In this episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas is joined by Chris Pearce, Chief Data Officer at esure.

Chris shares his fascinating journey from a childhood love of video games to leading one of the UK’s most advanced data and AI transformations in the insurance industry.

We explore Chris’s academic path from mathematics to a PhD in epidemiology, his early career spanning banking, automotive, and aggregators, and his progression into insurance leadership. Along the way, Chris gives a brutally honest view on the evolution of the CDO role, the hype and reality of AI in production, and how esure has embedded over a dozen generative AI use cases into the frontline of its business.

Key topics discussed:

• Why video games sparked Chris’s interest in problem-solving and led to a career in data
• What a PhD in epidemiology taught him about resilience, research, and learning how little you know
• His early career in banking, Mercedes-Benz, and MoneySuperMarket and how each built his leadership toolkit
• Entering insurance with Hastings Direct and building data science teams across pricing, fraud, and claims
• Becoming CDO at esure and building an enterprise-wide data and AI capability
• The differences between 1st-gen and 2nd-gen Chief Data Officer roles
• What most people misunderstand about driving value from data science
• How to thrive as a leader without losing your technical edge
• What 16 GenAI use cases in production actually looks like in practice
• Where the CDO role is heading, and why agentic AI is next

This is a brilliant insight into the mindset and career history of a modern, new CDO and what's next for data leaders in the insurance sector.

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Chris on LinkedIn: Connect Here

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable!

New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams.

In this episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas is joined by David Clamp Founder of The Camelot Network, a network of independent consultants serving the insurance sector.

From apprentice electronic engineer to insurance transformation leader and founder of a thriving network of 150+ independent experts, David Clamp’s career path has had some key milestones and changes in direction. In this episode, David shares the pivotal moments that shaped his journey, the birth of The Camelot Network, and his mission to reinvent what it means to be an independent advisor in insurance.

We dive into:

• Leaving corporate life and embracing risk at 50
• Building The Camelot Network from a pub meetup to a market force
• Bridging the gap between insurance and insurtech
• What makes a successful independent consultant
• The future of AI, data, and operating models in insurance

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• David on LinkedIn: Connect Here

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable!

New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: www.invectagroup.com

In this episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas is joined by Daren Rudd, Head of Insurance Business and Technology Consulting at CGI.

Daren is a self-proclaimed "non-traditional CTO" whose route into insurance technology started not with a computer science degree, but a geography course and a job in marketing. Daren's path is a masterclass in curiosity, resilience and leadership that prioritises strategic impact over ego or titles.

We delve into the pivotal moments that have shaped his 30+ year career, including a decade at Hiscox, a stint at Brit, the leap into consulting, and his current leadership role at CGI. Along the way, we explore how insurance businesses are tackling modernisation, the risks of layering AI on legacy, and why tech leaders need to stop pretending they have all the answers.

Whether you're a current or aspiring leader, Daren's story offers an honest and refreshingly practical view on what good leadership actually looks like in insurance tech today.

Key topics we cover include:

• Why Daren swapped marketing for tech (with no formal background)
• What makes a great BA and why it's not just a stepping stone
• Leading without being the expert: lessons in facilitation
• The danger of "AI as a silver bullet" for legacy systems
• What today’s insurance clients really need: clarity, resilience, and pragmatism

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Daren on LinkedIn: Connect Here

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable!

New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: www.invectagroup.com

In this episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas by Paul Butler, newly appointed CTO of Hiscox Re & ILS and former CTO of Hiscox London Market.

Paul’s journey is anything but typical. From writing code as a teenager on a ZX Spectrum to launching tech for startups in Borough Market and leading reinsurance innovation at one of the most recognised names in the London Market, his story is full of surprises, learnings, and sharp insights.

We dive into:

• Why coming from outside insurance gave Paul the right tools for success inside it
• How he scaled a startup from 10 to 350 people while battling burnout
• The pivot from project to product thinking at Hiscox
• How hiring for attitude (not just skillset) helped him build high-impact teams
• What he learned from selling data products to hedge funds
• The future of insurance automation and why underwriters still matter

Plus, Paul shares his take on flow engineering, embracing multi-cloud, and loads more.

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Paul on LinkedIn: Connect Here

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable!

New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: www.invectagroup.com

In this episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas is joined by Krishnan Ethirajan, Chief Digital & AI Officer at Mosaic Insurance. Krishnan shares his fascinating journey from studying neural networks in the 1980s to leading cutting-edge AI initiatives in the global insurance sector. With a background that spans academia, consulting, and executive leadership, Krishnan's career is anything but linear. Together, they explore pivotal moments in his personal and professional life, how early exposure to neuroscience shaped his thinking on AI, and why staying uncomfortable is often the best place to grow.

Key Topics Covered:

• Growing up in India and pursuing engineering
• Studying AI and brain cognition in the 1980s
• Building a PhD from scratch at University of Houston
• Early neural networks and NASA-funded research
• Selling his first company at 26 and choosing not to retire
• Transition from academia to John Deere to Allstate
• Moving into consulting with Gartner and PwC
• Becoming CEO of Ironshore after being their consultant
• Founding Mosaic Insurance in the middle of the pandemic
• Driving value through AI, tech and strategic innovation
• How to build differentiated, future-facing AI in insurance

From brain plasticity and robotics to insurance operations and AI-led underwriting, this is an episode filled with thoughtful reflection, practical advice, and inspiring insights. Whether you're a tech leader, aspiring executive, or someone curious about where AI and insurance intersect, this is not one to miss

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Krishnan on LinkedIn: Connect Here

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable!

New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: www.invectagroup.com

In this week's episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas is joined by Ketan Motwani, COO at Arch Insurance, for a rich and refreshingly candid conversation about career reinvention, resilience, and rising through transformation. From rebelling at school in India to being parachuted into boardrooms in the UK, Ketan’s story spans military training, software engineering, Deloitte consulting, and executive leadership at Aon and Arch.

Key Topics Covered:

• From physics to the Indian Army to Deloitte: an unconventional start
• How transformation became his leadership DNA
• Making the shift from consulting to industry (and how having twins was the catalyst)
• The evolution of the COO role — and why it’s not one-size-fits-all
• Embedding AI as part of a broader operating model shift
• Advice for aspiring COOs on building a rounded career

We unpack the pivotal decisions that shaped his journey, the mindset shift required to go from change agent to COO, and why the London Market's data challenge is today’s biggest opportunity. Whether you’re an aspiring leader, a transformation junkie, or just love a great story - there’s something in here for you.

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Ketan on LinkedIn: Connect Here

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable!

New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: www.invectagroup.com

In this weeks episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas sits down with Arvinder Mudhar, Group CIO of IQUW, whose career spans investment banking, global tech transformation, and the intricacies of the insurance world. From his first lines of BASIC code in East London to leading IT strategies across Mumbai, Geneva, and now London, Arvinder's journey is anything but typical.

Key topics that we discussed include:

• Why he never planned to be a leader, and how he found his way into the CIO chair
• The biggest cultural shift he experienced when moving from banking to insurance
• How bereavement counselling and career coaching shaped him into a better leader
• His view on AI as the most profound shift in tech in our lifetime
• Why insurance needs a CMO for the next generation

This episode is packed with practical advice for anyone considering a career in tech leadership, as well as deeply human insights into how people grow, change and lead through challenge.

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Arvinder on LinkedIn: Connect Here

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable!

New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: www.invectagroup.com

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas sits down with Hélène Stanway independent advisor and former Head of Digital & Innovation at AXA XL. With a career spanning more than 30 years across reinsurance, operations, digital innovation, and data, Hélène has carved a truly unique path through the insurance industry.

In this wide-ranging conversation, we unpack her zigzag career journey, how curiosity led her into the world of insurtech and emerging tech, and why she's convinced insurance doesn’t have a technology problem but an adoption problem. From reinsurance recoveries in Farnborough to spearheading global innovation strategies and now advising organisations across the market, Helene shares wisdom on leading transformation, creating space for change, and making the leap to work independently.

Key topics discussed:

• How Hélène intentionally chose insurance (yes, really!) and started in outwards reinsurance
• The pivotal moment RPA sparked her passion for innovation
• Transitioning from global operations to a digital innovation leadership role at AXA XL
• Why success in innovation starts with structure, not just ideas
• The secret to driving adoption in legacy-heavy environments
• What most insurers are getting wrong about AI and talent strategy
• Why insurers must think beyond efficiency and start solving for growth
• The reality of becoming an independent advisor - and the challenges of BD without playing golf
• The power of breadth over linear career paths
• Hélène’s call for insurance to become service-led, not just product-led

This is a fascinating story of career evolution and how you can flip what you are doing quickly, the challenges that change presents and whole lot more.

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Hélène on LinkedIn: Connect Here

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable!

New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: linkedin.com/company/invecta-group

In this week's episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas sits down with Sally Ng, Change and Technology Delivery Director at RSA. Sally shares her remarkable journey - from arriving in the UK as a child with no English language skills, to becoming a leading force in transformation delivery within one of the UK's most historic insurers.

We explore her early creative passions, how growing up in a family-run Chinese takeaway instilled a fierce work ethic, and the pivotal moment she swapped a future in art for a career in technology. Sally talks candidly about her time in consulting at Accenture, her transition into industry with QBE and DXC, and how RSA is now embracing a bold future as part of the Intact Group.

Key topics discussed:

• Sally’s journey from Hong Kong to Greenwich and how it shaped her resilience
• A decade at Accenture: consulting as a fast-track training ground
• Moving into industry and finding her voice as a leader
• The power of the Chief of Staff role in shaping her outlook
• Learning when to let go as a leader and why it’s critical for growth
• Delivering tech and data transformation at RSA as it becomes part of Intact
• Her passion for diversity in tech and giving back to the next generation
• Why insurance is ripe for innovation and full of purpose at its core
• Advice on navigating imposter syndrome, career pivots, and building self-worth

This episode is a powerful story of grit, growth, and leadership from someone who never set out to be in tech but is now helping shape its future in UK insurance.

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Sally on LinkedIn: Connect Here

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable!

New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: linkedin.com/company/invecta-group

In this week's episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas sits down with Hasani Jess, Group CTO at Aventum Group. Hasani shares his fascinating journey from an early love of technology (sparked by an old-school typewriter that his mum brought home!) through a career spanning global consulting firms, banking, healthcare, luxury retail, travel, and now, speciality insurance.

We cover pivotal career moments, the transition from engineer to leader, and how strategic decisions and mentorship shaped his progression into senior leadership. We also dive deep into the transformation underway at Aventum Group and Hasani’s vision of creating a true Insurtech leader within speciality insurance.

Key topics discussed:

• How Hasani first discovered his passion for technology (and journalism!)
• Lessons from early career roles at BT, IBM, Morgan Stanley, and Visa
• His critical transition from hands-on engineer to leadership at UnitedHealth UK
• How working at Harrods and TUI shaped his views on operational pace and customer focus
• Securing his first CTO role at Simply Business and navigating that leap
• The power of mentoring and deliberate career planning
• Building a technology-led culture at Aventum Group
• Hasani’s take on AI’s role in insurance and the future of digital collaboration
• Why keeping great teams engaged is one of the biggest leadership challenges

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Hasani on LinkedIn: Connect Here

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable!

New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: linkedin.com/company/invecta-group