Opinion
Rising Star: Aaron Bromley, RSA
After eschewing the university route, Aaron Bromley got his start in commercial underwriting as an apprentice at Axa.
QBE’s Emma Higgins on the new way of working
After the insurance industry adapted quickly to operating remotely last year, it now faces the challenge of addressing new ways of working in the future, says Emma Higgins, chief human resources officer at QBE Europe.
Blog: When climate and credit meet
Sebastien Proffit, Axa Investment Managers' head of portfolio solutions, fixed income, considers approaches for insurers looking to green up their investment strategies.
My Other Life: Greg Brash, smallholder
When he’s not working as a manager in procurement at Allianz Insurance, Greg Brash feeds his passion for sustainable for living by growing his own food.
Partners&’s Stuart Reid on what the rapid pace of broker consolidation means for insurers
Stuart Reid, chair of Partners&, urges insurers to look for brokers that espouse the right values in their service to clients when considering which firms to support rather than being addicted to market share.
Penny Black's Social World: July 2021
Regulation, inclusivity and Guinness World records
Ecclesiastical’s Richard Coleman on the power of specialism
Richard Coleman, UK managing director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, details the opportunities and challenges for brokers in becoming trusted, specialist advisers.
Blog: Credit insurance industry ready to take back underwriting control
A smooth transition is expected as the Government Trade Credit Reinsurance Scheme draws to a close at the end of June, writes Stuart Ramsden, Atradius regional director UK & Ireland.
Editor's comment: Here's to a better second half
We had high hopes for 2021. We were keen to see the back of 2020 which brought with it a global pandemic, toilet roll hoarding, national lockdowns, home schooling hell, business interruption court cases, a ban on sports, enforced staycations, and yet…
Blog: The mega carrier conundrum
The grounding of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal highlights the need for greater regulation and risk management of mega carriers, blogs Captain Michael Barrass, RSA marine risk management consultant.
Blog: A call for LGBTQ+ allyship in our organisations
Lisa Bartlett, Crawford president, UK & Ireland, calls for the insurance sector to encourage LGBTQ+ allyship.
Trade Voice: CILA's Malcolm Hyde on the importance of a united front
For Malcolm Hyde, executive director of the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters, the insurance industry's pandemic business interruption headache underscores the importance of a united approach beyond lockdown.
Towergate’s Iain Laws on health as a business risk and resetting the benefits conversation
Iain Laws, CEO of Towergate Health & Protection, examines how insurers and the health industry have responded to the pandemic with new products and services, the shift in employee expectations and how health risks have gone up business leaders’…
Blog: Why it’s important for insurance firms to prioritise social mobility
Social inequality increased during the pandemic. Kieran Jones, director of client relationships at Weightmans and member of the board of directors at the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, explains what the industry can do to help.
My Other Life: Rachel Undy, volunteer vaccinator
Away from her role as first notification of loss operations leader at Ageas Insurance, Rachel Undy volunteers with the NHS vaccination programme.
Axa’s Jon Walker on smart working and relationship building
Jon Walker, CEO of Axa Commercial, celebrates the benefits of smart working for customers, brokers and staff – along with assessing how it should be used in tandem with the best of the traditional face-to-face ways of building relationships.
Blog: Insurance's trust problem
Edelman Smithfield senior director Aidan Holloway considers the reputation-geared findings of the firm's recent research on trust in insurance.
Rising Star: Luke Crowe, Woodgate & Clark
After joining the loss adjusting profession in 2015, Luke Crowe set his sights on working on major commercial claims and has collected an impressive array of qualifications.
BGL’s Peter Thompson on why the insurance industry must batten down its hatches
Peter Thompson, CEO of insurance, distribution and outsourcing at BGL Group, addresses the crucial importance of operational resilience in a fast changing landscape for the industry.
Blog: The limitations of ALKS
William Balfry, Forum of Insurance Lawyers motor sector focus team member, and senior associate at DWF, grapples with the reality of automated lane keeping systems technology.
Penny Black's Social World: June 2021
Equal rights, sustainability and good causes
Editor's comment: Growing up
I have two pre-teens in the house who can’t wait to be teenagers. I’m reminded almost daily of the birthdays coming up and how different life will be when 13 comes around.
Hiscox’s Tim Slattery on fast changing customer lifestyles demanding an agile response
Tim Slattery, personal lines underwriting manager for Hiscox UK, argues the industry needs to both listen to what home policyholders need now and have the forethought to provide what customers don’t yet know they’ll need.
Blog: Securing our prosperity in a climate resilient world
The global (re)insurance industry is a key player in helping to decarbonise our economies and mitigate the risk of climate change, writes Swiss Re CEO of reinsurance Moses Ojeisekhoba.