Fred Shearer

Fred has been a trustee at YES since its inception in 1995. Having read German at university, Fred started in the insurance business there in 1969. In 1973, an opportunity to work at Lloyd’s brought him with his growing family to London. The Shearers have been there with a short interval ever since.

The move to London took Fred into the reinsurance business for the remainder of his career up to retirement at the end of 2014. He had worked at E W Payne, C T Bowring, Ballantyne, McKean & Sullivan (where he was a co-founder) and lastly Bell & Clements. For 25 of his 45 years in the business he was an Underwriting Member and survived the experience.

During their 50 years in England the Shearers have always lived in and around east London. Fred joined Crowland Rowing Club in 1974 and was a founding officer of Lea Rowing Club in 1980. He has held several offices at the club, most recently CFO, from which he stepped down in 2022 after 5 years in that role.

Fred and his wife Lori have five children and six grandchildren, mostly in London. Fred has an MA and a PhD in Modern History and holds a (non-current) Private Pilot’s licence with full Instrument Rating. He speaks German and Spanish as well as American English.