Insurance Insider - Behind the Headlines — Podcast

Behind the Headlines: Arch’s Hugh Sturgess on the ‘win, win, win’ of facilities 12.06.2026 26min

With cross class facilities having proliferated in London in recent years, how will these structures fare in the next phase of the cycle? Arch has been a major participant in this corner of the market, and Arch Insurance International CEO Hugh Sturgess is optimistic about the long-term performance of the structures. He told Behind the Headlines that facilities are a major net benefit for London, achieving vital efficiency gains and brining new business into the market. In a wide-ranging discu...

Behind the Headlines: Paul Brand on Convex’s next phase of growth 28.05.2026 26min

What’s next for Convex following its rapid expansion and $7bn deal with Onex and AIG last year? In his first major interview since the transaction, CEO Paul Brand tells Behind the Headlines how Convex’s lean operating model is built to withstand the pressures of the soft market. Brand also details the rationale for the carrier’s play in the MGA market, and reflects on his longtime executive partnership with Stephen Catlin. And in this episode’s news discussion, Fiona Robertson explains the em...

Behind the Headlines: Ex-Brit CEO Matthew Wilson on the power of insurance philanthropy 14.05.2026 28min

Matthew Wilson’s life was upended when he received a shock blood cancer diagnosis whilst working as CEO of Brit. Since then, he has thrown himself into fundraising to support research for multiple myeloma, founding the Matthew Wilson Multiple Myeloma Fund and chairing Blood Cancer UK. Speaking with Behind the Headlines, Wilson charts the journey of his diagnosis and treatment, and explains how the philanthropic support of the insurance industry has helped to hugely boost funding for multiple ...

Skuld's Ståle Hansen on managing maritime volatility 30.04.2026 27min

How are marine insurers dealing with the geopolitical turmoil impacting global shipping? According to Skuld CEO Ståle Hansen, insurers are adjusting to a new norm of international tensions, and navigating a complex regime of sanctions. The executive joins Behind the Headlines to discuss the unique mutual model of P&I clubs and Skuld’s commercial diversification strategy, as well as reflecting on the company’s involvement in the Lloyd’s market in the 2010s. With the marine class faci...

Behind the Headlines: Swiss Re’s Jason Richards on reinsurer retention discipline 16.04.2026 24min

The reinsurance market made huge strides to structurally transform structures and attachment points in recent years. But as the market softens, is discipline being maintained? According to Jason Richards, CEO of P&C reinsurance UK and Ireland at Swiss Re, the market is holding firm on structure, and it is essential to continue this focus. In a wide-ranging interview for Behind the Headlines he also discusses reinsurer considerations in the Middle East conflict, cyber risk, data centres, a...

Behind the Headlines: Natasha Jodrell on AdA Underwriters’ specialty diversification 02.04.2026 26min

What comes next for AdA Underwriters as it steps onto the Lloyd’s stage? Launched in 2023 with an initial focus on the upstream energy market, AdA has since expanded into adjacent specialty classes. This year, it reached a major milestone by graduating to a full Lloyd’s syndicate. But the bigger question now is how far it can go. CEO Natasha Jodrell has made clear that the ultimate ambition is to build an independent managing agency, while continuing to attract top-tier underwriting talent. A...

Behind the Headlines: IUA’s Chris Jones on marine war market’s Iran response 19.03.2026 27min

How has the London insurance market responded to the conflict which has engulfed the Middle East? According to Chris Jones, CEO of the International Underwriting Association, the marine war market has stepped up, and has been offering coverage throughout the crisis, despite the obvious challenges. Chris lifts the lid on how these situations unfold behind the scenes, and highlights that it is safety rather than unavailable insurance which is contributing to the breakdown of trade flows in the ...

Behind the Headlines: Parsyl’s Ben Hubbard on AI-empowered underwriting 05.03.2026 23min

Behind the Headlines: LMG’s Caroline Wagstaff on why London must not stand still 19.02.2026 27min

With £187bn of premium written in 2024, £61bn contributed to UK GDP, and a revitalised reinsurance ecosystem, is the London market in danger of getting too comfortable? According to Caroline Wagstaff, CEO of London Market Group, strong performance is no excuse for complacency. In the latest episode of Behind the Headlines, Wagstaff argues that London insurers must continually develop new products to maintain their reputation as innovators, while also addressing demographic challenges by attra...

Behind the Headlines: Aon’s Joe Peiser on the sheer magnitude of data centre growth 05.02.2026 26min

Are data centres really the biggest growth opportunity the insurance industry has ever seen? They’ve burst into the spotlight in recent months, but just how material is this new source of business? According to Joe Peiser, Aon’s CEO of Commercial Risk Solutions, data centres represent the single largest opportunity the industry has ever faced. Speaking on Behind the Headlines, Peiser explains why the sheer scale of these projects — and the insurance limits they demand — is unlike anything the...

Behind the Headlines: PoloWorks' Paul Andrews on the start-up opportunities in Lloyd's 22.01.2026 25min

Have you ever wondered what goes into launching a new syndicate at Lloyd's? The latest Behind the Headlines guest Paul Andrews helped bring three new syndicates to market at the start of the year, and in this episode explains how to navigate the process. According to Andrews, there is a healthy pipeline of start-up activity in Lloyd's in 2026, but budding syndicates need to bring something new to the table in order to succeed. Plus, Insurance Insider's Rachel Dalton comments on a dramat...

Richard Brindle: the unique matrix of The Fidelis Partnership 08.01.2026 31min

What is the strategic thinking behind The Fidelis Partnership’s unique business model? According to CEO Richard Brindle the firm is now increasingly perceived by balance sheet reinsurers as a distributor, as opposed to a direct competitor. He tells Behind the Headlines that the diverse structure – including backing from a listed balance sheet, plus two Lloyd’s syndicates and MGA incubator Pine Walk – is the best thing he has built in his career The firm is ploughing ahead with its strategy to...

Insurance Insider's Adam McNestrie on the stories that shaped 2025 18.12.2025 21min

What were the defining moments that shaped the insurance market in 2025? In a bonus episode of Behind the Headlines, Insurance Insider's Editor at Large Adam McNestrie provides his unparallelled insight into what he sees as the key developments influencing the sector. The changing of the guard at Lloyd's, Howden's ambitious launch into the US market, and a breakneck cycle of carrier M&A transactions are all on the agenda. Tune in to hear the perspective of a journalist who has occupied a ...

Axis’s Sara Farrup on aligning fast follow and open market strategy 11.12.2025 24min

How do you harmonise distribution strategies in a rapidly evolving marketplace? Sara Farrup took over as head of global markets at Axis at the beginning of the year, assuming leadership of one of the largest syndicates in Lloyd’s and a major market maker in areas including cyber and renewable energy. In an interview with Behind the Headlines, Farrup explained that it’s essential for fast-follow and open-market strategies to align, as well as being thoughtful about which coverholders to partne...

Hive's Underwriters' Bruce Carman on navigating turbulence in aviation 27.11.2025 27min

Nobody likes flying in turbulence, and in recent years aviation insurers have faced their fair share of upheaval. First there was the major claim stemming from the war in Ukraine, and following that a string of claims for the all-risk market in 2025. Launched in 2017, Hive Underwriters has built out despite these challenging conditions, and its CEO Bruce Carman told Behind the Headlines he is eyeing expansion into new classes. He explains how the war market has learned from the Ukraine event,...

MS Re’s Charlie Goldie on building a reinsurer to manage volatility 13.11.2025 26min

MS Re has undergone a period of significant growth in recent years, and expects to top $4bn of GWP in 2025. CUO Charlie Goldie explains on Behind the Headlines that the company’s strategy is to deliver value creation for its parent over the long term, partnering with insurers on a cross-class basis to manage volatility. He said that conditions in casualty reinsurance are improving, but the work is not yet done and underwriters need to keep pushing. Plus Insurance Insider’s Rachel Dalton...

Behind the Headlines: Liiba’s Christopher Croft on why brokers are the engine room of growth 30.10.2025 26min

How do struggling governments across the globe tackle stagnating economic growth? According to Cristopher Croft, CEO of the London & International Insurance Brokers’ Association, the specialty broking sector is key to unlocking economic potential. He tells Behind the Headlines that brokers are more than just transactional cogs in deals, they are risk management experts which help companies navigate the increasingly complex risk landscape. However, despite Liiba’s lobbying he believes the ...

Behind the Headlines: IGI’s Waleed Jabsheh eyes ongoing expansion in reinsurance 16.10.2025 24min

IGI’s premium income has almost doubled since it listed in 2020, but how can growth still be achieved in a soft market? President and CEO Waleed Jabsheh tells Behind the Headlines that there is still fertile ground to expand its ‘relatively small’ reinsurance portfolio, and that the company is targeting specialty treaty business. But as the soft pricing cycle ramps up, the executive said that he is prepared to walk away from inadequately priced business, and underwriting profitability will al...

Behind the Headlines: Radian’s Rick Thornberry and Richard Watson on Inigo’s ‘second album’ 02.10.2025 30min

What’s driving the wave of shifting ownership structures in the Lloyd’s market? The M&A cycle underway at Lloyd’s is reshaping the landscape, with new models emerging. One recent example is the combination of a mortgage and Lloyd’s specialty insurer, following Radian’s $1.7bn acquisition of Inigo. Radian CEO Rick Thornberry describes it as a “winning combination,” offering non-correlating exposure and an outlet for excess capital. Meanwhile, Inigo CEO Richard Watson is preparing to relea...

Behind the Headlines: Lloyd’s chair Sir Charles Roxburgh on creating a preeminent market for the future 18.09.2025 28min

How does Lloyd’s plan to secure its future as a leading global marketplace? Lloyd’s chair, Sir Charles Roxburgh, joined the market in May with a full in-tray—most notably, the task of appointing the next CEO. Now, with a fresh leadership team in place, he is working alongside CEO Patrick Tiernan to cement Lloyd’s position at the forefront of the insurance world. Roxburgh told Behind the Headlines that he is leveraging decades of consulting experience and nearly nine years at the top of the Tr...