8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

Current Report

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 16, 2016

ASPEN INSURANCE HOLDINGS LIMITED

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Bermuda	001-31909	Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

141 Front Street

Hamilton HM 19

Bermuda

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (441) 295-8201

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Section 5 - Corporate Governance and Management

Item 5.02Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

On December 16, 2016, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing that Mr. Richard Thornton, previously the Group Chief Risk Officer, was appointed to the newly created position of Group Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. As Group Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Thornton will be responsible for leading the Company’s operational strategy across its business segments, platforms and corporate functions. Mr. Thornton will also continue his position as the Company’s Head of Strategy.

Mr. Thornton, age 44, was appointed Group Chief Risk Officer in September 2014 and has been Group Head of Strategy since March 2014. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Thornton was at Oliver Wyman since 1999 where he became a partner in 2007 and led the development of its general insurance business in the United Kingdom and Europe. Previously, Mr. Thornton was an economist in the Bank of England’s monetary analysis division.

There are no family relationships between Mr. Thornton and any of the Company’s directors or executive officers, and there is no arrangement or understanding between Mr. Thornton or any other person and the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to which he was appointed Group Chief Operating Officer of the Company. There are no transactions that would be required to be reported under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K between Mr. Thornton or any of his immediate family members and the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

Section 7 - Regulation FD

Item 7.01 Regulation FD

On December 16, 2016, the Company issued a press release announcing Mr. Thornton’s appointment as Group Chief Operating Officer of the Company. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated into this report by reference.

Section 9 - Financial Statements and Exhibits

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) The following exhibit is furnished as part of this report:

99.1    Press Release from Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited dated December 16, 2016

The information furnished under Item 7.01 “Regulation FD Disclosure” shall not be deemed “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.  

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	ASPEN INSURANCE HOLDINGS LIMITED (Registrant)
Dated: December 16, 2016	By:	/s/ Scott Kirk
	Name:	Scott Kirk
	Title:	Chief Financial Officer

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

PRESS RELEASE

ASPEN APPOINTS RICHARD THORNTON

AS GROUP CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

HAMILTON, Bermuda - 16 December 2016 - Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited (“Aspen” or the “Company”) (NYSE:AHL) announced today that Richard Thornton has been appointed to the newly created position of Group Chief Operating Officer.

Richard will undertake this new role in addition to his responsibilities as Group Head of Strategy. He will relinquish his current role as Group Chief Risk Officer.

Chris O’Kane, Group Chief Executive Officer, commented: “In this new role, Richard will be responsible for leading our operational strategy across our business segments, platforms and our corporate functions. Richard will bring strategic vision, new ideas and strong momentum to ensure that our operational activities are developed further and are even more effectively aligned to support our underwriting teams globally. I am delighted that we have someone of Richard’s considerable ability and experience to take on this important role.”

Richard joined Aspen as Group Head of Strategy in March 2014 and was appointed Group Chief Risk Officer in September 2014. Aspen will appoint a new Group Chief Risk Officer over the coming months.

Prior to joining Aspen, Richard was a partner at Oliver Wyman, leading the development of its general insurance business in the United Kingdom and Europe. He worked on a wide variety of projects spanning life and general insurance, ranging from retail to global corporate and from strategy to operations, risk and finance. Previously, Richard was an economist in the Bank of England’s monetary analysis division.

- ENDS -

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited

Aspen provides reinsurance and insurance coverage to clients in various domestic and global markets through wholly-owned subsidiaries and offices in Australia, Bermuda, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. For the year ended December 31, 2015, Aspen reported $11.0 billion in total assets, $4.9 billion in gross reserves, $3.4 billion in total shareholders' equity and $3.0 billion in gross written premiums. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of "A" by Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC, an "A" ("Excellent") by A.M. Best Company Inc. and an "A2" by Moody's Investor Service, Inc.

Application of the Safe Harbor of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release contains "forward-looking" statements regarding future results and events, including, without limitation, statements regarding Aspen’s personnel. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts and can be identified by the use of words such as "expect," "intend," "plan," "believe," "do not believe," "aim," "project," "anticipate," "seek," "will," "likely," "assume," "estimate," "may," "continue," "guidance," "objective," "outlook," "trends," "future," "could," "would," "should," "target," "on track" and similar expressions of a future or forward-looking nature.

All forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions, estimates and data concerning future results and events and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside Aspen's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. For a detailed description of uncertainties and other factors that could impact the forward-looking statements in this press release, please see the "Risk Factors" section in Aspen's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 19, 2016. Aspen undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For further information:

Investors

Mark Jones, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Aspen

mark.p.jones@aspen.co

+1 (646) 289 4945

Media

Steve Colton, Head of Group Communications, Aspen

Steve.colton@aspen.co

+44 20 7184 8337

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