Penny Black’s Social Diary: Kennedys’ commute and ABI’s sandwiches
Penny Black is back, sharing the tittle-tattle she overheard at insurance industry events, reviewing the quality of buffets at conferences and giving a thumbs up – or down – to the sector’s social media posts.
Boyz to Men
Operations director at Lloyd’s Market Association Rob Myers’ LinkedIn reminiscence about his insurance market cohort caught my eye this week. Seeing the collective experience of 350 to 400 years in one photo made me feel positively youthful at a mere 185-years-old.
The gathering with his ex-colleagues, who all met at just 16 to 18-years-old as school leavers with fresh eyes for the London market read like a school reunion for Lloyd’s of London class of 1970-something.
His description of them as “Boyz to Men (and back to Boyz some might say)” particularly tickled me, because it was truly hilarious visualising them in their dress shirts and jumpers belting “It’s unnatural, you belong to me, I belong to you” with synchronised dance moves.
Penny’s Lunch Box
The ABI’s Cyber Conference buffet proved to be a lesson in meticulous presentation. I’m usually not a fan of beige sandwich options but the precise formations across rustic wooden boards made me feel like I had bitten into something far fancier than a prawn mayo.
However, the salad bowls positioned at the far end seemed more like an afterthought than a feature. You’ll rarely catch me eating a salad anyways so I’ll imagine they determined the order based on my preferences. Three stars.
Out of context
“I can’t get over how long the commutes are!”
Meg Catalano, global managing partner at Kennedys, describes what she still finds shocking about living in London as a US transplant.
Only users who have a paid subscription or are part of a corporate subscription are able to print or copy content.
To access these options, along with all other subscription benefits, please contact info@postonline.co.uk or view our subscription options here: https://subscriptions.postonline.co.uk/subscribe
You are currently unable to print this content. Please contact info@postonline.co.uk to find out more.
You are currently unable to copy this content. Please contact info@postonline.co.uk to find out more.
Copyright Infopro Digital Limited. All rights reserved.
As outlined in our terms and conditions, https://www.infopro-digital.com/terms-and-conditions/subscriptions/ (point 2.4), printing is limited to a single copy.
If you would like to purchase additional rights please email info@postonline.co.uk
Copyright Infopro Digital Limited. All rights reserved.
You may share this content using our article tools. As outlined in our terms and conditions, https://www.infopro-digital.com/terms-and-conditions/subscriptions/ (clause 2.4), an Authorised User may only make one copy of the materials for their own personal use. You must also comply with the restrictions in clause 2.5.
If you would like to purchase additional rights please email info@postonline.co.uk
More on People
LGBTQ+ family leave at insurers must be ‘normalised’
Sam White, founder and CEO of Stella Insurance, has said adoption and parental leave parity for the LGBTQ+ community in the sector must be normalised.
Penny Black’s Social Diary: CII’s Paddington pitstop; Arch’s bunnies
Penny Black has been out and about again, notebook in one hand and canapé in the other, keeping a keen eye on the insurance industry’s more whimsical moments.
Pride exposes prejudice LGBTQ+ individuals face in insurance
Editor’s View: LGBTQ+ network Link’s latest survey shows many insurance professionals still feel pressure to hide parts of themselves at work, which Emma Ann Hughes argues highlights the need for insurers to move beyond Pride branding and ‘pinkwashing’ to build actually inclusive cultures.
Throwback Thursday: CII CEO praised
Insurance Post’s Throwback Thursday steps back in time to June 1971 to remind you what was going on this week in insurance history when the Chartered Insurance Institute's CEO retired prompting reflections on his legacy.
HDI makes Hunt permanent following Ogden exit
HDI Global has named Simon Hunt as CEO of HDI Global UK & Ireland following the departure of Stephanie Ogden.
Adele Sumner to leave Intact after 27 years
Adele Sumner, Intact Insurance UK’s director of counter fraud and financial crime, is leaving the insurer at the end of June after 27 years.
Diary of an Insurer: Rokstone’s Darren Guymer
Darren Guymer was hired as head of surety at Rokstone in June 2025. His working week sees him take a hands-on approach to building relationships with both carriers and brokers while also coaching his son’s under eight’s football team.
Q&A: Will Pritchett, Accenture UK and Ireland
Will Pritchett, insurance lead for Accenture UK and Ireland, talks to Insurance Post about how insurers can cope with changing demands as AI transforms the industry, and how the company’s role in supporting providers is evolving.