Leader's Edge

With the last day of the conference buzzing around us, the Leader’s Edge podcast caught up with Rob Newbold, president of extreme event solutions at Verisk.

He shared takeaways from Verisk’s latest Global Modeled Catastrophe Losses report, discussed how modeling has evolved to use new data and technology and respond to modern climate risk, and offered suggestions for better integration and use of advanced modeling in the insurance ecosystem.

Speaking with the Leader’s Edge podcast at the Insurance Leadership Forum, Julie Wood, CEO of QBE North America, discusses the culture of dialogue, thoughtful listening, and transparency that she is fostering at QBE.

She shares candid learning experiences from her personal history that are truly valuable lessons for leaders everywhere.

Sitting down with Leader’s Edge during at the Insurance Leadership Forum, Mike Victorson, CEO of M3 Insurance and co-CEO of BrokerTech Ventures, takes us back to his first real leadership experience and all the way through to what the next five years of innovation could look like in the insurance industry. Don’t miss this conversation live from ILF!

In this episode of the Personal Lines podcast, Chad King, CEO of King Risk Partners, shares how his career pursuits led him from professional baseball to insurance, what its like running a small business, and shares stories of leadership and innovation.

Every October, millions of Americans flock to haunted house attractions, or "haunts" as they are also called, to be entertained.

From theme parks to mom-and-pop operations, over 1,200 haunted attractions open their doors to scare seekers each year, according to the organization America Haunts. The haunted house industry generates $500 million in ticket sales annually, with an average of 8,000 guests per attraction and some locations employing dozens of scare actors. But in this business, the risks—like the devil—are in the details.

For the Leader’s Edge podcast, market analyst and podcast producer Zach Ewell spoke with people who love working at scare attractions and people who insure them. They share the risks that put them in danger and the policies that protect them.

In this episode of the Personal Lines podcast, Curtis Barton, CEO of ALKEME, shares why he chose a career in insurance, what it was like building a business alongside his father, and the most valuable business lesson he’s learned along the way.

Nationwide’s John Anthony,  SVP, Contract P&C and Excess,  E&S Wholesale, discusses advanced data use in E&S underwriting.

In this episode, we dive deep into advancements in data analysis in underwriting in excess and surplus lines.

We discuss how the evolution of  third-party data and the use of  AI have helped turn raw data into usable information, change management and barriers to implementing advanced technology in underwriting, and what’s on the horizon in this changing field.  

AXA XL’s Head of Wholesale Solutions in the Americas Tim Whisler discusses growth, goals, and getting there.

In our latest conversation with AXA XL, we discuss their focus on building out their wholesale solutions, including the programs segment, excess & surplus (E&S), and the wholesale underwriting unit.

Topics include the value of the wholesale broker in complex risk markets, trends in E&S, and the importance of talent in achieving growth goals. 

Lisa Hawker, Regional COO of people solutions at Lockton, and the current chair of the Council of Employee Benefits Executives, and Jenn Walsh, Founder and CEO of Genuine Shift, sat down with Leader’s Edge at the 2025 Employee Benefits Leadership Forum.

They share stories drawn from over 30 years each of experience, muse on trends, and focus on the future of employee benefits.  

Presidents, rock stars, and Super Bowl champions are just a few of Tom O’Neal’s subjects.

Tom O’Neal's career has spanned over half a century. He made an early name for himself during the 1960s and ’70s, with photographs gracing the album covers of rock legends such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Steppenwolf, B.B. King, John Denver, and many, many more.

In addition to photographing the musicians and songwriters who defined a generation, Tom has spent the past two decades photographing events hosted by The Council. After wrapping up a conference, podcast Producer Zach Ewell sat down with Tom to discuss his history with The Council, how he gets his subjects to open up, and how he feels about the ever-changing media landscape.