Mr. Watson serves as a Director at BancAtlantic. He began his career in law and public policy, working as a legislative aide in the Texas Senate before becoming an attorney in New York. He later moved into the insurance industry, serving as an executive vice president and board member of Titan Holdings Inc. from 1992 to 1997. In 1998, Watson co-founded Aquila Capital Partners, an investment firm focused on emerging businesses and technology. That same year, he invested in Argonaut Group, a struggling property-and-casualty insurance company.
He joined Argonaut's board in 1999 and became president and CEO in 2000. As CEO, Watson led Argonaut through a major restructuring and expansion. Under his leadership, the company grew from a relatively small regional insurer into Argo Group, a publicly traded international specialty insurance and reinsurance business operating in numerous markets. He served as CEO until 2019. After leaving Argo, Watson returned his primary focus to Aquila Capital Partners, where he invests in and advises entrepreneurs and companies in areas including financial technology, insurance technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and consumer businesses.
