Behind the Desk... with Mark Thomas

Welcome to another episode of the Behind the Desk podcast. In this episode, I’m joined by Linda Cooke, group CIO (Chief Information Officer) at leading specialty (re)insurance company, Chaucer.  

Linda has been working in technology for over 25 years and joined Chaucer a year ago in a newly created CIO role. A year into the role, and with over two decades of experience behind her, Linda and I talk about the challenges she’s faced in taking on the top role in technology and how the learning she’s taken from the last 20 years has helped shape how she’s tackled those challenges.  

In this episode, Linda gives some brilliant advice to those just starting out in their careers, graduates and those hovering at levels just level CIO. We get to see how she’s shaped her career by taking sideways moves and always trying to be brave when taking risks in her career moves.  

Linda was a great guest, and I loved to hear her talk about how her career has evolved and her candid insight into the good and the bad she’s experienced along the way.  

So, let’s get behind the desk with Linda Cooke.  

Connect with Linda on LinkedIn.  

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Welcome to Episode 25, Season 3 of the Behind the Desk Podcast! Join me as I chat with Paul Brotzel, who has recently left his role as CIO at Aon in the UK. 

Paul has a huge amount of technology leadership experience, having led technology functions for over 20 years. He's spent the last nine years working for Aon in CIO positions across various areas of their business. Prior to that, he spent time at Allianz, as well as a few other well-known firms. In this episode I chat to Paul about his evolution into the CIO role, how he's seen the position and the insurance industry evolve in his time working in the sector. 

This episode has heaps of advice for those budding CIOs listening to the podcast. So, without further delay, let's get behind the desk with Paul Brotzel. 

Connect with Paul on LinkedIn. 

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This was the final episode of the previous season of Behind the Desk and officially holds the record for the most listens across the podcast so far - so I thought there was no better time than now to re-release it for those who haven't listened yet!

Jen is currently leading a huge TOM redesign and RSA and was a brilliant guest. She is a Women in Technology advocate, STEM ambassador and qualified coach. In this episode, she talks about her views on how we start turning the dial on diversity and inclusion, how the insurance industry compares to the travel industry, the idea of open insurance and her approach to change and transformation.

This was easily one of the most enjoyable conversations I have had so far, so much so we nearly hit the hour mark. Jen has an amazing career history, from coding at four years old to working in the travel industry, falling back into technology accidentally, and becoming an Insurtech leader.

I can’t wait for you to hear her story, so let’s get behind the desk with Jen. 

Welcome to Episode 23, Season 3 of the Behind the Desk Podcast! Join me as I chat with Louise Marling, previous Chief Operating Officer at Hiscox. Louise has recently left Hiscox as the COO of their UK retail business and is about to take some time out before she embarks on her next position. 

Louise has had a variety of experiences throughout her career from starting as an insurance clerk after completing her economics degree to being in a key leadership role at Hiscox. She's amassed a depth and breadth of experience that is rare to see.  

I've known Louise for a couple of years now and I am so excited I get to speak to her on my podcast. In this episode, she shares some brilliant insights on how to overcome challenges in life and your career.  Louise is great and I'm really looking forward to seeing what she does for her next role. But before that, let's get behind the desk with Louise Marling. 

Connect with Louise on LinkedIn. 

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn.  

Welcome to Episode 22, Season 3 of the Behind the Desk Podcast! Join me as I chat with Karen McDonagh Reynolds, Chief Transformation Officer at Velonetic. She is leading arguably the most groundbreaking and pivotal transformation initiatives in the insurance sector - delivering Blueprint II at Velonetic, previously known as the Lloyds Joint Venture. 

In this episode, we speak about her career, which did not start off in insurance. She shares with us her journey of how she got into insurance, and how different it looked both culturally and from a technology perspective.  

Karen has not only been named in the CIO Top 100 twice but has led some of the most groundbreaking technology modernization initiatives across some of the biggest names in the sector. Most importantly, she has a brilliant personality with an infectious nature and is the kind of person you could talk to for absolutely hours. And I very nearly did so. 

Let's get behind the desk with Karen McDonough Reynolds. 

Connect with Karen on LinkedIn. 

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn.  

Welcome to Episode 21, Season 3 of the Behind the Desk Podcast! Join me as I chat with Graeme Howard, who has recently left his role as CTIO at Covéa Insurance in the UK, to work on some short-term engagements as a non-exec.

In this episode, we really find out why Graeme isn't your typical insurance CIO with a typical background. Talking us through his thoughts and history he shares some invaluable lessons about resilience, leading high-performing teams, and simply what is possible in a sector like insurance when you look outside of the industry for some inspiration. There are some brilliant stories in this episode, and I personally learned a lot from chatting with him and I hope you do too. Let’s get behind the desk with Graeme. 

Connect with Graeme on LinkedIn. 

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Welcome to Episode 20, Season 3 of the Behind the Desk Podcast! Join me as I chat with Chris Wyard, Chief Data Officer at Beazley. 

Chris joined Beazley nearly 18 months ago in a key leadership role leading their data strategy as the business embarks on a major multi-year modernisation agenda. Chris has previously spent 12 years working for Allianz where he joined as a grad and evolved into becoming their Chief Data Officer. 

I've known Chris for a few years now, but it was great to understand how he found his passion in data, going back to the start to understand how he shaped his career over the last 15 years. He shares brilliant insight and advice, especially around the importance of curiosity and finding niches within the industry. He is a great person, and I could have spoken to him for hours about his journey and his views on the insurance sector. Let’s get behind the desk with Chris. 

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn. 

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn. 

Welcome to the third season, and Episode 19 of the Behind the Desk Podcast! Join me as I chat with Mike Samra, the Chief Technology Officer at the AA. 

In this episode, we delve into valuable insights from a seasoned leader who recently transitioned from a decade-long career in the London market insurance to a new venture with the AA, where he's been for the past nine months. 

Mike brings an infectious personality and a rich background that spans from software engineering to architectural expertise and leadership. Throughout our conversation, he shares incredible insights from his career and sprinkles some pearls of wisdom. I'm certain you'll find these nuggets of advice both valuable and enjoyable. Let’s get behind the desk with Mike. 

Connect with Mike on LinkedIn. 

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In episode 12 of season three of Behind the Desk, I am joined by Jen Dallas who is the Capability Transformation Director at RSA.  

Jen is a Women in Tech advocate, STEM ambassador and qualified coach. In this episode, she talks about her views on how we start turning the dial on diversity and inclusion, how the insurance industry compares to the travel industry, the idea of open insurance and her approach to change and transformation.

This was easily one of the most enjoyable conversations I have had so far, so much so we nearly hit the hour mark. Jen has an amazing career history from coding at 4 years old, to working in the travel industry, falling back into technology accidentally to becoming a leader in the Insurtech space. I can’t wait for you to hear her story, so let’s get behind the desk with Jen. 

Connect with Jen on LinkedIn. 

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn. 

In episode 10 of season three of Behind the Desk I am joined by Pravina Ladva, who is the Group Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Swiss Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies. 

Pravina is one of the most respected technology leaders in the insurance space, and I have been trying to get her on the podcast for a while now. So, undoubtably I enjoyed every second of our chat. 

In this episode we covered a lot about her route into insurance technology, her passion for change and growth and the link it has with her career development, her views on diversity within the insurance sector and a bit about what’s on her agenda at Swiss Re. She also shines a light on how we can take the current challenges in our market and use them to fuel opportunities in tech. 

Pravina has achieved so much in her career across multiple sectors, and this interview is one which will not disappoint, so let’s get behind the desk with Pravina. 

Connect with Pravina on LinkedIn. 

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn.