ELSA announces with deep sadness that Paul Winner, ELSA’s first Executive Director, has passed away. Mr. Winner was integral to the founding of ELSA and the Association’s success in its early years.

Mr. Winner agreed to organize the European Life Settlement Association after Paul Winner Consultants Ltd, undertook a feasibility study in 2008 to assess whether a new European Trade Association was needed to protect investors interests, to work with European regulators and to ensure self-regulation for this emerging asset class.

Mr. Winner began his career as a campaigner for the Liberal Party and stood for Parliament four times. In 1967 Mr. Winner founded Paul Winner Marketing Communications (PWMC) which went on to become one of the UK’s top independent PR agencies. Mr. Winner was also a prolific artist and was appointed by the Home Office as “Artist at Large” for Holocaust Memorial Day in 2004 and was appointed by the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina as “Artist for the Bridge” at Mostar the same year.

Mr. Winner passed away peacefully after a short illness on 21 May. He is survived by his wife Mary, daughter Sonya and son Daniel Winner.