Peggy Sharon, AIDA World President
It is with great sorrow that AIDA World mourns the passing away of John Butler, Honorary President of AIDA who was AIDA World President between 1990-1998.
John Butler was an outstanding and highly respected legal professional in the UK, wrote and edited books and articles on the principles of Insurance and Reinsurance.
He served as the AIDA World President between 1990 – 1998 and initiated the formation of ARIAS societies ( AIDA Reinsurance and Insurance Arbitration Societies) as AIDA Affiliated associations.
This is a great loss for his family and friends , and for AIDA World.
Condolences to the family and friends of John Butler.
Prof. Rob Merkin (AIDA World Scientific Committee, UK):
I first met John Butler nearly forty years ago. He was then the lead in-house lawyer for M&G and also legal correspondent to Reinsurance magazine. He was anxious to author a textbook on reinsurance law, and was looking for someone to help him assemble his articles into book form. I am still not quite sure how, but the publishers alighted on me. After a couple of years of hard work, during which I learned more from John than in my readings during the previous decade, Butler and Merkin's Reinsurance Law was published in loose-leaf form in 1985. It is still going strong, and its 115th update will be published at the end of 2021. John's insight and experience made this the first book in its field and it has maintained its reputation. It is a fitting tribute to John that the book will continue to bear his name.
John took me under his wing. Under his influence I became a member of the AIDA Presidential Council over thirty years ago. John served two terms as President, and his two greatest achievements were at the Sydney World Congress in 1992 when he established ARIAS and - with Colin Croly - the Reinsurance Working Party. Both have gone from strength to strength.
John was held in the highest esteem worldwide and seemed to know everyone in the industry and the judiciary. I owe the direction of my career to John. His warmth and wisdom are a loss to us all.
Prof. Jérôme Kullman (AIDA World Honorary President, AIDA France):
My Condolences to John Butler family.This is a great loss for all of AIDA members who knew John .John Butler was an exceptional Insurance expert and great personality. RIP
Michael Gill ,( AIDA World Honorary President, AIDA Australia):
John was a giant figure for me in AIDA and BILA in every sense. And I never recall John without Nancy at his side. So complimentary in every sense.
A seriously intelligent person with great knowledge and practical experience of all things insurance but never flaunting it. His scholarship was deceptively quiet, linked as it was to determination for correct positions and helpful advocacy.
I often saw on John, slight signs of muted exasperation as we “youngsters", lacking his unique experience, prattled on in comparative ignorance. But that didn’t stop exciting, respectful and constructive engagements on all manner of things, in space for difference. And I walked that path with him on many occasions. After all, he was a tad conservative and I wasn’t.
His generosity to AIDA, greatly supported by Colin, Michael and Tim at Barlow Lyde and Gilbert, provided much needed energy and oxygen. And his health rarely got in the way, at least as far as I could see.
His was a steady hand on the tiller, guiding the AIDA voyage over decades……just with quiet, confident determination. And reliability and more than a little inspiration. There was no ego or arrogance or blustering.
A good man. A competent professional. A generous friend and companion.
Kathy and I often enjoyed the company of John and Nancy. One occasion at the Fat Duck in Bray ( their village) stays with us in a special way. And after Kathy became ill, their first question to me each time we caught up was "How is Kathy?”
He is both much missed and always remembered by those he walked with.
God bless you John. God love you Nancy.
Mikael Rosenmejer, (AIDA World Honorary President ,AIDA Denmark):
It is sad news that John passed away. It however brings a lot of good memories of the many times I met with John - and Nancy - at AIDA events around the world. My condolences go to Nancy and the family.
I first met John when I arranged the 1990 Aida World Congress in Copenhagen. Since then I worked together with John in the PC until 1998, when John initiated that I took over as President after John. John was a remarkable personality in many ways. A highly respected practitioner combined with a profound scientific understanding of the subject matter of AIDA, all documented by the books he published and which is still widely used.
Aida owes a lot to John.
Dr. Andrea Signorino (AIDA World General Secretary, AIDA Uruguay):
Great loss for AIDA and for the Insurance world. Condolences on behalf of AIDA Uruguay to John Butler's family.
Tim Hardy, (AIDA World Treasurer, UK):
I naturally endorse all the comments already made by others about the very significant lasting contribution which John made to AIDA in so many ways and over so many years. To these I would add only the following, on behalf of BILA, the UK Chapter, and on my own behalf.
Over and above his involvement with AIDA, John also played a major role within BILA, AIDA's UK Chapter. John spoke at and was instrumental in making a success of BILA's first international colloquium in 1971, to which leading AIDA representatives were invited, along with members of the American Bar Association. John became BILA Vice Chair in September 1975, BILA Chair in September 1977, and in this capacity represented BILA at the Vth AIDA World Congress in Madrid. Biennial BILA colloquia became a feature for over thirty years thereafter prior to the formation of AIDA Europe. So, too, the presence of many BILA members in AIDA Working Party activities. John continued to serve on the BILA Committee in the years 1981-6, before thereafter becoming successively its Deputy President and then President, from 1989 onwards.
John so helped to lay the foundations first created by Gordon Shaw and others of ensuring that there remained an active and personal channel of communication between AIDA, the BILA Committee and BILA's wider membership, a function which is as assiduously maintained today as ever and for which both BILA and AIDA remain indebted to John.
On a personal level, I experienced first-hand the benefit of John's insightful and generous contribution made to every committee upon which I served with him, not just BILA, but working London Market association committees, such as the IUA Clauses Sub-Committee. John's rare mix of internationally-informed legal and market know-how and understanding improved and informed many a discussion and attempted course of action.
So, too, as a young legal practitioner, where no question posed of John, asked with whatever level of trepidation about one's own ignorance, ever went unrewarded. Indeed, usually one was amply rewarded not just with a practical solution, but, as by all good mentors, also left with an encouragement that one was now better equipped to ask an even more intelligent question next time!
Alkistis Christofilou (AIDA Europe, Greece ):
On behalf of AIDA Europe please extend our sincerest condolences to the family of AIDA former president, John Butler.
Dr. Alonso Nuñez del Prado Simons (AIDA Peru):
Deep condolences to the family and Friends
Prof. Dr. Birgit Kuschke (AIDA South Africa):
Please, on behalf of the South African AIDA Chapter, convey our sympathies to the family and friends of John Butler. His passing is a loss for academia and the international insurance industry.
Prof. Dr. Capitolina Tourbina (AIDA Russia ):
Oh, my god, so sad, he was so exceptional and great.. my deepest condolences to AIDA and to his family. I will publish this news in the next magazine Insurance Law.
Prof. Dr. Carlos Ignacio Jaramillo J. (AIDA Colombia):
Sus contribuciones a la AIDA, por numerosos años, fueron de la mayor importancia, valía y utilidad. Además, siempre fue un caballero, y una persona muy correcta e intachable. Un saludo muy fraterno y solidario a toda su querida familia, y también a la Sección Inglesa de la AIDA y a todos sus amigos y allegados (q.e.p.d).
Prof. Caroline Van Schoubroeck (AIDA Belgium):
On behalf of the Belgian Chapter our sincere condolences to the family and friends of AIDA former president Mr. John Butler.
Chris Rodd (AIDA Australia):
On behalf of the Australian AIDA Chapter, my sincere condolences to the family of AIDA former president John Butler.
Diego Manzetti (AIDA Luxembourg):
Condolences to the family and AIDA on behalf of the Luxembourg chapter
Hans Londonck Sluijk (AIDA The Netherland ):
On behalf of the Dutch Chapter I would like to convey our sincere condolences to John Butler's family and friends. He will be remembered by all who knew him for his warm personality and for his remarkable achievements in promoting the success of AIDA and ARIAS.
Prof. Herman Cousy (AIDA Belgium):
Allow me to post a little note in memory of Aida past president , Mr. John Butler. I have fine memories of his presidency and in particular of the fine days that I had the honor and pleasure of sharing with him, together with Mrs. Butler and with some colleagues of the then time Presidential Council, when we were preparing the Aida World Conference in Marrakech. Please forward my sincere condolences to Mr. Butler’s family.
Prof. Dr. Gerrit Winter (AIDA Germany ):
John was one of the outstanding presidents of AIDA, I still remember very well the eighties and nineties, when many in the EU advocated a new, more liberal supervisory law based on the English model. Personally modest, John was full of ideas and always found the right words. He was a very nice man and will remain unforgettable for many of us.
M. Prof. Dr. Ioannis Rokas (AIDA Greece):
It is with great sadness that I received the news of John Butler's passing. He was an esteemed colleague with invaluable contribution to Insurance Law and our Association and will be greatly missed. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Jorge Angell (AIDA Spain):
This is indeed very sad news for everyone related to the insurance and reinsurance industry.
I was fortunate to know and see him often over the years when he was counsel for Barlow Lyde & Gilbert and thereafter.
My deepest condolences to his family.
Associate Professor Dr. Kyriaki Noussia (UK)
A terrible loss for AIDA and the insurance world. May he R.I.P.
Luís Felipe Pellon:
That is a year to forget! I send my condolences to the family.
Prof. Dr. Manfred Wandt ( AIDA Germany):
Please forward our sincere condolences to John Butler’s family on behalf of the German chapter.
Prof. Marcel Fontaine (AIDA Belgium):
John Butler’s passing away is also very sad news for me. During the many contacts I had with him during his Presidency, I could appreciate not only his competence and experience in insurance and reinsurance matters, but also his warm human qualities. Also, in his double quality of being at the same time a practitioner and a common lawyer, he exerted then a significant influence in a fruitful widening of AIDA’s initial orientations.
Please forward my condolences to his family.
DR. Osvaldo Contreras Strauch (AIDA Chile) :
I am deeply affected for this sad new because I met John in 1995 when I attended with Colin Croly to the CILA Congress organized that year fir Chilran Section of AIDA.
After, I was with him in many occasions, mainly in London. He was very important for AIDA during his entire life.
My condolences.
RIP, dear John.
Rich Traub (AIDA USA):
Sad news indeed. Condolences to his family. May he Rest In Peace.
Yannis Samothrakis (AIDA France):
Very sad news indeed, condolences to his family and close ones.