In this episode of The Underwriting Intelligence Podcast, Amrit sits down with Ben Laidlaw, Managing Director at Carbon Underwriting, to explore how a tech-first approach, data-driven decision making, and a career growth centred culture are redefining delegated authority underwriting in the Lloyd’s market.

Ben shares insights from his journey building Carbon from an MGU startup to a full Syndicate, and how the company’s proprietary Graphene platform empowers underwriters, quants, and technologists to work together seamlessly. He explains why early investment in technology, hiring outside-the-industry talent, and embedding data into everyday workflows have been critical to scaling Carbon while maintaining agility, culture, and innovation.

In this episode, Amrit and Ben dive into:

• How Carbon combined underwriting expertise with a tech-first mindset to build Graphene
• The challenge of bridging technical and underwriting teams, and why culture drives adoption
• Hiring strategies for hybrid talent and creating a “21st century underwriting grad scheme”
• How data, platforms, and people intersect to drive better decisions, partner relationships, and long-term growth

Whether you’re an insurance executive, insurtech founder, or tech leader in financial services, this episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at building a modern, data-driven, and people-centred insurance business that balances innovation, scale, and operational excellence.