ALLIED WORLD ASSURANCE COMPANY HOLDINGS, LTD
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE CHARTER
I. Committee Membership; Organization; Operation; Purpose
The Investment Committee (the "Committee") of the Board of Directors
(the "Board") of Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd (the
"Company") shall consist of no less than three non-employee directors,
the majority of whom, including the Chairman, shall be "independent"
under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and under the Company's Board
Policy on Director Independence ("Independent Directors").
The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Board on the recommendation
of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee. Each Committee member
shall be "financially literate." Determinations as to whether a director
is qualified for membership on the Committee shall be made by the Nominating
& Corporate Governance Committee. Each Committee member shall serve until
his or her successor is duly appointed by the Board or until such member's resignation
or removal from the Board or the Committee. Committee members shall serve at
the pleasure of the Board and for such term or terms as the Board may determine.
Committee members may be added, removed or replaced by the Board in its complete
discretion.
The Chairman of the Committee shall be designated by the non-employee members
of the Board. The Chairman shall be responsible for presiding over Committee
meetings, preparing Committee agendas and determining the informational needs
of the Committee. The Committee may form and delegate any of its responsibilities,
as permitted by applicable laws and regulations, to a subcommittee composed
of one or more members of the Committee, provided that Independent Directors
compose at least a majority of such subcommittee.
The Committee shall meet as frequently as the discharge of its responsibilities
shall require, as determined by the Committee or its Chairman, and may take
action by unanimous written consent. The Committee may request any other director,
officer or employee of the Company or its subsidiaries or any of the Company's
or its subsidiaries' outside advisors to attend any meeting of the Committee
or to meet independently with any of the foregoing.
The Committee shall report regularly to the Board, including after each Committee
meeting, on the Committee's findings and recommendations and any other matters
the Committee deems appropriate, and shall maintain minutes or other records
of Committee meetings and activities. The Committee's report to the Board may
take the form of an oral report by the Chairman or by any other member of the
Committee designated by the Committee to make this report.
The Committee shall have the resources and authority appropriate to discharge
its responsibilities, including the sole authority to select, retain, terminate
and approve the fees and other retention terms of special counsel or other experts
or consultants, as it deems appropriate. The Company shall provide adequate
funding to the Committee to engage such counsel, experts and consultants and
shall fund other ordinary administrative expenses that are necessary or appropriate
for the Committee in carrying out its responsibilities.
The Committee shall periodically review the Committee's charter and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval. The Board may also review the Committee's charter from time to time and determine to alter the Committee's responsibilities over time.
The purpose of the Committee shall be to (i) adopt, maintain and oversee compliance with the Company's Investment Policy Statement, (ii) oversee the investment strategy and investment advisors of the Company and any of its subsidiaries and (iii) oversee investment risk exposures.
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II. Committee Responsibilities
The Committee shall have the responsibility to:
1. With input from management and the Enterprise Risk Committee, review
and recommend to the Board for approval the risk appetite of the Company with
respect to its Total Portfolio (as defined below) consistent with the Company's
overall firm-wide enterprise risk appetite.
2. Review and approve an Investment Policy Statement, incorporating risk
and return guidelines ("Guidelines"), that is based upon the Company's
risk appetite for its invested assets and the invested assets of its subsidiaries
(the "Total Portfolio"). The Investment Policy Statement will set
forth the Company's policies and procedures to (a) manage the Total Portfolio
in a manner consistent with the Guidelines, (b) measure and monitor Total
Portfolio performance and (c) assess and control risks, including market risk,
liquidity risk, credit and counterparty risk and operational risk, as such
risks relate to the Total Portfolio.
3. Review and approve the appointment and termination of investment advisors,
as recommended by management, provided that no investment advisor may be appointed
unless management confirms to the Committee that such investment advisor has
effective policies and procedures in place to manage the performance of the
relevant investment portfolio and to assess and control its risks, consistent
with the investment guidelines set forth in the relevant investment management
agreement negotiated by management and the investment advisor.
4. Receive on a quarterly basis a report from management setting forth the
performance and the risk profile of the Total Portfolio, as well as highlighting
material changes (if any) in the composition of such portfolio or in its risk
profile.
5. Periodically discuss with management the most likely sources of material
future risks with respect to the Total Portfolio and how management is addressing
any significant potential vulnerability.
6. Receive periodic reports from management concerning the performance of
each investment advisor in order to assure adherence to the Investment Policy
Statement, including the Guidelines, and to monitor progress toward achieving
investment objectives.
7. Receive annually a report from management as to compliance with the Investment
Policy Statement, including the Guidelines contained therein.
8. Perform any other duties or responsibilities expressly delegated to the
Committee by the Board from time to time, including those relating to the
Total Portfolio, investment advisors or other investment-related matters.
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