Insurance is an amazing industry. We insure that which is most precious to us. Our health. Our life. Our homes. Our businesses. Insurance is essential to the wellbeing of our personal and business lives, and forms the bedrock on which we build safe and thriving societies.

To those outside the industry, insurance appears “staid” and even “boring”. But inside, it is a complex, sophisticated, subtle, technical and truly global industry. Understanding risk, managing risk, pricing risk — this is non-trivial and requires patience, insight and thoughtfulness. Designing relevant products, and efficiently distributing these products, requires creativity and sales leadership. Innovating new technology while managing existing technical environments requires constant juggling, prioritization and shifting of resources. Managing the balance sheet, dealing with regulators, finding ways to prudently grow assets — all ask for the best minds and decision makers. Staid? Boring? Insurance is anything but that.

Moreover, this is an industry that is on the cusp of incredible change, as forces all around the industry are creating an environment that requires adaptation, evolution and even revolution. Innovation. Disruption. Digitalization. These are no longer mere “buzzwords”, but these are truly apt descriptions of what is happening right now. The industry is being disrupted. Insurance companies must innovate. And digitalization is not going away.

I look forward to joining you in this new world of insurance. May you find it exciting, stimulating, challenging and rewarding!