The annual survey of one-upmanship, the Sunday Times Rich List 2002, has seen one or two captains of the insurance industry leap up the table. Backchat would like to congratulate (without a hint of sycophancy, of course) Benfield Greig chief executive Grahame Chilton, a member of Insurance Times' editorial advisory board, who has jumped to 207th from 259th (2001).
According to the list, he is now worth an estimated £154m (£126m, 2001) and could move up further next year if the reinsurance group's flotation on the New York stock exchange goes ahead.
Another high-flyer is John Charman, formerly of Ace International, now of Bermudian upstart Axis Specialty. He is placed at 308th and valued at £110m, up from 394th last year (£85m, 2001). It claims that when he left Ace, his shares were worth £3.3m.
Today they are valued at £82m and his property and other assets easily add up to £28m, according to the report.
For those who know either men, the idea their wealth is of rock star proportions may seem a little strange. But Charman is actually on a par with Tom Jones (£110m) and Chilton is only £1m short of Mick Jagger (£155m).
