2% of an employee’s eligible compensation, subject to certain limits as set by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Participants are always one hundred percent (100%)100% vested in their deferral contributions, safe harbor matching employer contributions, rollover contributions and any earnings or losses on the investment of such contributions in to the 401(k) Plan.
Employer discretionary profit sharing contributions. These contributions are made annually, during the first quarter of the fiscal year, to all eligible employees who are employed as of the last day of the plan year by Aspen Insurance U.S. Services Inc. and are based on the following formula:
Age of Employee 
  
Contribution 
by the 
Company as a 
Percentage of 
Employee’s 
BaseSalary 
20 - 29 3.0%
30 - 39 4.0%
40 - 49 5.0%
50 and older 6.0%

44




Profit sharing contributions are subject to certain limits on the employee’s eligible compensation as set by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The profit sharing contributions are subject to the following vesting schedule:
Years of Vesting Service 
  
Vesting 
Percentage 
Less than 3 years 0%
3 years 100%
Once the employee has three years of service, his or her profit sharing contributions are fully vested and all future contributions are vested.


45



Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change inof Control
In respect of each of the employment or service agreements with Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk, Postlewhite, Boornazian and Issavi:
(i)in the case of Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk and Postlewhite, employment may be terminated without notice for cause if:
the employee becomes bankrupt, is convicted of a criminal offense (other than a traffic violation or a crime with a penalty other than imprisonment), commits serious misconduct or other conduct bringing the employee or the Company or any of its subsidiaries into disrepute;
the employee materially breaches any provisions of the service agreement or conducts himself in a manner prejudicial to the business;
the employee is disqualified from being a director in the case of Mr. O’Kane; or
the employee is guilty of any repeated material breach or breaches any code of conduct or ceases to be registered by any regulatory body;
(ii)in the case of Mr. Boornazian, employment may be terminated without notice for cause if:
the employee’s willful misconduct is materially injurious to Aspen Re America Inc. or its affiliates;
the employee intentionally fails to act in accordance with the direction of the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Aspen Insurance U.S. Services Inc. or Aspen Re America Inc.;
the employee is convicted of a felony or entered into a plea of nolo contendre;
the employee violates a law, rule or regulation that (i) governs Aspen Re America Inc.’s business, (ii) has a material adverse effect on Aspen Re America Inc.’s business, or (iii) disqualifies him from employment; or
the employee intentionally breaches a non-compete or non-disclosure agreement;
(iii)in the case of Mr. Issavi, employment may be terminated without notice for cause if:
the employee’s willful misconduct is materially injurious to Aspen Insurance U.S. Services Inc. or its affiliates;
the employee intentionally fails to act in accordance with the direction of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company or the Board of Directors of Aspen Insurance U.S. Services Inc. or the Company;
the employee is convicted of a felony or entered into a plea of nolo contendre;
the employee violates a law, rule or regulation that (i) governs the business of Aspen Insurance U.S. Services, Inc. (ii) has a material adverse effect on the business of Aspen Insurance U.S. Services, Inc., or (iii) disqualifies him from employment; or
the employee intentionally breaches a non-compete or non-disclosure agreement;
(iv)in the case of Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk and Postlewhite, employment may be terminated by the employee without notice for good reason if:
the employee’s annual salary or bonus opportunity is reduced;
there is a material diminution in the employee’s duties, authority, responsibilities or title, or the employee is assigned duties materially inconsistent with his position;
the employee is removed from any of his positions (or in the case of Mr. O’Kane is not elected or re-elected to such positions);
an adverse change in the employee’s reporting relationship occurs in the case of Messrs. O’Kane and Postlewhite;
the employee is required to relocate more than 50 miles from the employee’s current office; or
provided that, in each case, the default has not been cured within 30 days of receipt of a written notice from the employee;
(v)in the case of Messrs. Boornazian and Issavi, employment may be terminated by the employee for good reason upon 90 days’ notice if:
there is a material diminution in the employee’s responsibilities, duties, title or authority;

46



the employee’s annual salary is materially reduced;
there is a material breach by the Company of the employment agreement; or
provided that, in each case, the default has not been substantially cured within 60 days’ of receipt of written notice from the employee;
(vi)in the case of Mr. O’Kane, if the employee is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason, the employee is entitled (subject to execution of a release) to (a) salary at his salary rate through the date in which his termination occurs; (b) the lesser of (x) the target annual incentive award for the year in which the employee’s termination occurs, and (y) the average of the annual incentive awards received by the employee in the prior three years (or, number of years employed if fewer), multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days that the employee was employed during the applicable year and the denominator of which is 365; (c) a severance payment equal to two times the sum of (x) the employee’s highest salary during the term of the agreement and (y) the average annual bonus paid to the executive (whether paid in cash, equity or a combination thereof) in the previous three years (or lesser period if employed less than three years); and (d) the unpaid balance of all previously earned annual bonus and other incentive awards with respect to performance periods which have been completed, but which have not yet been paid, all of which, other than the severance payments described in (c) above, shall be payable in a lump sum in cash within 30 days after termination. In the event the Company does not exercise its right to enforce garden leave under the agreement, fifty percent of the severance payments described in (c) above will paid to the employee within 14 days of the execution by the employee of a valid release and the remaining 50% will be paid in four equal quarterly installments during the 12 months following the first anniversary of the date of termination, conditional on the employee complying with the non-solicitation provisions applying during that period. In the event the Company exercises its right to enforce garden leave under the agreement, all amounts described in (c) above will be reduced by the amount of salary and bonus payments received by employee during the garden leave notice period and the remaining amounts will be paid in four equal quarterly installments during the 12 months following the termination date, conditional on the employee complying with the non-solicitation provisions applying during that period. In the event Mr. O’Kane’s employment is terminated due to his death, his estate or his beneficiaries, as the case may be, are entitled to the annual incentive award the employee would have been entitled to for the year in which the termination occurs, prorated based on the fraction of the year the employee was employed, and paid on the date it otherwise would have been paid. Under the terms of the award agreements, Mr. O’Kane’s restricted share units will vest on death or disability and any portion of the performance shares that have met their performance conditions but have not yet vested will also be paid.
(vii)in the case of Messrs. Kirk and Postlewhite, if the employee is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason, the employee is entitled (subject to execution of a release) to (a) salary at his salary rate through the date in which his termination occurs; (b) the lesser of (x) the target annual incentive award for the year in which the employee’s termination occurs, and (y) the average of the annual incentive awards received by the employee in the prior three years (or, number of years employed if fewer), multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days that the employee was employed during the applicable year and the denominator of which is 365; (c) a severance payment of the sum of (x) the employee’s highest salary rate during the term of the agreement and (y) the average bonus under the Company’s annual incentive plan actually earned by the employee (whether paid in cash, equity or a combination thereof) during the three years (or number of complete years employed, if fewer) immediately prior to the year of termination; and (d) the unpaid balance of all previously earned annual bonus and other incentive awards with respect to performance periods which have been completed, but which have not yet been paid, all of which amounts shall be payable in a lump sum in cash within 30 days after termination. In the event that the employee is paid in lieu of notice under the agreement (including if the Company exercises its right to enforce garden leave under the agreement) the severance payment will be inclusive of that payment;
(viii)in the case of Mr. Boornazian, if the employee is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason, the employee is entitled (subject to execution of a release) to (a) earned but unpaid salary through the date in which the termination occurs and earned but unpaid prior year annual bonus, payable within 20 days after the normal payment date; (b) the sum of (x) the employee’s highest salary during the term of the agreement and (y) the average annual bonus awards received by the employee (whether paid in cash, equity or a combination thereof) for the three years immediately prior to the year of termination, payable in equal installments over the remaining term of the agreement, in accordance with regular payroll practices; and (c) a prorated annual bonus based on the actual annual bonus for the year in which the termination occurs, prorated based on the fraction of the year the employee was employed, and paid on the date bonuses are otherwise paid. In the event Mr. Boornazian’s employment is terminated due to his death, his estate or his beneficiaries, as the case may be, are entitled to the annual incentive award the employee would have been entitled to for the year in which the termination occurs, prorated based on the fraction of the year the employee was employed, and paid on the date it otherwise would have been paid. Under the terms of the award agreements, Mr. Boornazian’s restricted share units will vest on death or disability and any portion of the performance shares that have met their performance conditions but have not yet vested will also be paid; and
(ix)in the case of Mr. Issavi, if the employee is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason, the employee is entitled (subject to execution of a release) to (a) earned but unpaid salary through the date in which his termination occurs, payable

47



within 20 days after the normal payment date; (b) a lump sum payment equal to the employee’s then current annual base salary, payable within 20 business days after the termination date, (c) a lump sum payment equal to the lesser of (x) the employee’s then current bonus potential or (y) the average actual bonus paid to employee (whether paid in cash, equity or a combination thereof) during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination, payable within 20 business days after the termination date; and (d) any earned but unpaid prior year annual bonus, earned but unpaid equity and/or incentive awards, accrued but unpaid vacation days and unreimbursed business expenses, payable within 20 business days after the normal payment date. In the event Mr. Issavi’s employment is terminated due to his death or disability, the employee (or his estate or personal representative in the case of his death) is entitled to (i) a prorated annual bonus based on the actual annual bonus earned for the year in which the termination occurs, prorated based on the fraction of the year the employee was employed, and paid on the date bonuses are otherwise paid and (ii) immediate vesting, to the extent not already vested, and distribution of the restricted share units granted to the employee pursuant to his employment agreement. Under the terms of the award agreements, Mr. Issavi’s restricted share units will vest on death or disability and any portion of the performance shares that have met their performance conditions but have not yet vested will also be paid;
(x)in the case of each of our NEOs, if the employee is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason in the six months prior to a change in control or the two-year period following a change in control, in addition to the benefits discussed above, all share options and other equity-based awards granted to the executive following the date of their employment or service agreement, as applicable, shall immediately vest and remain exercisable for the remainder of their terms.
The following tables settable sets forth the payments and benefits each of ourthe NEOs (excluding Mr. Thornton) would be entitled to receive if a termination of employment or a change inof control of the Company had occurred on December 31, 2015.2017. The calculations in the tables below do not include amounts oursuch NEOs were already entitled to or vested in on December 31, 20152017 or amounts under contracts, agreements, plans or arrangements to the extent they do not discriminate in scope, terms or operation in favor of executive officers and that are available generally to all of our salaried employees. All calculations in the tables below regarding the value of accelerated equity are based on the closing price of $48.30$40.60 per ordinary share of the Company’s ordinary shares onas at December 31, 2015,29, 2017, as reported by the NYSE. Since many factors (e.g., the time of year when the event occurs, the Company’s stock price and the NEO’s age) could affect the nature and amount of benefits an NEO could potentially receive, any amounts paid or distributed upon a future termination may be different from those shown in the table below.
 
Christopher O’Kane (1)
 
Scott Kirk (1)
 
 
Total Cash
Payout
 
Value of
Accelerated
Equity Awards
 Total Cash
Payout
 Value of
Accelerated
Equity Awards
 
Termination without Cause (or other than for Cause) or for Good Reason    
$6,815,948
(5)$
 $1,250,219
(8)$
 
Death (2)   
$1,663,848
 $8,485,199
 $536,725
 $947,308
 
Disability (3)   
$
 $8,485,199
 $
 $947,308
 
Termination without Cause (or other than for Cause) or for Good Reason in connection with a Change in Control (4)   
$6,815,948
(6)$11,894,310
(7)$1,696,955
(9)$1,597,667
(10)
Name 
Termination without Cause or for Good Reason ($)(1)
 
Death ($) (2)
 
Disability ($) (3)
 
Termination without Cause or for Good Reason in connection with a Change of Control ($)(4)
Christopher O’Kane (5)
        
Total Cash 5,280,287
 1,412,236
 
 5,280,287
Value of Accelerated Equity Awards 
 3,310,629
 3,310,629
 5,644,074
         
Scott Kirk (5)
        
Total Cash 1,230,094
 520,660
 
 1,667,781
Value of Accelerated Equity Awards 
 968,107
 968,107
 1,686,159
         
Thomas Lillelund        
Total Cash 1,522,418
 708,750
 
 2,546,127
Value of Accelerated Equity Awards 
 844,914
 844,914
 1,296,183
         
Brian Boornazian        
Total Cash 2,205,440
 1,276,200
 9,290,700
 3,525,720
Value of Accelerated Equity Awards 
 1,170,000
 1,170,000
 2,045,052
         
Stephen Postlewhite (6)
        
Total Cash 2,022,114
 820,020
 
 3,306,511
Value of Accelerated Equity Awards 
 1,869,096
 1,869,096
 2,889,983
 _______________
(1)The calculationIf the NEO is terminated by the Company without cause or by the NEO for good reason in the absence of a Change of Control, the NEO would be entitled to severance payments and benefits. In the case of Mr. O’Kane, the severance payment would be equal to (i) a bonus payment for the payoutsyear in which the date of termination occurs which would be the lesser of (a) the target annual incentive for Messrs. O’Kane and Kirk were converted from British Pounds into U.S. Dollars atthe year in which termination occurs or (b) the average exchangeof the bonus received by the NEO for the previous three years, plus (ii) two times the sum of (a) the highest base salary rate during the term of $1.5335the agreement and (b) the average bonus actually earned during three years immediately prior to £1 for 2015.the year of termination.
In the case of Messrs. Kirk, Lillelund and Postlewhite, the severance payment would be equal to (i) a bonus payment for the year in which the date of termination occurs which would be the lesser of (a) the target annual incentive for the year in which termination occurs or (b)


the average of the bonus received by the NEO for the previous three years, plus (ii) the sum of (a) the highest base salary rate during the term of the agreement and (b) the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination.
In addition, with respect to Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk, Lillelund and Postlewhite, the amount shown in the total cash above does not include the following which would be due to the NEO if the Company elected to make a payment in lieu of the 12-month notice period set forth in the relevant Employment Agreement: (i) continued medical coverage for one year, (ii) a cash payment equal to the contributions the Company would have made on the NEO’s behalf in the pension and retirement plans in which the NEO participates had the NEO’s employment continued for 12 months following termination and (iii) an amount for the purchase of health and life insurance.
In the case of Mr. Boornazian, the severance payment would be equal to the sum of (i) the highest base salary during the term of the agreement, (ii) the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination and (iii) Mr. Boornazian’s earned but unpaid cash bonus for the year in which termination occurs (the amount reported in the table above represents 100% of his potential bonus and not his actual bonus which was $0).

(2)In respect of death, the executivesNEOs are entitled to a portion of the annual bonus they would have been entitled to receive for the year in which the date of death occurs. ThisThe total cash amount above represents 100% of the bonus potential for 2015.
In addition, performance shares that have already met their performance-vesting criteria but have not vested would immediately vest and be issued. For the avoidance of doubt, any performance shares that have not become eligible shares on or before the date of such termination of employment shall be forfeited on such date without consideration. All outstanding restricted share units which are not vested will accelerate and immediately vest.
(3)In respect of disability, the executive would not be terminated based on disability, but would be entitled to continue to receive base salary for six months after which he would be entitled to long-term disability benefits under our permanent health insurance coverage.
2017. In addition, performance shares that have already met their performance-vesting criteria but have not vested would immediately vest and be issued. For the avoidance of doubt, any performance shares that have not become eligible shares on or before the date of such termination of employment shall be forfeited on such date without consideration. All outstanding restricted share units which are not vested will accelerate and immediately vest. In the case of Mr. Boornazian, he would also be entitled to $450,000 payable pursuant to his supplemental life insurance benefit, which amount is reported in the table above.
(3)Upon disability, the NEOs would not be terminated and would be entitled to receive base salary for six months after which they may be terminated and would be entitled to long-term disability benefits and, in the case of Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk, Lillelund and Postlewhite, our permanent health insurance coverage. No amount is included in the table above for this benefit as it cannot be estimated or quantified. In addition, performance shares that have already met their performance-vesting criteria but have not vested would immediately vest and be issued. For the avoidance of doubt, any performance shares that have not become eligible shares on or before the date of such termination of employment shall be forfeited on such date without consideration. All outstanding restricted share units which have not vested will accelerate and immediately vest.
In the case of Mr. Boornazian, he would be entitled to the pro-rated annual bonus based on the actual bonus earned for the year in which the date of termination occurs. The total cash amount above represents 100% of his bonus potential for 2017. In addition, Mr. Boornazian would be entitled to receive a supplemental disability benefit of $8,464,500, which amount is reported in the table above.
(4)If the employment of the above named executive officerNEO is terminated by the Company without cause or by the executive officerNEO for good reason (as described aboveunder “— Executive Compensation Governance and Process — Employment-Related Agreements — Employment Agreements” and as defined in each of the individual’sNEO’s respective employment agreement)Employment Agreement) within the six-month period prior to a changeChange of Control (as described under “— Executive Compensation Governance and Process — Employment-Related Agreements — Change of Control Employment Agreements” and as defined in controleach of the NEO’s respective Change of Control Agreement) or within athe two-year period following a change in control, in addition toChange of Control, the severance and benefits theyNEOs would otherwise be entitled to the named executive officer would also be entitled to receiveseverance and benefits.

In the case of Mr. O’Kane, the severance payment would be equal to the average bonus paid or payable in respect of the last three full fiscal years plus two times the sum of (i) the current base salary rate and (ii) the average bonus paid or payable in respect of the last three full fiscal years.
48In the case of Mr. Kirk, the severance payment would be equal to the average bonus paid or payable in respect of the last three full fiscal years plus one and a half times the sum of (i) the current base salary rate and (ii) the average bonus paid or payable in respect of the last three full fiscal years.
In the case of Messrs. Lillelund, Boornazian and Postlewhite, the severance payment would be equal to the average bonus paid or payable in respect of the last three full fiscal years plus two times the sum of (i) the current base salary rate and (ii) the average bonus paid or payable in respect of the last three full fiscal years. For information on changes to certain of the NEO’s Change of Control Agreements approved by the Compensation Committee in February 2018, see “— Executive Compensation Governance and Process — Employment-Related Agreements — Change of Control Employment Agreements” above.

The total cash amount above also includes the following additional amounts which the NEOs would be entitled to: (i) continued health and welfare benefits for one year, (ii) a cash payment equal to the contributions the Company would have made on the NEO’s behalf in the pension and retirement plans in which the NEO participates had the NEO’s employment continued for 12 months following termination and (iii) reasonable fees for outplacement services.


In addition, the NEOs would also be entitled to receive accelerated vesting of outstanding equity awards. The occurrenceacceleration of any of the following events constitutes a “Change in Control”:
(A)        the sale or disposition, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all, of the assets of the Company to any person or group (other than (x) any subsidiary of the Company or (y) any entity that is a holding company of the Company (other than any holding company which became a holding company in a transaction that resulted in a Change in Control) or any subsidiary of such holding company);
(B)         any person or group is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 30% of the combined voting power of the voting shares of the Company (or any entity which is the beneficial owner of more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting shares of the Company), including by way of merger, consolidation, tender or exchange offer or otherwise; excluding, however, the following: (i) any acquisition directly from the Company, (ii) any acquisition by the Company, (iii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company, or (iv) any acquisition by a person or group if immediately after such acquisition a person or group who is a shareholder of the Company on the effective date of our 2013 Share Incentive Plan continues to own voting power of the voting shares of the Company that is greater than the voting power owned by such acquiring person or group;
(C)        the consummation of any transaction or series of transactions resulting in a merger, consolidation or amalgamation, in which the Company is involved, other than a merger, consolidation or amalgamation which would result in the shareholders of the Company immediately prior thereto continuing to own (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity), in the same proportion as immediately prior to the transaction(s), more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting shares of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation or amalgamation; or
(D)        a change in the composition of the Board such that the individuals who, as of the effective date of the 2003 Share Incentive Plan, constitute the Board (such Board shall be referred to for purposes of this section only as the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that for purposes of this definition, any individual who becomes a member of the Board subsequent to the Effective Date, whose election, or nomination for election, by a majority of those individuals who are members of the Board and who were also members of the Incumbent Board (or deemed to be such pursuant to this proviso) shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board; and, provided further, however, that any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as the result of orvesting in connection with either ana termination without cause or a resignation for good reason within the six-month period prior to a Change of Control or within the two-year period following a Change of Control would represent: (i) the 2015 performance shares based on actual or threatened election contest or otherperformance for 2015, 2016 and 2017, (ii) the 2016 performance shares earned based on actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by orperformance for 2016 and 2017 and assumes 100% vesting for the remaining tranche subject to future performance, (iii) the 2017 performance shares based on behalf of an entity other thanactual performance for 2017 and assumes 100% vesting for the Board shall not be so considered as a memberremaining tranches subject to future performance and (iv) the outstanding portions of the Incumbent Board.2015, 2016 and 2017 restricted share units. We have assumed that performance shares subject to future performance vest at 100%, though we note that performance shares are eligible to vest up to 200%.


(5)In the event of termination without cause or for good reason, this represents the lesser of the target annual incentive for the year in which termination occurs and the average of the bonus received by Mr. O’Kane for the previous three years (£1,068,233) ($1,638,136) plus twice the sum of the highest salary rate during the term of the agreement (£620,000) ($950,770) and the average bonus actually earned during three years immediately prior to the year of termination (£1,068,233) ($1,638,136).
(6)In the event of termination in connection with a change in control, this represents the average of the bonus received by Mr. O’Kane for the previous three years (£1,068,233) ($1,638,135) plus two times the sum of the current salary rate (£620,000) ($950,770) and the average bonus for the previous three years immediately prior to the termination date (£1,068,233) ($1,638,135).
(7)Represents the acceleration of vesting in connection with a termination without cause or a resignation for good reason in the six months prior to a change in control or the two-year period following a change in control of: (i) the 2013 performance shares based on actual performance for 2013, 2014 and 2015, (ii) the 2014 performance shares earned based on actual performance for 2014 and 2015 and assumes 100% vesting for the remaining tranche subject to future performance, (iii) the 2015 performance shares based on actual performance for 2015 and assumes 100% vesting for the remaining tranches subject to future performance and (iv) the outstanding portions of the 2013, 2014 and 2015 restricted share units. We have assumed that performance shares subject to future performance vest at 100% though we note that performance shares are eligible to vest at up to 200%.
(8)In the event of termination without cause or for good reason, this represents the lesser of the target annual incentive for the year in which termination occurs and the average of the bonus received by Mr. Kirk for the previous three years (£232,636) ($356,747) plus the sum of the highest salary rate during the term of the agreement (£350,000) ($536,725) and the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination (£232,636) ($356,747).
(9)In February 2015, following a review of Mr. Kirk’s service agreement, the Board agreed to increase the cash severance payable to Mr. Kirk in connection with a termination without cause or for good reason, in each case, prior to or within two

49



years following a change in control of the Company. In particular, Mr. Kirk’s Change of Control Agreement increases the cash severance payable to Mr. Kirk in connection with a qualifying termination during the period prior to or within two years following a change in control from one times the sum of the highest salary rate during the term of the agreement and the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination to one and one-half times such sum.
In the event of termination in connection with a change in control, this represents the average of the bonus received by Mr. Kirk for the previous three years (£232,636) ($356,747) plus one and one-half times the sum of the current salary rate (£350,000) ($536,725) and the average bonus for the previous three years immediately prior to the termination date (£232,636) ($356,747).
(10)Represents the acceleration of vesting in connection with a termination without cause or a resignation for good reason in the six months prior to a change in control or the two-year period following a change in control of: (i) the 2013 phantom shares earned based on actual performance for 2013, 2014 and 2015, (ii) the 2014 performance shares based on actual performance for 2014 and 2015 and assumes 100% vesting for the remaining tranche subject to future performance, (iii) the 2015 performance shares based on actual performance for 2015 and assumes 100% vesting for the remaining tranches subject to future performance and (iv) the outstanding portions of the 2013, 2014 and 2015 restricted share units. Unlike the performance shares, the phantom shares eligible for vesting will vest and be settled by a cash payment equal to the fair market value of the vested phantom shares at the end of the three-year period. We have assumed that performance shares subject to future performance vest at 100% though we note that performance shares are eligible to vest at up to 200%.
 
Stephen Postlewhite (1)
 Brian Boornazian Emil Issavi 
 Total Cash
Payout
 Value of
Accelerated
Equity
Awards
 Total Cash
Payout
 Value of
Accelerated
Equity
Awards
 Total Cash
Payout
 Value of
Accelerated
Equity
Awards
 
Termination without Cause (or other than for Cause) or for Good Reason   
$1,861,547
(4)$
 $2,388,534
(8)$
 $1,256,084
(12)$
 
Death (2)   
$839,591
 $2,326,692
 $1,276,200
 $3,417,177
 $825,000
 $2,236,387
 
Disability$
(5)$2,326,692
 $12,180,240
(9)$3,417,177
 $6,105,000
(13)$2,236,387
 
Termination without Cause (or other than for Cause) or for Good Reason in connection with a Change in Control (3)   
$3,072,183
(6)$3,507,578
(7)$4,075,599
(10)$4,664,524
(11)$3,218,249
(14)$3,312,897
(15)
_________
(1)The calculation for the payouts for Mr.Messrs. O’Kane, Kirk and Postlewhite were converted from British Pounds into U.S. Dollars at the average exchange rate of $1.5335$1.3016 to £1 for 2015.
(2)In respect of death, the executives are entitled to a portion of the annual bonus they would have been entitled to receive for the year in which the date of death occurs. This amount represents 100% of the bonus potential for 2015. Mr. Boornazian would also be entitled to $450,000 payable pursuant to his supplemental life insurance benefit.
In addition, performance shares that have already met their performance-vesting criteria but have not vested would immediately vest and be issued. For the avoidance of doubt, any performance shares that have not become eligible shares on or before the date of such termination of employment shall be forfeited on such date without consideration. All outstanding restricted share units which are not vested will accelerate and immediately vest.
(3)See footnote 4 in prior table.
(4)In the event of termination without cause or for good reason, this represents the lesser of the target annual incentive for the year in which termination occurs and the average of the annual incentive awards received by Mr. Postlewhite for the previous three years (£424,460) ($650,909) plus the sum of the highest salary rate during the term of the agreement (£365,000) ($559,728) and the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination (£424,460) ($650,909).
(5)In respect of disability, Mr. Postlewhite would not be terminated based on disability but would be entitled to continue to receive base salary for six months after which he would be entitled to long-term disability benefits under our permanent health insurance coverage.
In addition, performance shares that have already met their performance-vesting criteria but have not vested would immediately vest and be issued. For the avoidance of doubt, any performance shares that have not become eligible shares on or before the date of such termination of employment shall be forfeited on such date without consideration. All outstanding restricted share units which are not vested will accelerate and immediately vest.

50



(6)In February 2015, following a review of Mr. Postlewhite’s service agreement, the Board agreed to increase the cash severance payable to Mr. Postlewhite in connection with a termination without cause or for good reason, in each case, prior to or within two years following a change in control of the Company. In particular, Mr. Postlewhite’s Change of Control Agreement increases the cash severance payable to Mr. Postlewhite in connection with a qualifying termination during the period prior to or within two years following a change in control from one times the sum of the highest salary rate during the term of the agreement and the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination to two times such sum.
In the event of termination relating to a change in control this represents the average of the bonus received by Mr. Postlewhite for the previous three years (£424,460) ($650,909) plus two times the sum of the current salary rate (£365,000) ($559,728) and the average bonus for the previous three years immediately prior to the termination date (£424,460) ($650,909).
(7)Represents the acceleration of vesting, in connection with a termination without cause or a resignation for good reason in the six months prior to a change in control or the two-year period following a change in control of: (i) the 2013 performance shares based on actual performance for 2013, 2014 and 2015, (ii) the 2014 performance shares earned based on actual performance for 2014 and 2015 and assumes 100% vesting for the remaining tranche subject to future performance, (iii) the 2015 performance shares based on actual performance for 2015 and assumes 100% vesting for the remaining tranches subject to future performance and (iv) the outstanding portions of the 2013, 2014 and 2015 restricted share units. We have assumed that performance shares subject to future performance vest at 100% though we note that performance shares are eligible to vest at up to 200%.
(8)In the event of termination without cause or for good reason, this represents the sum of the highest base salary during the term of the agreement ($612,000), the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination ($950,533), plus Mr. Boornazian’s earned cash bonus for 2015 ($826,000).
(9)In respect of disability, Mr. Boornazian would be entitled to the pro rated annual bonus based on the actual bonus earned for the year in which the date of termination occurs. This amount represents 100% of his bonus potential for 2015. In addition, Mr. Boornazian would be entitled to receive a supplemental disability benefit of $11,354,040.
(10)In February 2015, following a review of Mr. Boornazian’s employment agreement, the Board agreed to increase the cash severance payable to Mr. Boornazian in connection with a termination without cause or for good reason, in each case, prior to or within two years following a change in control of the Company. In particular, Mr. Boornazian’s Change of Control Agreement increases the cash severance payable to Mr. Boornazian in connection with a qualifying termination during the period prior to or within two years of a change in control from one times the sum of the highest salary rate during the term of the agreement and the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination to two times such sum.
In the event of termination in connection with a change in control, this represents the average of the bonus received by Mr. Boornazian for the previous three years ($950,533) plus two times the sum of the current salary rate ($612,000) and the average bonus for the previous three years immediately prior to the termination date ($950,533).
(11)See footnote 7 above.
(12)In the event of termination without cause or for good reason, this represents a lump sum equal to Mr. Issavi’s current base salary ($550,000) and the lesser of the target annual incentive for the year in which termination occurs and the average of the bonus received by Mr. Issavi for the previous three years ($706,083).
(13)In respect of disability, Mr. Issavi would be entitled to the pro rated annual bonus based on the actual bonus earned for the year in which the date of termination occurs. This amount represents 100% of his bonus potential for 2015 ($907,500). In addition, Mr. Issavi would be entitled to receive a supplemental disability benefit of $5,280,000.
(14)In February 2015, following a review of Mr. Issavi’s employment agreement, the Board agreed to increase the cash severance payable to Mr. Issavi in connection with a termination without cause or for good reason, in each case, prior to or within two years following a change in control of the Company. In particular, Mr. Issavi’s Change of Control Agreement increases the cash severance payable to Mr. Issavi in connection with a qualifying termination during the period prior to or within two years of a change in control from one times the sum of the highest salary rate during the term of the agreement and the average bonus actually earned during the three years immediately prior to the year of termination to two times such sum.
In the event of termination in connection with a change in control, this represents the average of the bonus received by Mr. Issavi for the previous three years ($706,083) plus two times the sum of the current salary rate ($550,000) and the average bonus for the previous three years immediately prior to the termination date ($706,083).
(15)See footnote 7 above.

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Non-Employee Director Compensation for 2015
The table below summarizes the compensation paid by the Company to non-employee directors for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015:
Name  
Fees Earned 
or Paid in 
Cash (1)
($)
 
Share 
Awards (2)
($)
 
Total 
($)
Liaquat Ahamed (3)   
 80,000 113,104
 193,104
Albert Beer (4)   
 115,000 113,104
 228,104
Richard Bucknall (5)   
 190,201 113,104
 303,305
John Cavoores (6)   
 90,000 113,104
 203,104
Gary Gregg (7)
 105,000 113,104
 218,104
Heidi Hutter (8)   
 225,727 113,104
 338,831
Gordon Ireland (9)
 105,000 113,104
 218,104
Glyn Jones (10)   
 306,700 497,706
 804,406
Karl Mayr (11)
 118,371 
 118,371
Peter O’Flinn (12)   
 135,000 113,104
 248,104
Bret Pearlman (13)
 75,000 113,104
 188,104
Ron Pressman (14)   
 87,082 113,104
 200,186
__________
(1)For directors who wish to be paid for their services to the Company in British Pounds rather than U.S. Dollars (for any amounts denominated in U.S. Dollars), such as Messrs. Bucknall and Ireland, such compensation for 2015 was converted into British Pounds at the prevailing rate of exchange between the British Pound and the U.S. Dollar at the time of payment. For fees denominated and paid to directors in British Pounds, such as Mr. Jones for his services as Chairman of the Board, Mr. Bucknall and Ms. Hutter for their services to AMAL and Aspen U.K. and Mr. Mayr for his services to Aspen U.K., for reporting purposes an exchange rate of $1.5335 to £1 was used for 2015, which is the average rate of exchange for 2015.
(2)Consists of restricted share units. Valuation is based on the grant date fair value of the awards calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, without regard to forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions, which is $40.95 for the restricted share units granted on February 9, 2015 as reported by the NYSE on the date of grant.
(3)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $20,000 attendance fee and (iii) $10,000 for serving as the Chair of the Investment Committee. In respect of the 2,762 restricted share units granted on February 9, 2015, Mr. Ahamed held 461 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2015, which vested and settled on February 9, 2016.
(4)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $25,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee and (iv) $30,000 for serving on the board of directors and the audit committee of Aspen Bermuda. In respect of the 2,762 restricted share units granted on February 9, 2015, Mr. Beer held 461 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2015, which vested and settled on February 9, 2016.
(5)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $25,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee, (iv) the pro rata amount of $2,918 for serving as the Chair of the Compensation Committee until March 12, 2015, (v) £32,932 ($50,501) annual fee for serving on the board of directors of Aspen U.K. (which fee increased from £30,000 to £35,000 effective June 1, 2015) and (vi) £33,767 ($51,782) annual fee for serving on the board of directors of AMAL (which fee increased from £30,000 to £35,000 effective April 1, 2015). In respect of the 2,762 restricted share units granted on February 9, 2015, Mr. Bucknall held 461 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2015, which vested and settled on February 9, 2016.2017.
(6)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $20,000 attendance fee and (iii) $20,000 attendance fee for serving on theMr. Postlewhite ceased acting as Chief Executive Officer of Aspen U.S. Insurance Executive Board, an advisory board to Aspen Insurance’s U.S. operations. In respecteffective January 26, 2018. As of the 2,762 restricted share units granted on February 9, 2015,date of this Proxy Statement, the terms of Mr. Cavoores held 461 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2015, which vestedPostlewhite’s separation payments and settled on February 9, 2016. Mr. Cavoores also held 2,012 vested options as of December 31, 2015. Mr. Cavoores was an employee ofbenefits from the Company through December 31, 2011.

(7)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $25,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a memberwere still being negotiated and were not finalized. Accordingly, the figures included in the table above are not representative of the Audit Committee and (iv) $20,000 attendance fee for serving on the Aspen U.S. Insurance Executive Board, an advisory boardactual payments received or to

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Aspen Insurance’s U.S. operations. In respect of the 2,762 share units granted on February 9, 2015, Mr. Gregg held 461 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2015, which vested and settled February 9, 2016.
(8)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $25,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee, (iv) $15,000 for serving as the Chair of the Risk Committee, (v) $10,000 for serving as Lead Independent Director of the Board, (vi) £32,932 ($50,501) annual fee for serving on the board of directors of Aspen U.K. (which fee increased from £30,000 to £35,000 effective June 1, 2015), (vii) £33,767 ($51,782) annual fee for serving on the board of directors of AMAL (which fee increased from £30,000 to £35,000 effective April 1, 2015) and (viii) £8,767 ($13,444) for serving as Chair of AMAL(which fee increased from £5,000 to £10,000 effective April 1, 2015). In respect of the 2,762 restricted share units granted on February 9, 2015, Ms. Hutter held 461 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2015, which vested and settled on February 9, 2016. Ms. Hutter also held 2,435 vested options as of December 31, 2015.
(9)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $25,000 attendance fee and (iii) $30,000 for serving as Chair of the Audit Committee. In respect of the 2,762 restricted share units granted on February 9, 2015, Mr. Ireland held 461 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2015, which vested and settled on February 9, 2016.
(10)Represents Mr. Jones’ annual Chairman’s fee of £200,000 ($306,700). In respect of the 12,154 restricted share units granted on February 9, 2015, Mr. Jones held 2,026 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2015, which vested and settled on February 9, 2016. During 2015, the Company provided Mr. Jones with access to private medical insurance, for which Mr. Jones paid the full cost.
(11)Represents (i) the pro rata amount of $4,110 for the annual Board fee from December 2, 2015 when Mr. Mayr was appointed to the Board, (ii) $5,000 attendance fee, (iii) the pro rata amount of £39,644 ($60,794) for serving on the board of directors of Aspen U.K. from April 1, 2015 (subject to receiving regulatory approval) and (iv) £31,606 ($48,467) in connection with his strategic and developmental support for Aspen Re between March 11, 2015 and November 30, 2015.
(12)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $25,000 attendance fee, (iii) $10,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee, (iv) $10,000 for serving as the Chair of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, (v) $30,000 for serving on the board of directors of Aspen Bermuda and (vi) $10,000 for serving as the Chair of the audit committee of Aspen Bermuda. In respect of the 2,762 restricted share units granted on February 9, 2015, Mr. O’Flinn held 461 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2015, which vested and settled on February 9, 2016.
(13)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee and (ii) $25,000 attendance fee. In respect of the 2,762 restricted share units granted on February 9, 2015, Mr. Pearlman held 461 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2015, which vested and settled on February 9, 2016.
(14)Represents (i) $50,000 annual Board fee, (ii) $25,000 attendance fee and (iii) the pro rata amount of $12,082 for serving as Chair of the Compensation Committee from March 12, 2015. In respect of the 2,762 restricted share units granted on February 9, 2015, Mr. Pressman held 461 unvested restricted share units as of December 31, 2015, which vested and settled on February 9, 2016. be received by Mr Postlewhite.
Summary of Non-Employee Director CompensationRichard Thornton Separation Payment and Benefits
Cash Fees.  The compensation of non-employee directors is benchmarked against peer companies and companies listed on the FTSE 250, taking into account complexity, time commitment and committee duties. For 2015, the annual director fee was $50,000, plus a fee of $5,000 for each formal Board meeting or a gathering of the Board where in-person attendance is expected (or single group of Board and/or committee meetings) attended by the director. Mr. Jones, our Chairman, received an annual fee of £200,000 ($306,700) in 2015. Directors who are executive officers ofThornton’s employment with the Company are not paid additional compensation for serving as directors.
For 2015,ended on December 8, 2017. Under the fees for Committee Chairs were as follows:
Audit Committee Chair — $30,000
Compensation Committee Chair — $15,000
Risk Committee Chair — $15,000
Corporate Governanceterms of his severance agreement with Aspen U.K. Services, dated December 6, 2017, Mr. Thornton received his base salary and Nominating Committee Chair — $10,000
Investment Committee Chair — $10,000
Members of the Audit Committee (other than the Chair of the Audit Committee) also receive an additional $10,000 per annum for service on that Committee.

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all other contractual benefits up to December 8, 2017. In addition, Mr. Thornton received the Lead Independent Director receives $25,000 per annum, inclusivefollowing: (i) a cash payment in the amount of all other fees received$902,637 in connection with chairing anyhis departure from the Company which represents the sum of our Committees.
Mr. Bucknallhis annual bonus award in respect of 2017 performance year, 100% of his base salary and Ms. Hutter, who are also membersthe average of the boardhis bonus awards in respect of directors of Aspen U.K., receive an annual fee of £35,000 ($53,673) per annum for such service. For 2015 Mr. Bucknall and Ms. Hutter each received2016 bonus years and (ii) a cash payment in the pro rata amount of £32,932 ($50,501) as the annual fee for serving on the board$179,060 in lieu of Aspen U.K. increased from £30,000 ($46,005) to £35,000 ($53,673) effective June 1, 2015. Mr. Mayr received £39,644 ($60,794), the pro rata amount of the annual fee for serving on the board of Aspen U.K. from April 1,Thornton’s banked 2015 (subject to receiving regulatory approval). Effective April 1, 2015, the fees for serving on the board of directors of AMAL increased from £30,000 ($46,005) to £35,000 ($53,673) for Mr. Bucknall and from £35,000 ($53,673) to £45,000 ($69,008) for Ms. Hutter who also acts as the Chair of AMAL. For her service as Lead Independent Director, Ms. Hutter also received $10,000 (such amount being the $25,000 per annum fee for her service as Lead Independent Director less the $15,000 per annum fee for her service as Chair of the Risk Committee). Mr. O’Flinn received $30,000 for serving on the board of directors of Aspen Bermuda and $10,000 for serving as the Chair of Aspen Bermuda’s audit committee. Mr. Beer received $30,000 for serving on the board of directors of Aspen Bermuda. In addition, Messrs. Cavoores and Gregg received $20,000 for their attendance on the Aspen U.S. Insurance Executive Board, an advisory board to Aspen Insurance’s U.S. operations, consisting of $5,000 for every meeting they attended.
Equity Awards.  Directors who are not employees of the Company, other than the Chairman, are entitled to an annual grant of $100,000 (calculated basedperformance shares, which were settled in cash on the closing share price of $41.05 reported by the NYSE on the date of grant) in restricted share units. On February 6, 2015, the Board approved a one-time increase in the value of the annual grant to $125,000 in restricted share units (calculated based on the closing share price on the date of grant of February 9, 2015). Subject to the director remaining on the Board, one-twelfth (1/12) of the restricted share units are eligible to vest on each one month anniversary of the date of grant, with 100% of the restricted share units becoming vested on the first anniversary of the grant date. A portion of the shares that is eligible to vest following the final vesting date in the calendar year of the date of grant is delivered as soon as practicable thereafter and the remaining shares under the restricted share units are delivered on the first anniversary of the grant date. If a director leaves the Board for any reason other than “cause” (as defined in the award agreement), then the director would receive the shares under the restricted share units that had vested through the date the director leaves the Board. On February 4, 2016, the Board approved a grant of $100,000 in restricted share units (calculated based on the average closing share price in the first quarter of 2016 up to and including the grant date of FebruaryDecember 8, 2016).2017.
Mr. Jones, our Chairman, received a one-time increase in the value of his annual grant to $550,000 (calculated based on the closing share price on the date of grant) in restricted share units for 2015. The Chairman is entitled to an annual grant of restricted share units of $500,000, although the Board retains the right to vary the yearly grant of restricted share units to the Chairman depending on market conditions, time commitment and performance of the Company. However, in no event will the Chairman receive a grant of less than $200,000 in restricted share units. On February 4, 2016, the Board approved a grant of $500,000 in restricted share units (calculated based on the average closing share price in the first quarter of 2016 up to and including the grant date of February 8, 2016).
Non-Employee Director Share Ownership Guidelines. On July 24, 2013, the Board approved share ownership guidelines for the non-employee directors of the Company. These guidelines require all non-employee directors to own Company ordinary shares equivalent to the market value of four times their respective annual retainers (currently $50,000 per annum). In respect of the Chairman, the shareholding requirement is the equivalent to the market value of four times his annual fee. Non-employee directors may not sell Company ordinary shares until they have reached the required holding. Once non-employee directors have achieved the required holding they are expected to maintain a shareholding at this level at all times.
Compensation Policies and Risk
Our compensation program, which applies to all employees including executive officers, is designed to provide competitive levels of reward that are responsive to group and individual performance but do not incentivize risk taking that is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.
In reaching our conclusion that our compensation practices do not incentivize risk taking that is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company, we examined the various elements of our compensation programs and policies and our risk mitigation controls. The main risks we identified within our compensation program are (i) the risk that management deliberately sponsors excessive risk taking in order to influence one or more of the performance metrics which determine, or may determine, the value of one or more components of their performance relatedperformance-related compensation and (ii) the risk that individual underwriters (oror underwriting teams)teams seek to increase their underwriting results by taking excessive risks with the intention of increasing the value of their performance-related compensation.
We believe the most important mitigating factor for these risks is our risk culture which is characterized by a top-down commitment to a disciplined process for the identification, measurement, management and reporting of risks. For example, as a

54



company which provides catastrophe cover, one of the risks we face is having excessive natural catastrophe exposure, which if not managed would create a high return on equityROE in a low catastrophe year and capital impairment in a year where excess catastrophe occurs. We manage this risk by having natural catastrophe tolerances approved by the Board as part of our annual business plans. Adherence to these limits is independently monitored and reported quarterly by the Group Chief Risk Officer to management with any breaches of set tolerances reported to the Risk Committee.
Another example of risk mitigation controls relates to reserve adequacy. We manage this risk by restricting any proposals for reserve releases to the actuarial reserving team, which is independent of underwriting. Proposals for reserve releases are only recommended by the Reserve Committee if the actuarial reserving team deems such proposal appropriate. The Group Chief Executive Officer and Group Chief Financial Officer review the recommendations of the Reserve Committee. In addition, all reserve releases are subject to a quarterly review by the Audit Committee, whowhich may scrutinize and challenge these decisions, and the Reserve Committee receives a report on reserve adequacy from an independent consulting actuarial firm on an annual basis.
Another example of a risk mitigation control relates to our process for making bonus determinations. In addition to reviewing performance data, the Group Chief Executive Officer takes into consideration risk data, including internal audit reviews, underwriting reviews and reports of compliance breaches. If there is evidence of a material breach of our risk controls which has exposed us to excessive risks, it is likely that such individualindividual’s compensation would be adversely impacted in his or her compensation.impacted. Bonus determinations also include an evaluation of behavioral competencies and any deficiencies in an individual’s behavioral competencies would likely adversely impact their bonus.


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 Compensation Committee Report
The following report is not deemed to be “soliciting material” or “filed” with the SEC or subject to Regulation 14A or the liabilities of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the report shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or the Exchange Act.
Our Compensation Committee has reviewed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act with the Company’s management. Based on the review and discussions with management, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the Company’sthis Proxy Statement.

Compensation Committee
Ronald Pressman (Chair)
Gary Gregg
Bret Pearlman
Karl Mayr
March 10, 201619, 2018

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 Audit Committee Report
The following report is not deemed to be “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the SEC or subject to Regulation 14A or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, and the report shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any prior or subsequent filing by the Company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
This reportThe Audit Committee assist the Board in its oversight of the quality and integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting processes of the Company. Its primary responsibilities include (i) review of quarterly and annual financial results and other financial information of the Company, (ii) appointment (subject to the approval of shareholders), compensation and oversight of the independent auditors, (iii) review and advance approval of audit and non-audit services provided by the independent auditors and the impact on the auditor’s independence, (iv) oversight of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal audit function, (v) providing oversight for the accounting and financial reporting processes of the Company and the audits of the financial statements of the Company and (vi) oversight of the Company’s compliance with significant applicable legal and regulatory requirements. It is furnished bynot the responsibility of the Audit Committee of the Board with respect to plan or conduct auditors or to determine that the Company’s financial statements forare complete and accurate and are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable rules and regulations. This is the year ended December 31, 2015. The Audit Committee held four meetings in 2015.responsibility of management and the independent auditors, as appropriate.
The Audit Committee has establishedcurrently consists of five independent directors whose names appear at the end of this report. The Audit Committee operates under a Charterwritten charter, which outlines its primary duties and responsibilities.is posted on the Company’s website at www.aspen.co. The Audit Committee Charter, which has been approved by the Board, is reviewed at least annually and is updated as necessary.
The Company’s management is responsible forAudit Committee discussed with KPMG LLP, the preparation and presentation of complete and accurate financial statements. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firmauditors, the overall scope and plans for its audit. The Audit Committee met with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, KPMG LLP, is responsible for performing an independent auditauditors, with and without management present, to discuss the results of their examination, their evaluations of the Company’s internal controls and the overall quality of the Company’s financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and for issuing a report on their audit.reporting.
In performing its oversight role in connection with the audit of the Company’s financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015,2017, the Audit Committee has: (1)has (i) reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements with management; (2)(ii) reviewed and discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm the matters required by the statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended and as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board;Board, and (3)other matters the Audit Committee deemed relevant and necessary and (iii) received the written disclosures and the letter from the independent registered public accounting firm required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent registered public accounting firm’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and has discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm the independent registered public accounting firm’s independence.
Based on these reviews and discussions, the Audit Committee has determined that its independent registered public accounting firm is independent and has recommended to the Board that the audited financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20152017 for filing with the SEC and for presentation to the shareholders at the 2018 Annual General Meeting.
Audit Committee
Gordon Ireland (Chair)
Albert Beer
Richard Bucknall
Gary Gregg
Heidi Hutter
Peter O’FlinnKarl Mayr

March 10, 201619, 2018



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Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Candidates and Evaluation of Director Candidates
The Board has adopted policies and procedures relating to director nominations and shareholder proposals, and evaluations of director candidates.
Submission of Shareholder Proposals.  Shareholder proposals to be included in the Company’s proxy materials will be considered only if received no later than the 120th calendar day before the first anniversary of the date of the Company’s proxy statement in connection with the previous year’s annual general meeting and comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act. The Company can exclude a proposal if it has failed one of the eligibility or procedural requirements of Rule14a-8. Accordingly, the Company may exclude such shareholder proposals even if received in a timely manner.
If shareholders wish to nominate their own candidates for director on their own separate slate (as opposed to recommending candidates to be nominated by the Company in the Company’s proxy), shareholder nominations for directors at the annual general meeting of shareholders must be received by the Company at least ninety (90) calendar days before the annual general meeting of shareholders.
A shareholder who wishes to recommend a person or persons for consideration as a Company nominee for election to the Board should send a written notice by mail, c/o Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, or by fax to 1 (441) 295-1829 and include the following information:
the name of each person recommended by the shareholder(s) to be considered as a nominee;
the name(s) and address(es) of the shareholder(s) making the nomination, the number of ordinary shares which are owned beneficially and of record by such shareholder(s) and the period for which such ordinary shares have been held;
a description of the relationship between the nominating shareholder(s) and each nominee;
biographical information regarding such nominee, including the person’s employment and other relevant experience and a statement as to the qualifications of the nominee;
a business address and telephone number for each nominee (an e-mail address may also be included); and
the written consent to nomination and to serving as a director, if elected, of the recommended nominee.
In connection with the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee’s evaluation of director nominees, the Company may request that the nominee complete a Directors’ and Officers’ Questionnaire regarding such nominee’s independence, related parties transactions, and other relevant information required to be disclosed by the Company.
Minimum Qualifications for Director Nominees.  A nominee recommended for a position on the Board must meet the following minimum qualifications:
have the highest standards of personal and professional integrity;
have exhibited mature judgment through significant accomplishments in his or her chosen field of expertise;
have a well-developed career history with specializations and skills that are relevant to understanding and benefiting the Company;
be able to allocate sufficient time and energy to director duties, including preparation for meetings and attendance at meetings;
be able to read and understand financial statements to an appropriate level for the exercise of his or her duties; and
be familiar with, and willing to assume, the duties of a director on the board of directors of a public company.
Process for Evaluation of Director Nominees.  The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee has the authority and responsibility to lead the search for individuals qualified to become members of the Board to the extent necessary to fill vacancies on the Board or as otherwise desired by the Board. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee will identify, evaluate and recommend that the Board select director nominees for shareholder approval at the applicable annual meetings based on minimum qualifications and additional criteria that the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee deems necessary, as well as the diversity and other needs of the Board. As vacancies arise, the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee looks at the overall Board and assesses the need for specific qualifications and experience needed to enhance the composition and diversify the viewpoints and contribution to the Board. For example, the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee may determine that members of the Board should have diverse experiences, skills and perspectives as well as knowledge in the areas of the Company’s activities.
The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee may in its discretion engage a third-party search firm and other advisors to identify potential nominees for director. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee may also identify potential director

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nominees through director and management recommendations, business, insurance industry and other contacts, as well as through shareholder nominations.
Certain additional criteria for consideration of a director nominee may include, but are not limited to, the following as the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee sees fit:
the nominee’s qualifications and accomplishments and whether they complement the Board’s existing strengths;
the nominee’s leadership, strategic, or policy setting experience;
the nominee’s experience and expertise relevant to the Company’s insurance and reinsurance business, including any actuarial or underwriting expertise, or other specialized skills;
the nominee’s independence qualifications, as defined by NYSE listing standards;
the nominee’s actual or potential conflict of interest, or the appearance of any conflict of interest, with the best interests of the Company and its shareholders;
the nominee’s ability to represent the interests of all shareholders of the Company; and
the nominee’s financial literacy, accounting or related financial management expertise as defined by NYSE listing standards, or qualifications as an audit committee financial expert, as defined by SEC rules and regulations.
Communications to the Board of Directors
The Board provides a process for shareholders and interested parties to send communications to the Board or any of the directors. Shareholders may send written communications to the Board or any one or more of the individual directors, including non-management directors, by mail, c/o Company Secretary, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, or by fax to 1 (441) 295-1829. All communications will be referred to the Board or relevant directors.
Board of Directors Policy on Directors’ Attendance at Annual General Meetings
Directors are expected to attend the Company’s annual general meeting of shareholders.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
The Company is required to comply with the provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act relating to the reporting of securities transactions and the recovery of “short-swing” profits from the purchase or sale of Company securities by certain persons. Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors and executive officers, and persons who own more than 10% of the Company’s ordinary shares, to file with the SEC initial reports of beneficial ownership and reports of changes in beneficial ownership of our equity securities. Such persons are also required by SEC regulation to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file. To our knowledge, based solely on a review of the copies of such reports furnished to us and representations that no other reports were required, we believe that all persons subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act filed the required reports on a timely basis since the Company’s status as a domestic issuer began on January 1, 2013.
Other Matters
As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Board knows of no matters that will be presented for consideration at the Annual General Meeting other than as described in this Proxy Statement. If any other matters shall properly come before the Annual General Meeting and shall be voted on, the proxy holders will be deemed to confer discretionary authority on the individuals named as proxies therein to vote the shares represented by such proxies as to any of those matters. The persons named as proxies intend to vote in accordance with the recommendation of the Board or otherwise in their best judgment.
Submission of Shareholder Proposals for 2017

To be considered for inclusion in the proxy statement relating to the 2017 annual general meeting of shareholders, shareholder proposals must be received by the Company at its registered office located at 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda, addressed to the Company Secretary, no later than November 12, 2016, the 120th day before the one-year anniversary of the 2016 proxy statement (i.e., March 10, 2017). If we change the date of the 2017 annual general meeting of shareholders by more than thirty (30) days from the date of this year’s Annual General Meeting, we will provide a revised deadline for such shareholder proposals in one of our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q to be filed with the SEC. Such proposals must comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act. Any notice for a director nomination shall include the information set forth under “Policy on Shareholder Proposals for Director Candidates and Evaluation of Director Candidates — Submission of Shareholder Proposals” above.


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In addition, a shareholder may introduce a proposal at the 2017 annual general meeting of shareholders other than pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act. Any such proposal must be received by the Company Secretary at Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda by January 24, 2017 as required by Rule 14a-4(c)(1) of the Exchange Act and will not be included in our proxy statement relating to the 2017 annual general meeting. If any such proposal is not so received, such proposal will be deemed untimely and, therefore, the persons appointed by the Board as its proxies will have the right to exercise discretionary voting authority with respect to such proposal.

Householding
Unless we have received contrary instructions, we may send a single copy of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and the Proxy Statement to multiple shareholders who share the same address and who own the Company’s ordinary shares through a bank, broker or other nominee. This process, known as householding, reduces the environmental impact of the Annual General Meeting and reduces our postage and printing costs. If a bank, broker or other nominee holds your ordinary shares, please contact your bank, broker or other nominee directly if you wish to discontinue householding.
Annual Report on Form 10-K
We filed an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 with the SEC on February 19, 2016. Shareholders may obtain a copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, free of charge, by writing to Investor Relations, c/o Aspen Insurance U.S., 590 Madison Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, USA.


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BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
The following table sets forth information as of February 22, 2016 (including, in this table only, options that would be exercisable by April 22, 2016)March 5, 2018 regarding beneficial ownership of ordinary shares and the applicable voting rights attached to such share ownership in accordance with our Bye-Laws by:

each person known by us to beneficially own approximately 5% or more of our outstanding ordinary shares;
each of our directors;
each of our named executive officers;NEOs; and
all of our executive officers and directors as a group.
As of February 22, 2016, 60,762,721 ordinary shares were outstanding.
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner (1)
 
Number of 
Ordinary 
Shares (2) 
 
Percentage of 
Ordinary Shares 
Outstanding (2) 
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (3)
4,653,491 7.66%
Building One
6300 Bee Cave Road, Austin, TX 78746 U.S.A.
   
The Vanguard Group (4)
4,616,117 7.59%
100 Vanguard Boulevard
Malvern, PA 19355 U.S.A.
   
BlackRock Inc. (5)
4,064,343 6.70%
55 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10055 U.S.A.
   
FMR LLC (6)
3,270,958 5.38%
245 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02210 U.S.A.
   
AllianceBernstein L.P. (7)
2,382,422 3.90%
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10105 U.S.A.
   
Glyn Jones (8)
117,743 *
Christopher O’Kane (9)
280,884 *
Scott Kirk (10)
5,589 *
Stephen Postlewhite (11)
24,506 *
Brian Boornazian (12)
25,257 *
Emil Issavi (13)
29,758 *
Liaquat Ahamed (14)
24,707 *
Albert Beer (15)
15,202 *
Richard Bucknall (16)
30,860 *
John Cavoores (17)
23,379 *
Gary Gregg (18)
12,890 *
Heidi Hutter (19)
67,078 *
Gordon Ireland (20)
8,317 *
Karl Mayr (21)
- *
Peter O’Flinn (22)
21,947 *
Bret Pearlman (23)
6,929 *
Ronald Pressman (24)
12,601 *
All directors and executive officers as a group (26 persons)910,114 1.50%
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner (1)
 
Number of 
Ordinary 
Shares (2) 
 
Percentage of 
Ordinary Shares 
Outstanding (2) 
The Vanguard Group (3)
5,010,131 8.43%
100 Vanguard Boulevard
Malvern, PA 19355 U.S.A.
   
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (4)
4,992,919 8.40%
Building One
6300 Bee Cave Road, Austin, TX 78746 U.S.A.
   
BlackRock Inc. (5)
4,923,624 8.30%
55 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10055 U.S.A.
   
Glyn Jones (6)
137,587 *
Christopher O’Kane216,138 *
Scott Kirk20,436 *
Thomas Lillelund17,232 *
Brian Boornazian40,342 *
Stephen Postlewhite (7)
39,321 *
Richard Thornton (8)
4,654 *
Albert Beer (9)
19,615 *
Matthew Botein (10)
2,223 *
John Cavoores (11)
25,780 *
Gary Gregg (12)
17,303 *
Heidi Hutter (13)
54,109 *
Gordon Ireland (14)
12,730 *
Karl Mayr (15)
4,779 *
Bret Pearlman (16)
11,342 *
Ronald Pressman (17)
17,014 *
All directors and executive officers as a group (23 persons)765,387 1.28%
___________
*Less than 1%
(1)Unless otherwise stated, the address for each director and officer is c/o Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM 19, Bermuda.

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(2)Represents the outstanding ordinary shares as at February 19, 2016,of March 5, 2018, except for unaffiliated shareholders whose information is disclosed as of the dates of their Schedule 13G noted in their respective footnotes. With respect to our directors and executive officers, the number of ordinary shares includes ordinary shares that may be acquired within 60 days of February 19, 2016March 5, 2018 upon (i) the exercise of vested options and (ii) awards issuable for ordinary shares, in each case, held only by such person. The percentage of ordinary shares outstanding reflects the amount outstanding as at February 19, 2016. However, the beneficial ownership for non-affiliates is as of the earlier dates referenced in their respective notes below. Accordingly, the percentage ownership may have changed following such Schedule 13G filings.
Our Bye-Laws generally provide for voting adjustments in certain circumstances.
The percentage of ordinary shares outstanding reflects the amount outstanding as at March 5, 2018. However, the beneficial ownership for non-affiliates is as of the earlier dates referenced in their respective notes below. Accordingly, the percentage ownership may have changed following such Schedule 13G filings. As at March 5, 2018 there were 59,563,494 outstanding ordinary shares.
(3)As filed with the SEC on Schedule 13G on February 9, 20168, 2018 by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP.The Vanguard Group.
(4)As filed with the SEC on Schedule 13G on February 10, 20169, 2018 by Vanguard Group Inc.Dimensional Fund Advisors LP.
(5)As filed with the SEC on Schedule 13G on January 25, 201630, 2018 by BlackRock Inc.
(6)As filed with the SEC on Schedule 13G on February 12, 2016 by FMR LLC.
(7)As filed with the SEC on Schedule 13G on February 16, 2016 by AllianceBernstein LP.
(8)Represents 117,743137,587 ordinary shares held by Mr. Jones. This amount does not include the grant of 10,95212,900 restricted share units granted on February 8, 20169, 2018 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 31, 2018 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.


(7)Represents 39,321 ordinary shares held by Mr. Postlewhite as of November 13, 2017, as reported on the last Form 4 the Company filed with the SEC on November 14, 2017.
(8)Represents 4,654 ordinary shares held by Mr. Thornton as of December 8, 20162017, as reported on the last Form 4 the Company filed with the SEC on December 11, 2017.
(9)Represents 19,615 ordinary shares held by Mr. Beer. This amount does not include the grant of 3,225 restricted share units granted on February 9, 2018 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 31, 2018 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.
(9)(10)Includes 280,884Represents 2,223 ordinary shares held by Mr. O’Kane.
(10)Represents 5,589 ordinary shares held by Mr. Kirk.
(11)Represents 24,506 ordinary shares held by Mr. Postlewhite.
(12)Represents 25,257 ordinary shares held by Mr. Boornazian.
(13)Represents 29,758 ordinary shares held by Mr. Issavi.
(14)Represents 24,707 ordinary shares held by Mr. Ahamed.Botein. This amount does not include the grant of 2,1903,225 restricted share units granted on February 8, 20169, 2018 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 8, 201631, 2018 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.
(15)(11)Represents 15,20225,780 ordinary shares held by Mr. Beer.Cavoores. This amount does not include the grant of 2,1903,225 restricted share units granted on February 8, 20169, 2018 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 8, 2016 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.
(16)Represents 30,860 ordinary shares held by Mr. Bucknall. This amount does not include the grant of 2,190 restricted share units granted on February 8, 2016 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 8, 201631, 2018 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.
(17)(12)Represents 21,36717,303 ordinary shares and 2,012 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of vested options held by Mr. Cavoores.Gregg, 5,300 of which were purchased. This amount does not include the grant of 21903,225 restricted share units granted on February 8, 20169, 2018 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 8, 201631, 2018 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.
(18)(13)Represents 12,890 ordinary shares held by Mr. Gregg, 5,300 of which were purchased. This amount does not include the grant of 2,190 restricted share units granted on February 8, 2016 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 8, 2016 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.
(19)Represents 47,26154,109 ordinary shares held by Ms. Hutter. As Chief Executive Officer of The Black Diamond Group, LLC, Ms. Hutter has shared voting and investment power over the 17,382 ordinary shares beneficially owned by The Black Diamond Group, LLC. The business address of Ms. Hutter is c/o Black Diamond Group, 515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2220, Austin, Texas 78701. Ms. Hutter also holds vested options exercisable for 2,435 ordinary shares. This amount does not include the grant of 2,1903,225 restricted share units granted on February 8, 20169, 2018 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 8, 201631, 2018 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.
(20)(14)Represents 8,31712,730 ordinary shares held by Mr. Ireland. This amount does not include the grant of 2,1903,225 restricted share units granted on February 8, 20169, 2018 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 8, 2016 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.

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(21)Represents nil ordinary shares held by Mr. Mayr. This amount does not include the grant of 2,556 restricted share units granted on February 8, 2016 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 8, 201631, 2018 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.
(22)(15)Represents 21,9474,779 ordinary shares held by Mr. O’Flinn.Dr. Mayr. This amount does not include the grant of 2,1903,225 restricted share units granted on February 8, 20169, 2018 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 8, 201631, 2018 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.
(23)(16)Represents 6,92911,342 ordinary shares held by Mr. Pearlman. This amount does not include the grant of 2,1903,225 restricted share units granted on February 8, 20169, 2018 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 8, 201631, 2018 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.
(24)(17)Represents 12,60117,014 ordinary shares held by Mr. Pressman. This amount does not include the grant of 2,1903,225 restricted share units granted on February 8, 20169, 2018 of which 10/12th are issuable on December 8, 201631, 2018 and the remaining 2/12th are issuable on the one year anniversary of the grant date.


Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
The Company is required to comply with the provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act relating to the reporting of securities transactions and the recovery of “short-swing” profits from the purchase or sale of Company securities by certain persons. Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors and executive officers, and persons who own more than 10% of the Company’s ordinary shares, to file with the SEC initial reports of beneficial ownership and reports of changes in beneficial ownership of our equity securities. Such persons are also required by SEC regulation to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file. To our knowledge, based solely on a review of the copies of such reports furnished to us and representations that no other reports were required, we believe that all persons subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act filed the required reports on a timely basis during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.
 


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PROPOSAL FOR ELECTIONRE-ELECTION OF CLASS IIIII DIRECTORS
(Proposal No. 1)
Proposal No. 1calls for a vote FOR the re-election of Messrs. Ronald PressmanGlyn Jones, Gary Gregg and Gordon Ireland and the election of Mr. Karl MayrBret Pearlman as Class IIIII directors of the Company at the 2018 Annual General Meeting. If elected, each Class IIIII director will serve until the Company’s Annual General Meetingannual general meeting of shareholders in 2019.2021. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee recommends all of the nominees to ourthe Board for re-election and election at the 2018 Annual General Meeting.
Biographical information relating to the directors under Proposal No. 1 is presented in this Proxy Statement under “Management –Management Board of Directors of the Company.”
Votes Required
Proposal No. 1For each Class II director nominee, the election requires approval by the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the votes cast and entitled to vote at the 2018 Annual General Meeting, subject to our Bye-Laws 63 to 67.
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS VOTING “FOR” THE RE-ELECTION
AND ELECTION OF NOMINEES AS CLASS III DIRECTORSBoard Recommendation

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tickincirclehighlights.jpg
The Board recommends that you for vote FOR the re-election of each of the Class II directors.



NON-BINDING ADVISORY VOTE ON COMPENSATION
OF THE COMPANY’S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
(Proposal No. 2)
Proposal No. 2 calls for a non-binding, advisory vote FOR the compensation of the Company’s named executive officersNEOs as disclosed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis and accompanying tables and narratives disclosed in this Proxy Statement.
The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act contains a requirement that certain public companies provide a non-binding shareholder vote to approve executive compensation. This proposal, commonly known as a “Say-on-Pay”“say-on-pay” proposal, gives the Company’s shareholders the opportunity to endorse or not endorse the Company’s executive pay program. This is an advisory vote and, as such, is not binding on the Company, the Board or the Compensation Committee. However, the Board will take the results of the vote into account when considering future executive compensation arrangements. At our 2017 annual general meeting, our Say-on-Pay Vote received overwhelming support with approximately 99% of the shareholder vote in favor of our executive compensation program.
As discussed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy Statement, we believe that our compensation policies continue to emphasize aligning our executives’ pay with our performance. At our 2015 Annual General Meeting, our Say-on-Pay Vote received overwhelming support with approximately 94% shareholder vote in favor of our executive compensation program. Our Compensation Committee decided to retain the core design of our executive compensation program, as it believes our current compensation program design continues to properly reward our executives for their performance, motivate them to work towards achieving our long-term objectives, and strengthens the alignment of their interests with those of our shareholders.
In 2015, we achieved an operating return on equity of 10.0% and a growth in diluted BVPS, after adding back dividends, of 3.8%, which we believe is a strong result in light of market conditions in the insurance industry and the continued interest rate environment. Moreover, we made progress with regards to our strategic objectives and continued to enhance and build our insurance platform. Our key compensation outcomes reflected this performance and were consistent with our pay for performance philosophy. We encourage a performance-based culture throughout the Company and at senior levels we developed an approach tobelieve that our compensation that alignspolicies align our executive’sexecutives’ compensation with his or her performance and contribution to the results of the Company. As discussed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy Statement, weWe believe that the three elements of total direct compensation (base salary, annual bonus and long-termlong term incentive awards) should be balanced such that each executive has the appropriate amount of pay that is contingent on performance and long-term. In 2015, a majority of our NEOs’ pay was delivered through performance-based compensation with a significant portionis realized over more than one year. We encourage you to read the Compensation Discussionlong term. The NEOs’ compensation in 2017 was consistent with our pay-for-performance philosophy and, Analysis and accompanying tables and narratives in this Proxy Statement for a detailed discussion of our executive compensation program. Accordingly,accordingly, we ask our shareholders to vote on the following resolution at the 2018 Annual General Meeting:
“RESOLVED, that the compensation paid to the Company’s named executive officers, as disclosed pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, compensation tables and narrative discussion, is hereby APPROVED.APPROVED.
Votes Required
Proposal No. 2 requires approval by the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the votes cast and entitled to vote at the 2018 Annual General Meeting subject to our Bye-Laws 63 to 67.
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE APPROVAL OF THE COMPENSATION OF
THE COMPANY’S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AS DISCLOSED IN THE COMPENSATION
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, COMPENSATION TABLES AND NARRATIVE DISCUSSION
CONTAINED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT

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APPROVAL OF THE 2016 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS

(Proposal No. 3)

Proposal No. 3 calls for a vote FOR the adoption of the Company’s 2016 Stock Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the “2016 NED Plan”). The Board unanimously determined at its meeting held on February 5, 2016 that it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to adopt the 2016 NED Plan.

Background and Purpose
Our Board adopted the 2006 Share Incentive Plan (the “2006 NED Plan”) on April 10, 2006, subject to approval by our shareholders at the 2006 Annual General Meeting. The 2016 NED Plan will be effective as of the date of the 2016 Annual General Meeting if approved by our shareholders. The 2016 NED Plan is intended to replace the 2006 NED Plan which expires on April 10, 2016. Following its expiration, no additional awards will be made under the 2006 NED Plan but the terms and conditions of any outstanding awards granted under the 2006 NED Plan will not be affected.

The total number of shares that may be issued under the 2016 NED Plan is 263,695 shares (which includes 13,695 shares available for grant under the 2006 NED Plan as of the record date, which shares will no longer be available for issuance thereunder following the expiration of the 2006 NED Plan on April 10, 2016), which the Board anticipates will support approximately three years of grants to the Company’s non-employee directors. The Board adopted the 2016 NED Plan because the 2006 NED Plan is approaching its expiration date and is insufficient to support the Company’s desire to compensate its non-employee directors with equity-based compensation.

In adopting the 2016 NED Plan and recommending its approval to shareholders, the Board considered the importance and efficiency of equity compensation in its overall compensation program and philosophy. As part of its philosophy, the Board believes that a portion of non-employee directors’ compensation should be in the form of equity awards because equity awards align the interests of non-employee directors and shareholders.

The Board believes it is in the best interests of shareholders to approve the 2016 NED Plan. If the 2016 NED Plan is not approved, it will unnecessarily restrict the Company’s ability to compensate its non-employee directors with the Company’s shares, as is consistent with its current compensation philosophy for its non-employee directors. The Board believes that the 2016 NED Plan will serve a critical role in attracting and retaining the high calibre non-employee directors essential to the Company’s success. The Board also believes that share ownership by non-employee directors benefits the Company and shareholders. As a result, the Board urges you to vote to approve the adoption of the 2016 NED Plan.


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Equity Compensation Plan Information
The table below includes securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options and other awards granted pursuant to the Company’s 2003 Share Incentive Plan, as amended, the 2006 NED Plan, as amended, the 2008 Employee Share Purchase Plan, the 2008 Sharesave Scheme, as amended, and the 2013 Share Incentive Plan (collectively, the “Equity Plans”), in each case, as of December 31, 2015, and shares reserved for future issuance under the Equity Plans (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, the 2016 NED Plan). The Equity Plans were approved by shareholders at our annual general meetings.Recommendation
  As of December 31, 2015 
  A  B  C 
Plan Category 
Number of
Securities to
Be Issued Upon
Exercise
of Outstanding
Options,
Warrants and Rights (1)
  
Weighted-Average
Exercise Price
of Outstanding
Options, Warrants and
Rights (2)
  
Number of
Securities
Remaining
Available for
Future Issuance Under Equity
Compensation
Plans
(Excluding Securities Reflected in
Column A)
 
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders 1,303,531
  $0.53
   2,759,724
 (3)
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders 
   
   
 
Total 1,303,531
  $0.53
   2,759,724
 (3)
(1)
tickincirclehighlights.jpg
In respect
The Board recommends that you vote FOR Proposal 2, which is a non-binding vote on compensation of performance shares, this column includes (i) 250,630 performance shares that have been earned based on applicable performance testing prior to December 31, 2015 and (ii) 512,403 performance shares that are subject to performance testing after December 31, 2015, which we have assumed will vest at 100% of target performance (the actual number of performance shares earned can range from 0% to 200% of target based on applicable performance testing). Of the amount in clause (ii) above, 263,433 performance shares were earned and 18,314 were forfeited in February 2016 based on our 2015 financial results.
Companys named executive officers
(2)The weighted average exercise price calculation includes option exercise prices between $21.96 and $24.76 plus outstanding restricted share units and performance shares which have a $Nil exercise price. The weighted-average exercise price of the outstanding options (i.e., excluding outstanding restricted share units and performance shares) is $23.59.
(3)Following its expiration on April 10, 2016, no additional grants will be made under the 2006 NED Plan.

Summary of the 2016 NED Plan
The full text of the 2016 NED Plan is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix B. The following summary and description of the 2016 NED Plan is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of such text.
Purpose. The purpose of the 2016 NED Plan is to improve the Company’s ability to attract and retain highly qualified individuals to serves as non-employee directors of the Company and to strengthen the common interest between such directors and the Company’s shareholders. The 2016 NED Plan provides for the granting of options, restricted share units or other share-based incentive awards to non-employee directors of the Company.
Administration. The 2016 NED Plan may be administered by the Board or a committee selected by the Board consisting solely of two or more members of the Board who, if Section 16 of the Exchange Act is applicable, qualify as “non-employee directors” under Exchange Act Rule 16b-3. References in this summary to the “Committee” are to the Board or such committee, as the case may be, in its capacity as the 2016 NED Plan administrator. The Committee interprets the 2016 NED Plan, establishes rules and regulations for the 2016 NED Plan’s administration, determines who will receive awards and establishes the terms of the awards. The Committee may delegate its responsibilities as it deems appropriate. Each award granted under the 2016 NED Plan will be evidenced by a written or electronic award agreement, which will govern that award’s terms and conditions.
Eligibility. Awards may be granted to non-employee directors of the Company. As of the record date, approximately 12 non-employee directors would have been eligible to receive awards under the 2016 NED Plan. The Committee reserves the right to determine which non-employee directors will receive awards under the 2016 NED Plan.
Share Limit. Subject to equitable adjustment in the event of a change in the Company’s capitalization, the total number of shares that may be issued under the 2016 Share Incentive Plan is 263,695 shares (which includes 13,695 shares available for grant under the 2006 NED Plan as of the record date, which shares will no longer be available for issuance thereunder following the expiration of the 2006 NED Plan on April 10, 2016). The number of shares that may be issued under the 2016 NED Plan will be reduced by (i) the gross number of shares for which options are exercised, regardless of whether any of the shares underlying such awards are not actually issued to the participant as the result of a net settlement, and (ii) any shares that may be withheld to satisfy any

67



tax withholding obligation with respect to any award. Shares shall not be deemed to have been issued pursuant to the 2016 NED Plan with respect to any portion of an award that is settled in cash. Shares that are subject to awards that are forfeited, are canceled, expire, terminate or lapse without the payment of consideration will not reduce the total number of shares that may be issued under the 2016 NED Plan.
The shares deliverable under the 2016 NED Plan are the Company’s ordinary shares and may be shares that have been authorized but not yet issued or shares the Company previously issued and reacquired. The fair market value of an ordinary share as of March 1, 2016 was $45.75, the closing price of the Company’s ordinary shares as reported by the NYSE on such date.
Adjustments for Capital Structure Changes. In the event of any change in the outstanding shares by reason of any share dividend or split, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, reclassification or exchange of shares or other corporate exchange, or any distribution to shareholders of shares, other than regular cash dividends, or any change in the corporate structure similar to the foregoing, the Committee will make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems to be equitable, in its sole discretion, and necessary to preserve the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the 2016 NED Plan as to (i) the number or kind of shares or other securities issued or reserved for issuance pursuant to the 2016 NED Plan or pursuant to outstanding awards, (ii) the maximum number of shares for which awards may be granted in any calendar year, (iii) the exercise price of any outstanding options and (iv) any other affected terms of such awards.
Individual Award Limitations. The maximum amount of shares that may be granted to any participant in any one calendar year shall not exceed 50,000 shares (as adjusted for capital structure changes described in the paragraph above).
Change in Control. Upon a “change in control” (as defined in the 2016 NED Plan), the Committee may, but shall not be obligated to, accelerate, vest or cause the restrictions to lapse with respect to all or any portion of an award, cancel awards for fair value (as determined by the Committee), provide for the issuance of substitute awards with substantially similar terms or, with respect to options, give the participants the opportunity to exercise their options during the 15 days before the change in control and cancel unexercised options at the time of the change in control.
Limitation on Transferability of Awards. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, awards may not be transferred or assigned other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution and if permitted by the Committee, in its sole discretion, an award may be granted directly or transferred to the employer of a non-employee director if such director is obligated to transfer any compensation received as a non-employee director to his or her employer. Awards exercisable after the death of participants may be exercised by their legatees, personal representatives or distributees.
Resale Restrictions. The ordinary shares that may be issued under the 2016 NED Plan may not be resold except in compliance with the terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in the Company’s Bye-Laws and applicable securities laws. Shares acquired pursuant to the 2016 NED Plan by one of our “affiliates,” as that term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, may be resold only pursuant to the registration requirements of that act or an applicable exemption therefrom. In addition, acquisitions and dispositions of our ordinary shares or derivative securities by persons subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act within any period of less than six months, may permit the Company to recapture any profit from such transactions pursuant to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.
Expiration, Amendment and Termination of the Plan and Awards. No awards may be granted under the 2016 NED Plan after the tenth anniversary of the effective date of the 2016 NED Plan. The Board or the Committee may amend or terminate the 2016 NED Plan at any time. The 2016 NED Plan also gives the Committee the authority to amend or alter the terms and conditions of outstanding awards; provided, however, that a participant’s consent is required of any amendment or alteration that would diminish any of the rights of the participant under any outstanding award, and shareholder approval is required of any amendment to the extent necessary to comply with applicable laws, regulations or rules, including the rules of a securities exchange or self-regulatory agency, including any action that would increase the number of shares that may be delivered under the 2016 NED Plan or that would permit the reduction of the exercise price of options (except for reductions in connection with anti-dilution adjustments made in connection with share splits, reorganizations or similar events, as described above).
Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences. The following is a brief description of the principal U.S. federal income tax consequences of the 2016 NED Plan and awards that may be granted under the 2016 NED Plan. It assumes that participants are U.S. citizens or are resident in the United States. For purposes of this section, (i) “Affiliate” means any of the Company’s direct or indirect subsidiaries, (ii) a “U.S. Affiliate” means any Affiliate that is domiciled or has an office in the United States, and (iii) a “Foreign Affiliate” means any Affiliate that is not a U.S. Affiliate. If participants have been granted an award under the 2016 NED Plan and they are employed by one of the Company’s U.S. Affiliates, we consider such participants to be “U.S. grantees.”
In general, the Company and its Foreign Affiliates (except for Aspen U.K. which is subject to U.S. federal income tax due to business conducted in the United States on its behalf by a U.S. Affiliate) will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless they engage in a trade or business in the United States. The Company and its Foreign Affiliates, endeavor to operate and intend to continue operating so that neither will be engaged in a trade or business in the United States or have an office or fixed place of business in the United States. The U.S. Affiliates are U.S. corporations and, consequently, are U.S. taxpayers.
This summary is based upon current law, is not intended to constitute tax advice, and does not purport to be a comprehensive discussion of all the tax considerations that may be relevant with respect to the 2016 NED Plan (including, among other things, state, local or foreign income and other tax consequences).

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Non-Qualified Share Options. The U.S. grantee of a non-qualified share option will not be required to recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the grant of such award, and the Company and its Affiliates will not be entitled to a deduction. Upon the exercise of a non-qualified share option, the U.S. grantee will recognize ordinary income in an amount by which the fair market value of the Company’s ordinary shares at the time of exercise exceeds the exercise price, and the U.S. Affiliate for which the U.S. grantee performs services should be entitled to a corresponding deduction. The U.S. grantee’s basis in the Company’s ordinary shares received will equal the fair market value of the shares on the exercise date, and the U.S. grantee’s holding period will begin on the day following the exercise date. No options granted under the 2016 NED Plan will qualify as incentive share options intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.
Restricted Share Units. The U.S. grantee of a restricted share unit will not be required to recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the grant of such award, and the Company and its Affiliates will not be entitled to a deduction. However, when the restricted share units (and any associated dividend equivalent rights) vest (i.e., are no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture), U.S. grantees will recognize ordinary income at that time equal to the amount of cash or fair market value of shares received (and any cash received in payment of associated dividend equivalent rights). The U.S. Affiliate for which U.S. grantees provide services should be entitled to a U.S. federal income tax deduction at the time of income recognition in an amount equal to the amount of income recognized by the U.S. grantee.
Other Share-Based Awards. The U.S. federal income tax consequences related to other share-based awards under the 2016 NED Plan are dependent upon the structure of the particular award.
Employment Tax. In general, the amount that a U.S. grantee recognizes as ordinary income under an award is also treated as “wages” for purposes of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. The U.S. grantee and the Company must pay equal amounts of federal employment tax under such act with respect to the U.S. grantee’s wages.

New Plan Benefits

No awards will be granted under the 2016 NED Plan prior to its approval by our shareholders. Awards under the 2016 NED Plan will be granted at the discretion of the Committee. As a result, it is not possible to determine the number or type of awards that will be granted to any person under the 2016 NED Plan. Information about awards granted to non-employee directors in 2015 under the 2006 NED Plan is set forth under “Non-Employee Director Compensation for 2015” above.

Votes Required

Proposal No. 3 requires approval by the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the votes cast and entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting, subject to our Bye-Laws 63 to 67.

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR
THE APPROVAL OF THE 2016 NED PLAN

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RE-APPOINTMENT OF THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM AND AUDITOR
(Proposal No. 4)3)
Proposal No. 4 3calls for a vote FORthe re-appointment of KPMG LLP (“KPMG”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and auditor for the fiscal year ending December 31, 20162018 and to authorize the Board through the Audit Committee to set the remuneration for the independent registered public accounting firm. On February 4, 2016,6, 2018, the Audit Committee selected, subject to appointment by the Company’s shareholders, KPMG to serve as independent registered public accounting firm and auditor for the Company and its subsidiaries for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016.2018. A representative of KPMG is expected to be present at the 2018 Annual General Meeting. TheMeeting and such representative will have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so and are expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions.
Fees Billed to the Company by KPMG
The following table represents aggregate fees billed to the Company for fiscal years ended December 31, 20152017 and 20142016 by KPMG and its associates. As previously reported, KPMG Audit Plc (“KPMG Audit”) was the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and auditor for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014.
  Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2015 Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2014
  ($ in millions)
Audit Fees (a)
 $3.12
 $2.87
Audit-Related Fees (b)
 0.18
 0.09
Tax Fees (c)
 0.01
 
All Other Fees (d)
 0.13
 0.07
Total Fees $3.44
 $3.03
  Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2017 Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2016
  ($ in millions)
Audit Fees (1)
 $3.81
 $3.14
Audit-Related Fees (2)
 0.35
 0.27
Tax Fees (3)
 0.02
 0.02
All Other Fees (4)
 0.21
 0.06
Total Fees $4.39
 $3.49
__________
(a)(1)Audit fees relatedconsist of fees paid to KPMG for professional services for the audit of the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, the review of thequarterly consolidated financial statements, included in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q during 2015 and 2014, the issuanceaudit of comfort letters in connection with securities offerings in 2014annual statutory statements, and for services that are normally provided by KPMG or KPMG Audit, as applicable,independent auditors in connection with statutory, and regulatory filings for the relevant fiscal years and Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 attestation services.services, comfort letters, SEC and regulatory filings or engagements.
(b)(2)Audit-related fees areconsist of fees related topaid for assurance and related services for the performance of the audit or review of the Company’s financial statements (other than the audit fees disclosed above), such as the audit of Solvency II balance sheet audit ofand the 401(k) Plan, certification of premium data relating to Belgian risks and external peer review required by the Australian regulators.Plan.
(c)(3)Tax fees are fees related to tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning services.compliance.
(d)(4)All other fees relate to fees billed to the Company by KPMG or KPMG Audit, as applicable, for non-audit services rendered to the Company in connection with claims advisory work and the review of booked loss and loss adjustment expense reserves for Aspen Specialty Insurance Company and Aspen American Insurance Company, two of the Company’s subsidiaries.
The policy of the Audit Committee is to approve all audit and permissible non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm during the year. The Audit Committee considered whether the provision of the non-audit services by KPMG was compatible with maintaining KPMG’s independence with respect to the Company and determined that the provision of the specifiedsuch services was consistent with and compatible with KPMG maintaining its independence. The Audit Committee approved all (100%) of the services provided by KPMG for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.2017.
Votes Required
Proposal No. 43 requires approval by the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the votes cast and entitled to vote at the 2018 Annual General Meeting, subject to our Bye-Laws 63 to 67.
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS VOTING “FOR” THE RE-APPOINTMENT OFBoard Recommendation
KPMG AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM AND AUDITOR AND TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD THROUGH
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The Board recommends that you vote FOR Proposal 3, the re-appointment of the Companys independent registered public accounting firm and auditor for 2018.
THE AUDIT COMMITTEE TO SET THE REMUNERATION FOR KPMG.

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Neither the Board nor management intends to bring before the meeting any business other than the matters referred to in the Notice of Annual General Meeting of shareholdersShareholders and this Proxy Statement. If any other business should come properly before the meeting, or any adjournment thereof, the proxyholders will vote on such matters according to their best judgment.
 
 
By Order of the Board of Directors,
 
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Michael Cain
Company Secretary
Hamilton, Bermuda
March 10, 201619, 2018
* * * * * * *
The Annual Report on Form 10-K, including audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015,2017, has been posted on the “Investor Relations” page of our website at http://www.aspen.co. The Annual Report does not form any part of the material for the solicitation of proxies. Certain additional information relating to the Company may be found in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.2017. Upon written request of a shareholder, the Company will furnish, without charge, a copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the SEC. If you would like a copy of the Annual Report on Form 10-K, please contact Aspen Insurance U.S., 590 Madison Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001, United States of America, Attn: Senior Vice President, Investor Relations. In addition, financial reports and recent filings with the SEC, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K, are available on the Internet at internet http://www.sec.gov. Company information is also available on the Internetinternet at http://www.aspen.co.www.aspen.co.


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APPENDIX A
Reconciliation of Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Measures
Adjusted diluted book value per ordinary share, a non-U.S. GAAP financial measure, is calculated by deducting from total shareholders’ equity the total of: accumulated other comprehensive income; the value of preference shares less issue expenses; the share of equity due to non-controlling interests; and adding back ordinary dividends to shareholders’ equitydividends. The resulting balance is then divided by the diluted number of ordinary shares as at the end of the year.year end. We believe that adding back ordinary dividends provides a more consistent and useful measurement of total shareholder value, which supplements U.S. GAAP information. In accordance with the performance testing in relation to our performance share awards, weWe have excluded accumulated other comprehensive income, from both the opening and closing balance and excluded the bid defense costs we incurred in connection with the unsolicited approach and an inadequate offer by Endurance in 2014. The reconciliations are provided below.
 As at December 31, 2015 As at December 31, 2014
 ($ in millions, except for share amounts)
Total shareholders’ equity$3,419.9
 $3,419.3
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes(59.6) (234.3)
Preference shares less issue expenses(555.8) (555.8)
Non-controlling interest(1.3) (0.5)
Ordinary dividends50.9
 50.3
Adjusted total shareholders’ equity$2,854.1
 $2,679.0
    
Ordinary shares60,918,373 62,017,368
Diluted ordinary shares62,240,466 63,448,319

 As at December 31, 2015 As at December 31, 2014
 ($ in millions)
Total shareholders’ equity$3,419.9
 $3,419.3
Non-controlling interest(1.3) (0.5)
Average preference shares(555.8) (555.8)
Average adjustment(13.3) 11.6
Average Equity$2,849.5
 $2,874.6
    
Average equity, a non-U.S. GAAP financial measure, is calculated by the arithmetic average on a monthly basis for the stated periods excluding (i) preference shares, (ii) after-taxnet of taxes, as unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments and (iii) the average after-tax unrealized foreign exchange gains and losses. Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments is primarily the result of interest rate movements and the resultant impact on fixed income securities, and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on foreign exchange is the result of exchange rate movements between the U.S. Dollar and the British Pound.functional currencies of our Operating Subsidiaries. Therefore, we believe that excluding these unrealized appreciations (depreciations) provides a more consistent and useful measurement of operating performance, which supplements U.S. GAAP information.
 As at December 31, 2015 As at December 31, 2014
 ($ in millions)
Net income after tax$323.1
 $355.8
Add (deduct) after tax income:   
Net realized and unrealized investment (gains)(16.7) (25.2)
Net realized and unrealized exchange losses/(gains)19.7
 (4.8)
Changes to the fair value of derivatives(4.1) 14.4
Costs associated with defending the unsolicited approach from Endurance
 28.5
Tax on non-operating income(0.6) (0.2)
Amount attributable to non-controlling interest(0.8) (0.8)
Operating income after tax$320.6
 $367.7
 As at December 31, 2017 As at December 31, 2016
 ($ in millions, except for share amounts)
Total shareholders’ equity$2,928.5
 $3,648.3
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes55.9
 5.1
Preference shares less issue expenses(511.9) (797.1)
Non-controlling interest(2.7) (1.4)
Ordinary dividends56.2
 52.7
Adjusted total shareholders’ equity$2,526.0
 $2,907.6
    
Ordinary shares59,474,085 59,774,464
Diluted ordinary shares60,202,409 61,001,071
Average equity, a non-U.S. GAAP financial measure, is used in calculating ordinary shareholders return on average equity. It is calculated by taking the arithmetic average of total shareholders’ equity on a monthly basis for the stated periods excluding (i) the average share of equity due to non-controlling interests and (ii) the average value of preference shares less issue expenses.
 As at December 31, 2017 As at December 31, 2016
 ($ in millions)
Total shareholders’ equity$2,928.5
 $3,648.3
Non-controlling interest(2.7) (1.4)
Preference shares less issue expenses(511.9) (797.1)
Average adjustment386.0
 144.2
Average Equity$2,799.9
 $2,994.0
    



A -1



APPENDIX BOperating income, a non-U.S. GAAP financial measure, is an internal performance measure used by us in the management of our operations and represents after-tax operational results excluding, as applicable, after-tax net realized and unrealized gains or losses, including net realized and unrealized gains and losses on interest rate swaps, after-tax net foreign exchange gains or losses, including net realized and unrealized gains and losses from foreign exchange contracts, net realized gains or losses on investments, amortization of intangible assets and certain non-recurring income or expenses. We exclude after-tax net realized and unrealized capital gains or losses, after-tax net foreign exchange gains or losses and changes in the fair value of derivatives from our calculation of operating income because the amount of these gains or losses is heavily influenced by, and fluctuates in part, according to the availability of market opportunities. We believe these amounts are largely independent of our business and underwriting process and including them distorts the analysis of trends in its operations. In addition to presenting net income determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we believe that showing operating income enables investors, analysts, rating agencies and other users of our financial information to more easily analyze our results of operations in a manner similar to how management analyzes our underlying business performance. Operating income should not be viewed as a substitute for U.S. GAAP net income.


ASPEN INSURANCE HOLDINGS LIMITED
2016 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS
1.Purpose of the Plan
 As at December 31, 2017 As at December 31, 2016
 ($ in millions)
Net income after tax$(266.4) $203.4
Add (deduct) after tax income:   
Net realized and unrealized investment (gains)(115.8) (41.0)
Net realized and unrealized exchange (gains)/losses20.5
 (2.5)
Changes to the fair value of derivatives(22.0) 17.3
Amortization and other non-recurring expenses28.0
 8.7
Proportion due to non-controlling interest(1.3) (0.1)
Operating income after tax and non-controlling interest(357.0) 185.8
Preference Shares dividends(36.2) (41.8)
Operating Income available to ordinary shareholders$(393.2) $144.0


The purpose of the Plan is to provide ownership of the Company’s shares to non-employee members of the Board in order to improve the Company’s ability to attract and retain highly qualified individuals to serve as directors of the Company and to strengthen the commonality of interest between directors and shareholders.
The Plan replaces the Prior Plan for Awards granted on or after the Effective Date. Awards may not be granted under the Prior Plan beginning on the Effective Date, but the adoption and effectiveness of the Plan will not affect the terms or conditions of any awards granted under the Prior Plan prior to the Effective Date.notice1.jpg
2.Definitions

The following capitalized terms used in the Plan shall have the respective meanings set forth in this section:
(a)
Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor thereto.

(b)
Affiliate” means any entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, the Company or any other entity designated by the Board in which the Company or an Affiliate has an interest.
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(c)
Award” means an Option, Restricted Share Unit or other Share-based award granted pursuant to the Plan.

(d)
Beneficial Owner” means a “beneficial owner,” as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act (or any successor rule thereto) (except that a Person shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all Shares that such Person has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time).

(e)
Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(f)
Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

(i)the sale or disposition, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any Person or Group (other than (x) any subsidiary of the Company or (y) any entity that is a holding company of the Company (other than any holding company which became a holding company in a transaction that resulted in a Change in Control) or any subsidiary of such holding company);

(ii)any Person or Group is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 30% of the combined voting power of the voting shares of the Company (or any entity which is the Beneficial Owner of more than 50% of the combined voting power of





the voting shares of the Company), including by way of merger, consolidation, tender or exchange offer or otherwise; excluding, however, the following: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company, (B) any acquisition by the Company, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company or (D) any acquisition by a Person or Group if immediately after such acquisition a Person or Group who is a shareholder of the Company on the Effective Date continues to own voting power of the voting shares of the Company that is greater than the voting power owned by such acquiring Person or Group;

(iii)the consummation of any transaction or series of transactions resulting in a merger, consolidation or amalgamation, in which the Company is involved, other than a merger, consolidation or amalgamation which would result in the shareholders of the Company immediately prior thereto continuing to own (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity), in the same proportion as immediately prior to the transaction(s), more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting shares of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation or amalgamation; or

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(iv)
a change in the composition of the Board such that the individuals who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board (such Board shall be referred to for purposes of this Section 2(f)(iv) as the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that for purposes of this definition, any individual who becomes a member of the Board subsequent to the Effective Date, whose election by the Board, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a majority of those individuals who are members of the Board and who were also members of the Incumbent Board (or deemed to be such pursuant to this proviso) shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board; and, provided further, however, that any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as the result of or in connection with either an actual or threatened election contest or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of an entity other than the Board shall not be so considered as a member of the Incumbent Board.

For purposes of this definition of Change in Control, (i) “subsidiary” shall mean, in respect of any entity, any other entity that is, directly or indirectly, wholly owned by the first entity; and (ii) “holding company” shall mean, in respect of any entity, any other entity that, directly or indirectly, wholly owns such first entity.
(g)
Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor thereto.

(h)
Committee” means the Committee, as specified in Section 4, appointed by the Board.

(i)
Company” means Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, a Bermuda corporation, and its successors by operation of law.

(j)
Effective Date” means April 21, 2016.

(k)
Fair Market Value” means, on a given date, (i) if there is a public market for the Shares on such date, the closing price of the Shares as reported on such date on the principal national securities exchange on which such Shares are listed or admitted to trading, or if no sale of Shares shall

3



have been reported on such date, then the immediately preceding date on which sales of the Shares have been so reported shall be used; and (ii) if there is not a public market for the Shares on such date, the Fair Market Value shall be the value established by the Committee in good faith and in a manner consistent with Section 409A of the Code.cardpage2.jpg

(l)
Group” means a “group,” as such term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Act (or any successor section thereto).

(m)
Option” means a share option granted pursuant to Section 6.

(n)
Option Price” means the purchase price per Share of an Option, as determined pursuant to Section 6(a).

(o)
Participant” means a non-employee member of the Board who is selected by the Committee to participate in the Plan. To the extent that the Committee determines it is necessary or desirable to grant an Award directly to the employer of a non-employee director pursuant to Section 12, such employer will be deemed to be the Participant.

(p)
Person” means a “person,” as such term is used for purposes of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Act (or any successor section thereto).

(q)
Plan” means this Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited 2016 Stock Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors, and all amendments thereto.

(r)
Prior Plan” means the Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited 2006 Stock Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors, and all amendments thereto.

(s)
Restricted Share Unit” means a restricted share unit granted pursuant to Section 7.

(t)
Service” means a Participant’s service as a non-employee member of the Board. With respect to any Award subject to Section 409A of the Code (and not exempt therefrom), a Participant’s termination of Service means a Participant’s “separation from service” (as such term is defined and used in Section 409A of the Code).

(u)
Shares” means ordinary shares, par value U.S. $0.15144558 per share, in the capital of the Company.

3.Shares Subject to the Plan

Subject to adjustment pursuant to the provisions of Section 9(a), the total number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan is 263,695. The Shares delivered by the Company pursuant to the Plan may consist, in whole or in part, of unissued Shares or previously issued Shares. The number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan shall be reduced by (i) the gross number of Shares for which Options are exercised, regardless of whether any of the Shares underlying such Awards are not actually issued to the Participant as the result of a net settlement and (ii) any Shares that may be withheld to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to any Award. Shares shall not be deemed to have been issued pursuant to the Plan with respect to any portion of an Award that is settled in cash. Shares that are subject to Awards (or portions thereof) that are forfeited, are cancelled, expire, terminate or lapse without the payment of consideration may be granted again under the Plan.

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4.Administration

(a)The Plan shall be administered by the full Board or such committee as the Board shall select consisting solely of two or more members of the Board who, during any period the Company is subject to Section 16 of the Act, are intended to qualify as “non-employee directors” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Act (or any successor rule thereto). The Board or any such committee, as the case may be, shall be referred to as the “Committee” for purposes of the Plan and any Award agreement. To the extent a Committee other than the Board administers the Plan, the members of such Committee shall be appointed, from time to time by and shall serve at the discretion of, the Board.

(b)
Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the full power and authority to grant, and establish the terms and conditions of, any Award to any person eligible to be a Participant. The Committee may amend the terms and conditions of outstanding Awards; provided, however, that no amendment that would adversely affect a Participant’s rights with respect to an Award may be made without the prior written consent of the Participant.

(c)The Committee is authorized to interpret the Plan, to establish, amend and rescind any rules and regulations relating to the Plan, and to make any other determinations that it deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan, and may delegate such authority, as it deems appropriate. The Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan in the manner and to the extent the Committee deems necessary or desirable. Any decision of the Committee in the interpretation and administration of the Plan, as described herein, shall lie within its sole and absolute discretion and shall be final, conclusive and binding on all parties concerned (including, but not limited to, Participants and their beneficiaries or successors).

(d)To the extent legally required, as a condition to the delivery of any Shares, cash or other securities or property pursuant to any Award or the lifting or lapse of restrictions on any Award, or in connection with any other event that gives rise to a federal or other governmental tax withholding obligation on the part of the Company relating to an Award, the Committee shall require payment of any amount it may determine to be necessary to withhold for federal, state, local or other taxes as a result of the exercise, grant or vesting of an Award. Unless the Committee specifies otherwise, (i) the Company may deduct or withhold (or cause to be deducted or withheld) from any payment or distribution to a Participant whether or not pursuant to the Plan (including Shares otherwise deliverable), (ii) the Committee will be entitled to require that the Participant remit cash to the Company (through payroll deduction or otherwise) or (iii) the Company may enter into any other suitable arrangements to withhold, in each case in an amount not to exceed, in the opinion of the Company, the minimum statutory amounts of such taxes required by law to be withheld (or such other rate that will not result in a negative accounting impact).

(e)Each Award granted under the Plan will be evidenced by an Award agreement (which may include an electronic writing to the extent permitted by applicable law) that will contain such provisions and conditions as the Committee deems appropriate. No Award or purported Award shall be a valid and binding obligation of the Company unless evidenced by a fully executed Award agreement, which execution may be evidenced by electronic means. By accepting an Award pursuant to the Plan, a Participant thereby agrees that the Award will be subject to all of the terms and provisions of the Plan and the applicable Award agreement.

5



(f)Awards will, to the extent reasonably practicable, be aggregated in order to eliminate any fractional Shares. Fractional Shares may, in the discretion of the Committee, be forfeited for no consideration or settled in cash or otherwise as the Committee may determine.

5.Limitations

(a)No Award may be granted under the Plan after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, but Awards theretofore granted may extend beyond that date.

(b)
Except as otherwise permitted by Section 9(a), the Company may not, without obtaining shareholder approval: (i) amend the terms of outstanding Options to reduce the Option Price of such outstanding Options; (ii) cancel outstanding Options in exchange for Options with an Option Price that is less than the Option Price of the original Options; or (iii) cancel outstanding Options with an Option Price above the current share price in exchange for cash or other securities.

(c)
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the maximum number of Shares that may be subject to Awards granted to any Participant in any one calendar year shall not exceed 50,000 Shares (as adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 9(a)).

6.Terms and Conditions of Options

Options granted under the Plan shall be nonqualified stock options for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and shall be subject to the foregoing and the following terms and conditions and to such other terms and conditions, not inconsistent therewith, as the Committee shall determine:
(a)
Option Price. The Option Price per Share shall be determined by the Committee, but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date an Option is granted.

(b)
Exercisability. Options granted under the Plan shall be exercisable at such time and upon such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee, but in no event shall an Option be exercisable more than ten years after the date it is granted, except as may be provided pursuant to Section 18(c).

(c)
Exercise of Options. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or in an Award agreement, an Option may be exercised for all, or from time to time any part, of the Shares for which it is then exercisable. For purposes of this Section 6, the exercise date of an Option shall be the date a notice of exercise is received by the Company, together with payment (or, to the extent permitted by applicable law, provision for payment) of the full purchase price in accordance with this Section 6(c). The Option Price for the Shares as to which an Option is exercised shall be paid to the Company, as designated by the Committee, pursuant to one or more of the following methods: (i) in cash or its equivalent (e.g., by check); (ii) in Shares having a Fair Market Value as of the exercise date equal to the aggregate Option Price for the Shares being purchased and satisfying such other requirements as may be imposed by the Committee; (iii) partly in cash and partly in such Shares; (iv) if there is a public market for the Shares at such time, through the delivery of irrevocable instructions to a broker to sell Shares obtained upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount out of the proceeds of such sale equal to the aggregate Option Price for the Shares being purchased; (v) by such other means as the Committee may prescribe.

6



(d)
Attestation. Wherever in the Plan or any Award agreement evidencing an Option, a Participant is permitted to pay the Option Price or taxes relating to the exercise of an Option by delivering Shares, the Participant may, subject to procedures satisfactory to the Committee, satisfy such delivery requirement by presenting proof of beneficial ownership of such Shares, in which case the Company shall treat the Option Price as satisfied without further payment and/or shall withhold such number of Shares from the Shares acquired by the exercise of the Option, as appropriate.

7.Terms and Conditions of Restricted Share Units

(a)
Generally. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine the number of Restricted Share Units to be granted to a Participant, the duration of the period during which, and the conditions, if any, under which, the Restricted Share Units may be forfeited to the Company, and the other terms and conditions of such Awards. An Award of Restricted Share Units shall consist of a grant of units, each of which represents the right of the Participant to receive one Share, subject to the terms and conditions established by the Committee in connection with the Award and set forth in the applicable Award agreement. Upon satisfaction of the conditions to vesting and payment specified in the applicable Award agreement, Restricted Share Units will be payable in Shares or, if the Committee so determines, in cash, equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to such Restricted Share Units.

(b)
Dividend Equivalents. Dividend equivalents paid on any Restricted Share Units may be paid directly to the Participant, withheld by the Company subject to vesting of the Restricted Share Units pursuant to the terms of the applicable Award agreement, or may be reinvested in additional Restricted Share Units, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.

8.Other Share-Based Awards

The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Participants such other Awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based upon or related to Shares, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan. The terms and conditions applicable to such Awards shall be determined by the Committee and evidenced by Award agreements, which agreements need not be identical.
9.Adjustments Upon Certain Events

Notwithstanding any other provisions in the Plan to the contrary, the following provisions shall apply to all Awards granted under the Plan:
(a)
Generally. In the event of any change in the outstanding Shares after the Effective Date by reason of any Share dividend or split, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, reclassification or exchange of Shares or other corporate exchange, or any distribution to shareholders of Shares, other than regular cash dividends, or any change in the corporate structure similar to the foregoing, the Committee shall make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems to be equitable, in its sole discretion, and necessary to preserve the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan as to (i) the number or kind of Shares or other securities issued or reserved for issuance pursuant to the Plan or pursuant to outstanding Awards, (ii) the maximum number of Shares for which Awards may be granted pursuant to Section 5, (iii) the Option Price of any outstanding Option, and (iv) any other affected terms of any outstanding Awards; provided that no such adjustment shall be made if or

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to the extent that it would cause an outstanding Award to cease to be exempt from, or to fail to comply with, Section 409A of the Code.

(b)
Change in Control.

(i)In the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may, but shall not be obligated to, (A) accelerate, vest or cause the restrictions to lapse with respect to, all or any portion of an Award, (B) cancel Awards for fair value (as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee) which, in the case of Options, may equal, but in any event shall not be less than, the excess, if any, of value of the consideration to be paid in the Change in Control transaction to holders of the same number of Shares subject to such Options (or, if no consideration is paid in any such transaction, the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to such Options) over the aggregate exercise price of such Options or (C) provide for the issuance of substitute Awards that will substantially preserve the otherwise applicable terms of any affected Awards previously granted hereunder as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion or (D) provide that for a period of at least 15 days prior to the Change in Control, Options that would not otherwise become exercisable prior to the Change in Control shall be exercisable as to all Shares subject thereto (but that any such exercise will be contingent upon and subject to the occurrence of the Change in Control, and if the Change in Control does not take place within a specified period after giving such notice for any reason whatsoever, such exercise will be null and void) and that any Options not exercised prior to the consummation of the Change in Control shall terminate and be of no further force and effect as of the consummation of the Change in Control. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, terminate any Option for which the Option Price is equal to or exceeds the per share value of the consideration to be paid in the Change in Control transaction (or, if no consideration is paid in the Change in Control, the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to such Options) without payment of consideration therefor.

(ii)
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 9(b)(i), (A) in the event of a Change in Control, no payment shall be accelerated for any Award which constitutes “deferred compensation” under Section 409A of the Code unless such Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in Section 1.409A‑3(i)(5) of the U.S. Treasury Department Regulations and (B) to the extent that a Change in Control does constitute a “change in control event” as defined in Section 1.409A‑3(i)(5) of the U.S. Treasury Department Regulations, then, with respect to any Award which would be considered “deferred compensation” under Section 409A of the Code on the date of such Change in Control, the restrictions and other conditions applicable to any such Award shall lapse, and such Award shall become vested, payable in full and immediately settled and distributed.

10.No Right to Service or Awards

The granting of an Award under the Plan shall impose no obligation on the Company or any Affiliate to continue the Service of a Participant and shall not lessen or affect the Company’s or Affiliate’s right to terminate the Service of such Participant. No Participant or other Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants, or holders or beneficiaries of Awards. The terms and conditions of Awards and the Committee’s determinations and interpretations with respect thereto need not be the same with respect to each Participant (whether or not such Participants are similarly situated).

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11.Successors and Assigns

The Plan shall be binding on all successors and assigns of the Company and a Participant, including without limitation, the estate of such Participant and the executor, administrator or trustee of such estate, or any receiver or trustee in bankruptcy or representative of the Participant’s creditors.
12.Transferability of Awards

Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, an Award shall not be transferable or assignable; provided, however, that (a) an Award may be transferred or assigned by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and, (b) if permitted by the Committee in its sole discretion, an Award may be granted directly or transferred to the employer of a non-employee director if such non-employee director is obligated to transfer any compensation received as a non-employee director to his or her employer. An Option exercisable after the death of a Participant may be exercised by the legatees, personal representatives or distributees of the Participant.
13.Amendments or Termination

The Board or the Committee may amend, alter or discontinue the Plan, but no amendment, alteration or discontinuation shall be made (a) without the approval of the shareholders of the Company to the extent necessary to comply with any applicable laws, regulations or rules, including the rules of a securities exchange or self-regulatory agency, including if such action would (except as is provided in Section 9(a)) increase the total number of Shares reserved for the purposes of the Plan, (b) without the consent of a Participant, if such action would diminish any of the rights of the Participant under any Award theretofore granted to such Participant under the Plan or (c) without the approval of the shareholders of the Company, subject to Section 5(b), relating to repricing of Options, to permit such repricing.
14.Conflicts of Law

The Committee may, in its sole discretion, amend the terms of the Plan or Awards in order to comply with U.S. federal law or the rules of any securities exchange in the United States.
15.Choice of Law

The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Bermuda, without regard to conflicts of laws principles.
16.Arbitration

In the event of any controversy between a Participant and the Company arising out of, or relating to, the Plan or an Award granted hereunder which cannot be settled amicably by the parties, such controversy shall be finally, exclusively and conclusively settled by mandatory arbitration conducted expeditiously in accordance with the American Arbitration Association rules, by a single independent arbitrator. If the parties are unable to agree on the selection of an arbitrator, then either the Participant or the Company may petition the American Arbitration Association for the appointment of the arbitrator, which appointment shall be made within ten (10) days of the petition therefor. Either party to the dispute may institute such arbitration proceeding by giving written notice to the other party. A hearing shall be held by the arbitrator in New York, London or Bermuda as agreed by the parties (or, failing such agreement, in Bermuda) within thirty (30) days of his or her appointment. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding upon the parties and shall be rendered pursuant to a written decision that contains a

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detailed recital of the arbitrator’s reasoning. Judgment upon the award rendered may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.
17.Section 409A Compliance

The provisions of the Plan and any Awards made herein that are intended to be “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code are intended to comply with, and should be interpreted, administered, and construed consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and any related regulations or other effective guidance promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and all Awards made under the Plan that are intended to be exempt from Section 409A of the Code shall be interpreted, administered and construed to comply with and preserve such exemption.
18.Miscellaneous

(a)
Rights as a Shareholder. No Participant (or other person having rights pursuant to an Award) will have any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to Shares subject to an Award until the delivery of such Shares. Except as otherwise provided in Section 9(a), no adjustments will be made for dividends, distributions or other rights (whether ordinary or extraordinary, and whether in cash, Shares, other securities or other property) for which the record date is before the date the Shares are delivered.

(b)
Data Privacy. As a condition of receipt of any Award, each Participant explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use, and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this section by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Affiliates for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering, and managing the Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in the Plan. In furtherance of such implementation, administration, and management, the Company and its Affiliates may hold certain personal information about a Participant, including, but not limited to, the Participant’s name, home address, telephone number, date of birth, social security or insurance number or other identification number, compensation, nationality, job title(s), information regarding any securities of the Company or any of its Affiliates, and details of all Awards (the “Data”). In addition to transferring the Data amongst themselves as necessary for the purpose of implementation, administration, and management of the Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in the Plan, the Company and its Affiliates may each transfer the Data to any third parties assisting the Company in the implementation, administration, and management of the Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in the Plan. Recipients of the Data may be located in the Participant’s country or elsewhere, and the Participant’s country and any given recipient’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections. By accepting an Award, each Participant authorizes such recipients to receive, possess, use, retain, and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the purposes of assisting the Company in the implementation, administration, and management of the Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in the Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or the Participant may elect to deposit any Shares. The Data related to a Participant will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in the Plan. A Participant may, at any time, view the Data held by the Company with respect to such Participant, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data with respect to such Participant, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data with respect to the Participant, or refuse or withdraw the consents herein in writing, in any case without cost, by contacting his or her local

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human resources representative. The Company may cancel the Participant’s eligibility to participate in the Plan, and in the Committee’s discretion, the Participant may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Participant refuses or withdraws the consents described herein. For more information on the consequences of refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Participants may contact their local human resources representative.

(c)
Participants Outside of the United States. The Committee may amend or modify the terms of the Plan or Awards with respect to Participants who reside or work outside the United States in order to conform such terms with the requirements of local law or tax law for a Participant and the Company. An Award may be modified under this Section 18(c) in a manner that is inconsistent with the express terms of the Plan, so long as such modifications will not contravene any applicable law or regulation or result in actual liability under Section 16(b) of the Act for the Participant whose Award is modified. Additionally, the Committee may adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit individuals eligible to participate in the Plan who are non‑U.S. nationals or who reside or work outside the United States to participate in the Plan.

(d)
No Liability of Committee Members. Neither any member of the Committee nor any of the Committee’s permitted delegates shall be liable personally by reason of any contract or other instrument executed by such member or on his behalf in his capacity as a member of the Committee or for any mistake of judgment made in good faith, and the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Committee and each other employee, officer, or director of the Company to whom any duty or power relating to the administration or interpretation of the Plan may be allocated or delegated, against all costs and expenses (including counsel fees) and liabilities (including sums paid in settlement of a claim) arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the Plan, unless arising out of such person’s own fraud or willful misconduct; provided, however, that approval of the Board shall be required for the payment of any amount in settlement of a claim against any such person. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s certificate or articles of incorporation or bylaws, each as may be amended from time to time, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

19.Effectiveness of the Plan

The Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date, subject to the approval of the shareholders of the Company.
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