
Apollo Syndicate 3939| Annual Report and Accounts 2024
7
Managing Agent’s report
(continued)
Principal risks and uncertainties
ASML has established an Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”) function for the syndicate with clear
terms of reference from the ASML Board and its committees as part of a three lines of defence model.
The ASML Board and its committees review and approve the risk management policies and meet
regularly to approve any commercial, regulatory and organisational requirements of these policies.
The syndicate’s risk appetites are set annually as part of the syndicate business planning and solvency
capital requirement setting process. The ERM function is also responsible for maintaining the
syndicate’s Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (“ORSA”) proc
esses and provides regular updates to
the ASML Board. The syndicate ORSA report is approved by the Board annually.
ASML recognises that the syndicate’s business is to accept risk which is appropriate to enable it to
meet its objectives and that it is not realistic or possible to eliminate risk entirely. The principal risks and
uncertainties facing the syndicate have been identified as strategic risk, insurance risk, regulatory risk,
operational risk, and financial risk (comprising credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk). A risk owner
has been assigned responsibility for each risk, and it is the responsibility of that individual periodically
to assess the impact of the risk and to ensure appropriate risk mitigation procedures and controls are
in place and operating effectively. External factors facing the business and the internal controls in place
are routinely reassessed and changes made when necessary. The overarching risk framework is
overseen by the ASML Risk Committee on behalf of the ASML Board. The risk culture of the business
is Board led, with new initiatives requiring an objective risk assessment and opinion prior to approval.
Strategic risk is the risk that inadequate, ineffective, or inappropriate business decisions result in
negative impacts on the ability to execute the business objectives/strategy, and hence on the
performance of the syndicate. The ASML Board has ultimate responsibility for overseeing the execution
of the approved strategy and consequently the associated strategic risk. All areas of the business are
encouraged to identify areas of potential uncertainty that could impact plan execution and to identify
emerging risks.
Insurance risk refers to fluctuations in the timing, frequency and severity of insured events, relative to
expectations at the time of underwriting. It comprises premium risk and reserving risk. The ASML
Underwriting Committee oversees the management of premium risk and the implementation of a
disciplined Underwriting Strategy with a robust control and governance framework that is focused on
writing quality business
at an acceptable price, and the purchase of a comprehensive outwards
reinsurance programme.
The Board sets limits to the syndicate’s exposure to underwriting risk and accumulation events both on
a gross and net of reinsurance basis and adherence to these limits is reported monthly to the ASML
Underwriting Committee. The ASML Reserving Committee oversees the overall management of
reserving risk. Reserving risk is managed through the use of proprietary and standardised modelling
techniques, internal and external benchmarking, review of claims development and the ongoing
oversight from an independent external reserving process. An independent Statement of Actuarial
Opinion is commissioned each year in line with Lloyd’s Valuation of Liabilities requirements. The
reserving process is overseen by and reports through the ASML Audit Committee.
Regulatory risk is the financial loss or inability to conduct normal business activities owing to a breach
of regulatory requirements or failure to respond to regulatory change. ASML is a regulated entity and
therefore is required to comply with the requir
ements of the PRA, FCA and Lloyd’s. Lloyd’s requirements
include those imposed on the Lloyd’s market by overseas regulators. ASML ensures that there is an
appropriate level of skilled resources in place to meet its regulatory obligations, including compliance,
risk management and internal audit functions.