Chris has joined Acquinex to lead our RWI practice. Prior to this, Chris was Senior Vice President at QBE.

Chris specialises in multiple areas including Energy, Real Estate, and Secondaries.

Chris has spent over 10 years in the transactional risk industry prior to which he was an M&A attorney at top-tier US firms including Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.

Chris holds a BA from the University of Vermont and a JD from Rutgers Law School.

Valentine Deltombe is a Junior Underwriter at Acquinex specialising in W&I insurance in the French and Benelux markets having joined Acquinex after two years servicing the French, Benelux and Italian transactional risk markets at a specialist local MGA. Valentine holds an LL.M. in International Trade and Investment Law from the University of Amsterdam (2021) and is fluent in both French and English.

Victoria is an Assistant Underwriter within the Benelux team. Prior to joining Acquinex in July 2025, Victoria gained experience in the Dutch W&I Market. Victoria holds law degrees from Tilburg University (LLB) and the University of Amsterdam (LLM).

Emeline is a Paris and New York qualified lawyer and a W&I Senior Underwriter within the France and Benelux team. She joined Acquinex in January 2025 where she underwrites W&I policies across France and the Benelux region, with a particular focus on French and French-language transactions. Prior to joining Acquinex, Emeline spent nine years as an M&A lawyer in Paris, primarily with Fieldfisher and Dentons, where she advised private equity funds, industrial clients, and private entities on cross-border and domestic M&A transactions across various sectors. Emeline graduated with a Masters’ degree (DJCE) from the Université of Cergy-Pontoise in 2012, followed by an LL.M. from Vermont Law School (USA) in 2013.

Mattheus is a Senior Underwriter focused on the Benelux region, having joined Acquinex in July 2024. Prior to joining Acquinex, Mattheus began his career in the legal team of AkzoNobel. He qualified as a solicitor in England & Wales during his time in private practice (De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek), where he specialised in both competition law and M&A, advising a range of private and publicly listed clients on complex transactions and regulatory matters. Mattheus studied at the University of Groningen (LLB) and the Utrecht University (LLM).

François leads Acquinex’s operations across France and the Benelux and is widely recognised as a leading figure in notably French transactional risk insurance. Prior to joining Acquinex, François served as Director at Transact Risk Partners, where he notably established and successfully built out the firm’s French practice. François began his career in private practice at leading US and Magic Circle law firms, including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (Paris) and Herbert Smith Freehills (Paris). During this time, he advised on a range of complex cross-border M&A transactions, as well as corporate governance and regulatory matters.François holds a Master of Science in Management from ESSEC Business School, with specialisations in Corporate Finance and General Finance, and completed the Global Manager in Asia programme in Singapore. He also holds both a Magister degree and a Master’s degree in Business Law from Paris II Panthéon-Assas University.

Ellie is a Head of Contingent Risks and joined Acquinex in 2024. Prior to this, Ellie was a dispute resolution solicitor at Fox Williams LLP, where she specialised in shareholder group actions, and at RPC LLP, where she was seconded to Lloyds Development Capital and Sompo Insurance. Ellie has a degree in Classics from Durham University.

Adam is an Underwriter within the UK W&I team, joining Acquinex in 2026. Prior to joining, Adam gained two years of experience in the W&I market at Liberty. Adam has a degree in Economics from UCL.

Bronte is an Assistant Underwriter in the Title Team, having joined Acquinex in early 2026. Prior to joining, Bronte has worked as a Paralegal at firms including BCLP and Gowling WLG, working in Real Estate Litigation and Commercial Real Estate. Bronte attended the University of Bristol to read History of Art, before commencing her post graduate studies in Law.

Umut is a Senior Tax Underwriter and part of Acquinex’s tax team in Europe. Prior to joining Acquinex, Umut was a Senior Associate at Ashurst LLP, where he advised on a broad range of tax issues from transactional M&A to domestic and cross-border advisory taxes. In addition, Umut has significant experience in tax controversy and litigation and has litigated at all levels of the English court and tribunal system and guided clients through complex HMRC audits and enquiries (with a particular focus on international taxes and transfer pricing). Prior to his career in law, Umut studied at the London School of Economics.