Jobs and Recruitment Solutions | Insurance | Financial Services | Technology

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Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday, will be sufficient for tomorrow.

The future of the insurance sector is not guaranteed. New technologies are transforming the sector as we know it, and as much as these new technologies may threaten what we already know, it will also present significant opportunities. Companies are playing catch up as consumer expectations are increasing exponentially. Customers want a quicker response time, an efficient approach to problems and at the end of the day, more choice for their money. As new FinTech businesses diversify and continually grow, we are witnessing new tech innovations, such as blockchain, which is disrupting the market and creating a chance for reinvention and a greater opportunity to thrive. Despite this new technology seeming like a small risk that is worth taking, recent research shows that many companies are not ready for technology disruption. What if it doesn’t improve your company’s efficiency? What if you spend hundreds of thousands on new tech and your employees are not fully trained in how to utilise it? The edge of risk Small and large FinTech companies adopting and developing solutions that use digital technology to evolve the customer service, new competitors may threaten legacy institutions of all shapes and sizes. With any new technology, that will eventually impact the company regardless, this new shift in the industry is the storm on the horizon. Alongside the natural transformational changes every business will experience as time passes, there are developing technologies which include AI, blockchain and digital payments, just to name a few. Not only this, but cybersecurity is proving to be a greater challenge. KPMG reported in 2018 a 78% increase in business fraud, and FinTech companies in fact attract a higher risk of cybercrime. Even the word itself; ‘disruptive’ does not evoke the most reassuring of steps for a business to make, and it is in agreement that the next five years are going to be rocky – are businesses prepared for this technological leap of faith? A disruptive market for a disruptive way of thinking We are at the present time in a state of economic and political disruption which is only going to encourage uncertainty in companies looking to invest in new technology. The decision to embrace new tech needs to be implemented efficiently, swiftly and effectively. New start-ups are getting in on the act, naturally as they are founded on new technology. It is no surprise start-up hubs like Berlin are storming ahead especially when two of the world’s financial centres, the UK and USA, are reportedly not taking advantage of this technological age – 52% of businesses to be exact. The secret; start-ups are identifying opportunities amongst the chaos. Those sprinting ahead and others staying behind It is important to know what is considered ‘hype’ and what has proven its worth. AI is a form of technology that is sitting on the fence between becoming the next step for companies (30% of UK financial leaders have agreed with this) and being a piece of tech that won’t be ready for mass use for years to come. We are already seeing the genuinely authentic impact automation is having on a company’s way of working, as it takes on, not only the considered mundane tasks that employees fill their time with, but is impacting the fundamental structure of the company and allows for focus on goals that assist with the company’s progress. Blockchain and crypto currencies overall have a smaller impact but operate on a shorter timeline of implementation and we are able to bear witness to the results faster. For example; putting a name to one of those witnesses, HSBC are amongst the front runners to accomplish the world’s first commercially viable blockchain trade-finance transaction. This sounds like substantial progress, which it absolutely is, but any form of development especially in the technology space attracts an increased risk of cybercrime (we may have already touched on this, but cyber security is something worth mention two to three times over). With great new technology, comes great responsibility to handle it appropriately. What’s next? There is an argument to be had for whether or not ‘disruptive technology’ will disrupt the natural progression of legacy institutions or, if it will positively disrupt and encourage growth for a new level of success. It is all well and good talking about new technology and something that looks attractive, but most companies do end up falling into that awful trap of ‘its shiny and new, so let’s put it in there’ rather than actually taking a step back and looking at what they can already utilise within their business. The main qualifying question is; can this actually solve our business problem?

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EC News (18 July 2019)

Round-up of the weekly news and developments from the global (re)insurance market with stories from AJG, Apollo Syndicate Management, AIG and more. Arthur J. Gallagher names CEO of Employee Benefits Consulting Division, UK Global Insurance brokerage and risk management business, Arthur J. Gallagher (AJG) has announced the appointment of Nick Burns as chief executive officer (CEO) of its Employee Benefits Consulting Division in the UK. Prior to joining Gallagher, Burns was the CEO of PIFC Group, Bluefin Corporate Consulting and Capita Employee Solutions. More recently he has operated in the non-executive advisory space as an advisor and mentor for small to medium enterprises and start-ups in the employee benefits and creative technology sectors. In a recent press release Gallagher said it’s Employee Benefits Consulting Division, UK has experienced transformational growth over recent years and has grown to become a full-lifecycle consultancy. Leslie Lemenager, president, International, for Gallagher’s Employee Benefits Consulting and Brokerage, said: “Nick brings a breadth of experience to Gallagher. His leadership, direction and vision will help take the U.K. team’s strong foundation to a new level becoming a more agile, client-centric business, enabling us to continue to expand our client service capabilities across the U.K.” Apollo Syndicate Management appoints Nick Burkinshaw as new CUO Apollo Syndicate Management, the independent specialist (re)insurer at Lloyd’s, has named Nick Burkinshaw to the newly created position of chief underwriting officer (CUO). In his new role he will be responsible for overseeing the development of Apollo’s underwriting strategy, and will report to chief executive officer (CEO) David Ibeson. He will be supported by Nick Jones, Matthew Newman and Mark Rayner, the active underwriters of the three syndicates under Apollo’s management. Burkinshaw brings more than 3 decades of underwriting experience to Apollo Syndicate 1969, having most recently served as chairman of Specialty at Fidelis. Prior to this, he held several senior positions at Catlin since joining as a marine underwriter in 1992 (now AXA XL) including group underwriting board director and active underwriter between 2003 and 2014. Ibeson, CEO, said: “Apollo’s strength relies on our market-leading talent driving profitable growth in our areas of specialty. The role has been created as a result of the growth in size and the variety of classes written and planned to be written in the future,” Adding: “Nick is a recognised leader in the field, with an outstanding pedigree and track record of quality underwriting and management and will contribute significantly to the development and implementation of our long-term strategy.” Tom Parker joins AIG as new deputy CISO American International Group (AIG) has appointed Tom Parker as deputy chief information security officer (CISO), effectively immediately. Parker will work closely with Rick Baich AIG’s chief information security officer, in developing and leading the execution of AIG’s global cybersecurity risk management strategies. Prior to joining AIG he worked at Accenture Security where he was the growth, strategy and technology lead. He previously co-founded in 2011 and eventually sold to Accenture in 2015 a consultancy named FusionX, which provided innovative cyber risk management services. Prior to FusionX, he held leadership roles at numerous cyber security organisations, including the cyber security services arm of Verizon Business. He has published four books on the topic of information security, including “Cyber Adversary Characterisation – Auditing the Hacker Mind,” and is a frequent speaker at conferences around the world, including the BlackHat Briefings. He also contributes to organisations influencing the future of cyber security, such as the World Economic Forum’s Center for Cyber Security and the Atlantic Council Cyber Statecraft Initiative. Baich, CISO said: “Tom is a skilled technical engineer, accomplished entrepreneur and senior business strategist in the IT space. He has extensive experience leading technical operations teams and developing innovative solutions for companies on matters relating to cyber and information security, and he will provide valuable perspective as we continue to evolve our cyber risk management program at AIG.” Parker, deputy CISO, said: “This is an exciting time to join AIG as the company continues to implement a robust strategy to address current and emerging cyber risks. I look forward to working with Rich and the global team to further strengthen the security measures that protect the information of AIG and its insureds.” Convex Group partners with Cytora for AI-powered commercial underwriting International specialty (re)insurer, Convex Group which was launched by Stephen Catlin and Paul Brand has partnered with insurtech Cytora to develop artificial intelligence-powered solutions for commercial insurance. The partnership with Cytora will enable Convex to hopefully enhance its underwriting process; using data to achieve a more complete and increasingly accurate view of risk whilst helping underwriters improve risk selection. Adrian Spieler, chief operating officer at Convex, said: “At Convex, we are building an efficient and data-driven underwriting process, which from day one will enable us to provide the best possible products to our customers. By harnessing Cytora’s cutting edge infrastructure, we will be able to deliver upon our key strategic goals in an ever-changing landscape.” Richard Hartley, CEO at Cytora, added: “The commercial insurance industry is undergoing a fundamental shift that puts customers and data at the forefront. We’re excited to be partnering with Convex as they accelerate this transformation, and to provide them with the tools they need to better serve customers in the years to come.” Arcus Syndicate 1856 appoints Shepherd as new active underwriter Arcus Syndicate 1856 at Lloyd’s names Alex Shepherd as the new active underwriter for the syndicate, effective immediately. Shepherd joins from (re)insurance firm RenaissanceRe, working in London as its head of property for the Lloyd’s of London Syndicate 1458. Prior to that he worked as a deputy property underwriter at Canopius and has also worked at ACE Global Markets. In his new role he will take on responsibility for all of the Arcus 1856 syndicate’s underwriting activities, across the syndicate’s property reinsurance and specialty lines portfolio. Shepherd replaces David Booth, director of underwriting for Barbican Managing Agency, who was appointed interim active underwriter in July 2018. Adrian Gfeller, managing director, Arcus 1856, said: “I am delighted to announce that Alex has joined the team to head up our underwriting activities. He is an exceptional underwriter with over 20 years of industry experience spanning multiple industry sectors and territories and is a great addition to our management team. I would also like to thank David who has made a fantastic contribution to our ongoing success as interim active underwriter.” Shepherd said: “I am excited to be joining the Arcus 1856 team. The company operates a diverse but precisely balanced portfolio built upon a highly successful underwriting approach which combines alternative risk structures and traditional re/insurance products. It has an outstanding team of underwriting talent and I very much look forward to working with my colleagues to build upon the considerable achievements they have made to date.” Sompo announces trio to lead its Commercial P&C Unit Bermuda based specialty (re)insurer Sompo International Holdings (SIH) has announced that Michael Chang, Graham Evans and Christopher Sparro will co-lead Sompo International’s Commercial Property and Casualty (“SI Commercial P&C”) Insurance business, effective immediately. In their new roles, Chang, Evans and Sparro, in addition to Stephen Young, the CEO of Global Reinsurance, will report to Christopher Gallagher, the CEO of SI Commercial P&C. In line with this change, John Kuhn, the CEO and chief underwriting officer of SI Commercial P&C, has stepped down from his role. Chang joined Sompo International in 2016 as the CEO of Global Risk Solutions and is based in New York. Evans joined Sompo International in 2013 as the CEO of the European Insurance business and is based in London. Additionally Sparro, who is based in New York, joined in 2016 as the CEO of North American Insurance. Gallagher, CEO, commented: “This restructuring clearly demonstrates the continuing transformation of Sompo International’s commercial P&C insurance business. We have assembled a strong group of experienced and talented insurance and reinsurance underwriting leaders who are extremely capable of leading this organization going forward. I am confident that we are well positioned to continue to create value for our clients, distribution partners and other stakeholders and that the SI Commercial P&C business will become an even more meaningful contributor to the overall results of the Sompo Group. I would like to thank Jack for his contributions since joining the company and wish him the very best in his future endeavors.” Nigel Frudd, CEO of SIH said: “Our industry is at a critical point as consolidation continues and pricing appears to be gaining favourable momentum. Sompo International has the leadership, resources and capabilities to take advantage of these opportunities and are committed to achieving significant growth organically, strategically by M&A and through global partnerships. The changes announced today highlight the depth of the talent which we believe will allow us to exceed our ambitious objectives.”

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‘Switzerland the next progressive innovator’

Covering technology in the Swiss market is no easy feat. Not only is the world of blockchain adapting and evolving in what seems a continuous cycle, but working in places like Zurich for example involves a lot of moving parts. This can often act as a deterrent to professionals considering making the move. But my aim over the next few months is to include invaluable information discussing everything from the current market and technology trends, to relocation guides and essential insights. What exactly is Blockchain and what are we currently seeing? As a catch up for those not familiar with the premise of what blockchain is; ‘Blockchain is the technology that underpins digital currency (for example; Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin etc.) This technology allows digital information to be shared, but not copied, giving each individual piece of data one owner. (You may also hear it described as a ‘digital ledger’.) How can Switzerland evolve into a progressive innovator? Driven by blockchain technology, there is without doubt a hype surrounding this subject and it is now more of a question of when and in what areas in the next two to five years blockchain will establish itself. Albeit to varying extents, blockchain reaches all sectors of the swiss economy. Currently in Switzerland the financial services, logistics, insurance, healthcare and public administration are deemed as pioneers in Blockchain technology. These key sectors of the swiss economy, if handled effectively, can present Switzerland with the opportunity to evolve and become a progressive innovator. As with any new or growing technology, its success depends on a number of factors; some considered simple such as the timing of the launch can be a critical stage. However, let’s not forget the external factors such as other competing developers in both the private sectors (companies experimenting with blockchain) and public sectors (countries hosting Fintech firms). Where does Switzerland stand in this? No matter what, blockchain technology will continue to develop with increasing maturity and with a growing number of professionals contributing ideas to its progression and producing more versions of prototypes and initiatives. Switzerland is in the spotlight to review its position and prove its legitimacy to being at the forefront for developing blockchain technology. Something to consider as we discuss this topic more; Does Blockchain influence or change the execution of internal and external core processes and procedures?

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To have a PMO or not to have a PMO – that is the question

The place of a PMO ( Project Management Office) within an organisation has been revised, evolved, and only recently questioned. PMO tasks can understandably vary from company to company, however the goal is always the same. The PMO is expected to achieve savings by providing more efficient and successful project handling. So, what is the reason for companies taking a step back for hiring in this area? It cannot be because the demand has decreased for this structure in a company – so it has to be money? Brexit? Budget cuts? Restructure of priorities? Investment in project management The only way you will keep a project thriving is to have a central responsible hub; that is the PMO. It will assist in increasing the maturity level of your company’s project management, along with helping processes run smoothly and enhancing the chances of a project being completed successfully. However, project management is only as good as the people doing the delivering. Companies have a PMO for one or more of the following reasons because it can provide: Strategic alignment – a PMO can prioritise and align the projects portfolio to the company strategy. Reusability - sharing of knowledge stops project teams from reinventing the wheel and makes the PMO the central point for best practice (also ensuring accountability on all levels) Communication – a PMO is a friend to stakeholders and can support project managers in executing tasks effectively Recent research demonstrates that a PMO’s role has evolved both in the services it delivers and the influence it has on decision making and project implementation. Unfortunately, an often vital part of the business can seem as a huge unnecessary investment when there may be a simpler, less effective, less expensive option available. It can often give a daunting indication as to the money that needs to be spent in hiring the right people. Do the challenges outweigh the solutions The changes we are seeing in the industry and country at the moment can throw a shade of uncertainty into the mix. It is understandable, but the business wheel will continue to turn and a functioning structure as vital as a PMO cannot be pushed aside – it could cause more costs and problems then wanted. Brexit, the full implications of which are not yet clear but one thing is for certain, and that is each of us will be impacted in one way or another. As we are focusing on project management, it could mean a PMO’s focus will shift to working on projects that are introduced to manage the changes Brexit causes within a company. The opportunities and challenges for PMOs will continue this year and into 2020. The matter still stands that for a project to complete its mission in being efficient, cost saving and stragetic; someone needs to be at the helm in charge. How do you see your companies PMO trends evolving and adapting?

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The first line of defence you cannot afford to miss

A long standing impression within companies across banking, technology and financial services, is that cyber security is for the back server rooms and that they only emerge when there is a questionable email from an unruly sender. Sounds like the IT team right? Before the importance of cyber security was made clear, it was a natural reaction for company owners to treat cyber risk as a technical issue and delegate it to the IT department. No more excuses It has up until recently been handled in the predictable fashion, that many companies will be naïve to the threats, and then wait until the breach inevitably does happens and their financial / data information is at stake, before they act and do something about it. This vital function has developed way beyond the conventional structure it previously followed and the growing technological advances within companies makes them more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. To ensure a sustained resilience to cyberattacks, organisations must now implement a new culture-wide opinion on this area of their business and its integrated data driven decisions. Miscommunication and a lack of transparency in a business can waste resources, create unwanted costs and affects alignment; in this situation, alignment around a company-wide strategy to reduce cyber risk and educate on its importance. The focus is currently being placed on companies taking their time to review their information technology processes. It is tempting to jump on the hype of the latest software and throw resources at the problem. A number of companies assume the threat will go away if they persuade hackers to join the payroll. Where is the best place to start? It may seem an unnecessary hassle to adopt a new strategic security outlook but, the advantages will undeniably outweigh the challenges. This approach will ensure that a risk-based mind-set is embedded in the company’s outlook. Recent leaders in this initiative have begun to build out and give domain to their security teams involving the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Chief Risk Officer (CRO) as well as the technical support. A true coordinated approach is recognising that no one leader or team will be able to achieve a complete perspective needed to succeed in the cyber domain. New technology equals more questions than answers With any new venture or restructure in a company, there will be a teething period. That time before a permanent structure is put in place, allows contractors to utilise their project management skills, to set the company on the right course of action. With a gap in the market for ‘unicorn’ cyber security professionals who, have the technical knowledge but, also the ability to relay that insight to a board of stakeholders, are we going to see a boom in demand and the hype for the cyber and information security market? As of last year 75% of companies were nowhere close to being equipped for a security breach in their systems; do we now need that first line of defence more than ever?

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#WhatDrivesYou Launch Day

We have been spending some time trying to dig deeper into what it means to work at Eames. What ties us together as individuals and pushes us towards our vision of the sustained growth and development of relationships? We believe that is drive. An urgent, energetic ambition and desire to succeed that is inside all of us. That's our common goal. So we asked our team, what drives them? And can they put that drive into action? They showed us their competitive spirit and their camaraderie with a day on the go-kart track. What better way to launch our #WhatDrivesYou campaign? What Drives You? Head over to our careers site for a closer look into opportunities with Eames.

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Check out Matthew Eames on the RAG Podcast

Matthew Eames spent a little time in the podcast booth with Hoxo Media CEO, Sean Anderson talking all things agency growth. As part of Sean's newly launched Recruitment Agency Growth podcast, he digs into the minds of owners and leaders of recruitment agencies to discover the secrets to successful growth. Sharing his journey from a small office in Hammersmith in 2002 to an international team of 140, Matthew regaled Sean on the highs and lows of starting a recruitment agency and the passion and drive needed to make it a success. "You've got to love what you do!" An inspiring and engaging listen for anyone in the recruitment sector. Listen now: The RAG Podcast - Episode 7 - Matthew Eames

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Going Back to The Future

Over the past three weeks Eames has rolled out Lightning; the latest release of Salesforce across our offices in London and Asia. Arguably one of the best recruitment CRM systems on the market, Salesforce has increased our productivity in revenue terms as well as speed of access to information. It provides us with a customisable and cloud-based platform to underpin our growth plans and more crucially, our sales strategy and has made Eames a slicker and more efficient place to work. Technology and data are driving the business world and we believe the recruitment industry is no exception. We’re embracing data and technology more than ever before to enable us to become even more immersed in our specialist markets. We’ve got ambitious plans for growth; but this will be contingent on strong systems and swift access to high quality information. Salesforce is taking us Back to the Future. Enhancing our market-leading platform Driven and talented recruitment professionals can already expect to be supported by strong infrastructure at Eames. Maximising the benefits of Salesforce from the mobile app, to its speed and personalisation features will mean we're at the forefront of relationship-driven and innovative recruitment. A common approach to how we manage our business relationships is critical as the business grows. We believe passionately that building relationships underpins our success. We’re embracing Salesforce to support our sales strategy. Enable client and candidate engagement Having launched a new corporate website on the Volcanic platform in 2017 we have been committed to ensuring we deliver an outstanding user experience; be that to our candidates, clients or employees. We have always aimed to align to suppliers who not only share our passion for customer success but who also see the benefit in building strategic business partnerships. Working closely with Volcanic and the team at Salesforce we’ve been able to build what we believe to be the strongest platform to enable and nurture client and candidate relationships. I’ve encouraged the business to embrace Salesforce much like Marty and Doc and their trusty DeLorean. Drive it with all its intent, and with such opportunity at our fingertips, it’s hard not to be excited about the possibilities of what we can achieve.

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Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday, will be sufficient for tomorrow.

RenaissanceRe,

stephen Young

EC News (18 July 2019)

Blockchain

blockchain technology

‘Switzerland the next progressive innovator’

Change Management

Transformation

To have a PMO or not to have a PMO – that is the question

HomeNews

cyber risk

The first line of defence you cannot afford to miss

WhatDrivesYou

TeamEames

#WhatDrivesYou Launch Day

Podcast

sean anderson

Check out Matthew Eames on the RAG Podcast

TeamEames

Internal Vacancies

Going Back to The Future

FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN DRIVE YOUR RECRUITMENT CAREER FORWARD WITH TEAM EAMES

CONNECTING TALENT

Insurance

Financial Services

Technology

insurance

HomeNews

Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday, will be sufficient for tomorrow.

RenaissanceRe,

stephen Young

EC News (18 July 2019)

Blockchain

blockchain technology

‘Switzerland the next progressive innovator’

Change Management

Transformation

To have a PMO or not to have a PMO – that is the question

HomeNews

cyber risk

The first line of defence you cannot afford to miss

WhatDrivesYou

TeamEames

#WhatDrivesYou Launch Day

Podcast

sean anderson

Check out Matthew Eames on the RAG Podcast

TeamEames

Internal Vacancies

Going Back to The Future

​FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN DRIVE YOUR RECRUITMENT CAREER FORWARD WITH TEAM EAMES

FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN DRIVE YOUR RECRUITMENT CAREER FORWARD WITH TEAM EAMES