HUGH WOOD

1944 - 2019

WOOD--Hugh. Hugh William Wood passed away peacefully in New York on April 26, 2019. Born on March 31st, 1944 in Hatfield United Kingdom. He founded and chaired the HW International group and was Chairman of Hugh Wood, Inc. (Insurance Broker), its subsidiary, in New York. Although he made his home in Bermuda, the funeral was held privately in New York. Celebrations of his life will be held both in New York and London. Hugh Wood started his insurance career at the Prudential Assurance Company in London, rapidly ascending the ranks and being promoted to their resident manager for Jamaica and the Caribbean. He then led Prudential operations in Europe before starting HW International in 1979. He started with one room and one employee in London, commuting between London and New York. He became known as one of the global specialists in real estate insurance and philatelic insurance. The firm he founded has currently over 300 employees with offices in 10 countries. Hugh Wood was also a world-renowned philatelist and his deep knowledge of specialist areas was sought by other collectors, and dealers alike. He was proud to have exhibited in the Court of Honor for the recent New York 2016 World Stamp Exhibition as well as previously at Washington 2006. In 1992 and 2009, he was invited to exhibit individual displays of two of his collections at the Royal Philatelic Society in London. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the American Philatelic Society. Hugh's family was in many ways the people who worked with him at the firm. He is survived by his loving godson Maurits Kleingeld, and Maurits' wife, Danielle, together with their children, Rose, Luke and Mary.