On Aon — Episode 98

How Leaders Stay Ahead: Balancing Risk and Strategic Choices

In this episode of On Aon, Aaron Olson, executive vice president for  Aon's Enterprise Client Group and co-author of the book Strategy and Change: Finding Opportunity in Disruption Through Insight, Choice and Risk, is joined by co-authors Richard Waterer, Aon's global risk consulting leader, and Ward Ching, Aon’s managing director of global risk finance. Together, they explore what it takes for leaders to stay ahead in a world of volatility — sharing approaches to balance risk, embrace change and uncover new paths for growth and innovation.

Key takeaways: Aaron, Richard and Ward explore three key themes:

1. Insight – To succeed, organizations must strengthen pattern recognition and systems thinking to surface blind spots and assumptions before they turn into costly errors.
2. Choice – Business leaders need to focus on improving strategic choices and understand the impact of each decision to ensure every choice supports their goals.
3. Risk – Rather than avoiding risk, organizations can harness it as a catalyst for growth — aligning risk appetite, feedback from incidents and execution so organizations can move boldly and adapt quickly.

Experts in this episode:

• Aaron Olson —  Executive Vice President, Enterprise Client Group, Aon
• Richard Waterer — Global Risk Consulting Leader, Commercial Risk, Aon
• Ward Ching — Managing Director, Global Risk Finance, Aon

Key moments:

(3:34) Aaron explains the concepts of insight, choice and risk — critical capabilities for navigating disruptive change that leaders and organizations will need to build.

(5:53) Ward highlights how we have moved from the information age to the digital age, where information is being curated in fundamentally new ways, which reshapes the way leaders need to think about strategic choice and disruption.   

(10:20) Richard explains how risk has often been misunderstood as something to avoid when it can be seen as a driver of insight and opportunity.

Additional Resources:

Strategy and Change: Finding Opportunity in Disruption Through Insight, Choice and Risk

Findings from Aon’s Global Risk Management Survey

Soundbites

Richard Waterer:
“So the idea is simple by clearly defining how much risk an organization is willing to take. You don't just draw a line between danger and safety, you actually create a runway for innovation and growth.”

Aaron Olson:
“We have found...during times of disruptive change, insight becomes particularly important, both the use of analytics to understand and evaluate situations and the importance of addressing and considering blind spots.”

On Aon — Episode 97

Risk and Resilience in the Age of Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles and self-driving technology are no longer futuristic — they’re transforming how we move today. As adoption accelerates worldwide, insurers face a new set of risks and opportunities. Jillian Slyfield, Aon’s global chief innovation officer and global technology and digital economy leader, joins David Carlson, global industrials and manufacturing leader, to discuss key industry partnerships and the regulatory challenges shaping ride technology.

Key Takeaways:

1. Autonomous vehicles are moving from testing phases to everyday use, creating new considerations for transportation and risk management.
2. Insurers now face the challenge of balancing multiple forms of liability — including product, auto and cyber — as technology reshapes mobility.
3. Data is important as both a risk and an asset. Who collects it, who owns it and how it can be used will all be key, as will balancing the privacy issues around it.

Experts in this episode:

• Jillian Slyfield — Global Chief Innovation Officer and Global Technology and Digital Economy Leader, Aon
• David Carlson — Global Industrials and Manufacturing Leader, Aon

Key moments:

0:45 The autonomous vehicles (AV) sector is expanding quickly — the industry is projected to grow from just over $100 billion in 2021 to more than $2 trillion by 2030, impacting how we think about mobility, risk and insurance.

10:40 The collection of data from autonomous vehicles will lead the way to better underwriting and faster claims adjudication in insurance. However, a big unresolved issue is who owns and can access this data.

15:00 Collaboration among insurers, brokers, fleet operators, OEMs and AV tech creators is at an all-time high and is critical to managing emerging risks.

Additional Resources:

Article: Navigating Risk in Transportation and Logistics: Gearing Up for Big Transitions | Aon

Report: Findings from Aon's Global Risk Management Survey | Tenth Edition

Soundbites: 

Jillian Slyfield:

“But coverage is changing. I wouldn't say that we need new forms of coverage, but we do need to think differently about the coverage that's in place and how to put it together in the best possible way. Sometimes we say it's like a jigsaw puzzle. Let's make sure the pieces are in the right places.”

David Carlson:

“The reality is people are still car enthusiasts. People love to drive cars still. That's just a reality. And so, I think in time, these things will evolve and we'll see more adoption.”

On Aon — Episode 96

Opportunities in a Changing Market — What Risk Buyers Need to Know

November 20, 2025

420 words … about a minute read

What’s new: In the latest episode of On Aon, Global Chief Broking Officer Cynthia Beveridge and Global Chief Claims Officer Mona Barnes discuss emerging trends in the commercial risk market as it heads towards the January renewals period. They discuss how the market is becoming increasingly fragmented and explain the factors driving recent developments in claims, including heightened natural catastrophe exposures, macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures, rising cyber ransomware incidents and adverse litigation trends currently unfolding in the U.S.

Experts in this episode:

• Cynthia Beveridge — Global Chief Broking Officer, Commercial Risk, Aon
• Mona Barnes — Global Chief Claims Officer, Commercial Risk, Aon

Key Takeaways:

1. As organizations approach January renewals, they must adapt to a fragmented and rapidly evolving insurance market by reviewing and strengthening their risk programs.
2. Despite generally favorable pricing, risk buyers face rising claims complexity and costs driven by natural catastrophes, inflation and adverse litigation trends.
3. Success in today’s environment depends on close collaboration with claims advocates and leveraging insurer performance data to build resilient strategies for emerging risks.

Key moments:

(2:01) Insurers are generally growth-focused, competing aggressively and are looking to differentiate themselves through pricing, terms and risk improvement support.

(4:17) Natural catastrophes, increasing ransomware severity, macroeconomic pressures and adverse litigation trends are shaping claims trends.

(8:48) The growing availability of data and alternative sources of capital such as parametric, captives, catastrophe bonds, multiyear structured and facultative solutions are helping clients.

Soundbites:
Cynthia Beveridge
“Capacity has increased across much of the market during 2025. It's flowing in from both traditional insurers and the reinsurance market, but notably it's fragmented. While most placements can achieve full tower limits, the towers are really compromised. It's comprised of more insurers and more segments.”

Mona Barnes
“Claims inflation is contributing to increasing costs of everyday items as companies are looking to recoup losses by raising prices on all items, including food, housing and medical care — as well as insurance.”

Listen for more: The “On Aon” podcast is available on Spotify, Simplecast and Apple Podcasts (iTunes)

More Like This:

Q3 2025: Global Insurance Market Overview

Aon’s Global Risk Management Survey

Cyber and E&O: Pricing Holds, but Market Momentum is Shifting

4 Strategies to Navigate Insurance Claims Trends

Optimizing Your Property Program: How to Use a Soft Market to Build Resilience

On Aon — Episode 95

Title: Turning Climate Risk into Strategic Resilience

In the latest episode of On Aon, Liz Henderson, global head of climate risk advisory, and Tracy-Lee Kus, CEO of Aon's Global Broking Center, discuss the urgent topic of climate risk and resilience.

As climate-related events grow more frequent and severe, they’re reshaping insurance costs, regulations and business operations. Liz and Tracy-Lee explore how Aon is responding with innovation to help clients navigate this increasingly complex risk environment.

They also highlight why resilience in organizational strategy is no longer optional, but imperative for sustainable growth.

Experts in this episode:

• Liz Henderson — Global Head of Climate Risk Advisory, Aon
• Tracy-Lee Kus — Chief Executive Officer, Global Broking Center, Aon

Key Takeaways:

1. Climate resilience is now a board-level priority and becoming increasingly important to business strategy and the insurance sector.
2. Regional regulations are causing organizations to adapt their risk strategies.
3. Aon has heavily invested in advanced analytics and climate modeling to empower clients with a complete and actionable view of their climate risk, supporting better decisions and long-term resilience strategies.

Key moments:

(03:10) With organizations facing increased climate risk, Aon is focusing on how it match risk to the right price and measure the impact and benefit of resilience for our clients.

(05:10) California and the EU are leading the way when it comes to climate-related regulation and can provide an indication on what measures other countries and regions will be adopting in the coming years..

(07:50) Aon’s analyzers — like the Climate Risk Monitor —  help clients to quantify their exposures and anticipate what the climate-driven disruptions could be for their business.

Soundbites:

Liz Henderson:

“The one thing that we always say around climate risk is that it's both a risk in and of itself as it drives weather volatility, but it is also a risk amplifier across an organization, whether that's through your workforce, health and wellbeing, supply chain, etc.”

Tracy-Lee Kus:

“Our strategies themselves are now focused on helping clients to use disclosure, not just for compliance, but as a catalyst for resilience, capital access, and stakeholder trust.”

Listen for more: The “On Aon” podcast is available on Spotify, Simplecast and Apple Podcasts (iTunes)

More Like This:

Findings from Aon’s Global Risk Management Survey

Climate Change: Evolving Property Risk to Resilience

Steering Trade and Supply Chains Amid Weather Challenges

October 21, 2025

435 words…about a minute read

What’s new:  In the latest episode of On Aon, Vice President of Global Benefits Kathryn Davis and Global Business Development Director of Global Benefits Celine Ng tong examine the findings from two important Aon reports: the 2025 Global Benefit Trends Study and the 2026 Global Medical Trend Rate Report.

The Global Benefits Trends Study highlights how multinational organisations are reshaping their benefits strategies by focusing more on employee value, controlling costs and improving global oversight.

We also spotlight the 2026 Global Medical Trend Rates Report, which details that even as global inflation cools in some markets, health care costs remain under significant pressure and have become a pervasive business challenge.

Experts in this episode:

• Kathryn Davis — Vice President, Global Benefits, Aon
• Céline Ng tong — Global Business Development Director, Global Benefits, Aon

Key Takeaways: 

• Multinational businesses are making employee benefits more meaningful and visible, with a strong emphasis on transparency and providing greater choice.
• Effective governance is a top priority, with businesses using data, engaging senior stakeholders and applying disciplined change management to implement benefit strategies.
• Technology, including AI, is increasingly used to personalize benefits and enhance employee experience, helping businesses deliver greater value.
• Medical benefit cost growth is slowing and may be plateauing globally, but aging workforces are expected to drive ongoing increases in both medical and retirement benefit expenses.

Key Moments:

(1:05) The results of the Global Benefits Trends Survey reveal where employers focusing when it comes to their benefit programs and how they can enhance their programs in the eyes of employees.

(4:22) The Global Medical Trend Rate Report shows a decrease in the topline rate for a second consecutive year, to 9.8%, from 10% last year. But with costs having gone up so much in recent years, what aren’t employers looking at when they look at spend?

(8:12) An aging population has ripple effects throughout a company’s health, wealth and talent strategies. Higher healthcare costs, combined with higher salaried employees mean higher costs overall.

Soundbites:

Céline Ng tong

“Number one, a big strategic focus on how do we do more and how do we enhance the perception of our benefits programs in the eyes of our employees.”

Kathryn Davis

“We may have finally hit the peak in medical trend, or at least that we're starting to plateau on a global level. So maybe (it is) time that we stop hyper focusing on cost containment from just medical inflation.”

Listen for more: The “On Aon” podcast is available on Spotify, Simplecast and Apple Podcasts (iTunes)

More Like This:

2025 Global Benefits Trends Study

The Global Medical Trend Rates Report 2026

5 Data-Driven Ways HR Can Optimize Costs

Building a Global Benefits Identity in an Era of Cost Containment

In this episode of On Aon, Joe Peiser, CEO of Commercial Risk, and Richard Waterer, Global Risk Consulting Leader, unpack the major findings from Aon’s 2025 Global Risk Management Survey — and what Risk Management leaders can do to remain resilient in the face of increasingly systemic and interconnected risks.

They explore the critical role of analytics in understanding evolving threats and highlight three traits that distinguish highly resilient organizations: insight, agility and collaboration.

Key Takeaways:

1. Many of the top risks in Aon’s Global Risk Management Survey are broad and interconnected, impacting multiple areas of business.
2. Cyber Risk remains the top concern globally. The rapid adoption of AI is intensifying risk complexity. Artificial Intelligence is itself a top 10 future risk.
3. A persistent gap exists between risk awareness and action. Organizations, need better data and analytics to build accurate risk profiles.
4. Resilient organizations are those that can quantify exposures, optimize capital allocation and embed risk strategy into decision making.

Experts in this episode:

• (Host) Joe Peiser, CEO, Commercial Risk at Aon
• Richard Waterer, Global Risk Consulting Leader at Aon

Key moments:

(1:12) The top 10 risks in our 2025 Global Risk Management Survey had some surprising and not-so-surprising results. Cyber Risk and Increasing Competition continue to rank highly, while Geopolitical Volatility made a significant jump.

(4:14) The risks cited are systemic and interconnected. Their impact is widespread and can be felt across the company.

(8:37) Highly resilient companies need three things to set themselves apart — insight, agility and collaboration.

Additional Resources:

Findings from Aon’s Global Risk Management Survey

5 Ways to Position Risk Capital as a Value Driver

AI and Workforce Skills: Who Should Act and Why Now?

5 Top Trends for Risk Capital in 2025

Soundbites:

Joe Peiser:

“Business leaders can't simply manage more risk by intuition. They really need the tools and the insights from those tools to interpret today's landscape and make decisions that help them survive and thrive.”

Richard Waterer:

“We were surprised to see Attracting and Retaining Top Talent fall out of this year's top 10. When you consider the challenges being brought about by workforces today, for example, healthcare costs in North America, new legislation on pay transparency in EMEA, you can understand why talent is a complex and costly issue for leaders.

On Aon — Episode 92

Title: The Longevity Shift: Rethinking Aging in the Modern Workplace

In the latest episode of Better Being, we examine longevity and how it is becoming an important topic for businesses.

Susan Fanning, Aon’s Head of Wellbeing for Asia-Pacific, and Professor Andrea Maier from the National University of Singapore examine how, as people live longer healthier lives, businesses can foster a diverse and dynamic workplace by harnessing the expertise of older employees.

Key Takeaways:

1. The distinction between “healthspan” (the number of years of good health) and lifespan (how long someone lives) is crucial — as is working to reduce the gap between the two.
2. There is a common misconception that aging equals decline. Prof Maier explains that, while most people experience some poor health, much of the aging process is within our control.
3. Employers have a significant role in promoting longevity by adopting proactive approaches to employee health. This includes considering biological age when determining job roles.

Experts in this episode:

• Susan Fanning — Head of Wellbeing Solutions, APAC, Aon (Host)
• Prof Andrea Maier — National University of Singapore

Key moments:

(2:15) Some of our lifestyle habits are so poor that they will have a detrimental effect on our health and lifespans.

(8:00) Rather than insisting on an abrupt end to a working life, it’s better for employers and employees to have a gradual “step-down” process.

(14:55) A switch in careers every 20 years or so will open people up to experiences of different topics, different workforces and different ways of working.

Additional Resources:

3 Strategies to Improve Career Outcomes for Older Employees

Workplace Wellbeing | Aon

Soundbites:

Prof Andrea Maier:

“So I would say it's not only a medical revolution, but it's societal revolution. And there was also a cultural revolution we are changing.”

Susan Fanning:

So, as we're seeing in terms of healthspans and lifespans increase, we're also starting to see that retirement systems as well as healthcare systems are coming under pressure.

On Aon — Episode 92

Title: From Risk to Resilience — What’s Driving the Re/insurance Market

In the latest episode of On Aon, Emma Crookes and Dave Nicholson explore the latest trends in the insurance and reinsurance markets. The conversation covers key trends in Property and Casualty, including the evolving pricing environment, the impact of tariffs and inflation and the significance of natural catastrophe losses in 2025.

Looking ahead, the episode emphasizes the market’s resilience and the importance of addressing emerging and uninsured risks. With disciplined management and robust capital, the industry is well-positioned to navigate future uncertainties and foster a healthy insurance and reinsurance landscape for global clients.

Key Takeaways:

• Reinsurers are leveraging strong capital positions and disciplined management to offer clients effective protection against volatility and large losses.

• The industry is innovating to address emerging and uninsured risks, with substantial opportunities in areas like casualty, real estate and data centers.

• Transparent dialogue and differentiation are increasingly important for insurers and reinsurers as they navigate evolving market conditions and client needs.

Experts in this episode:

• Emma Crookes — Insurance Industry Vertical Leader, Aon (Host)
• Dave Nicholson — Global Client Leader for Reinsurance, Aon

Key moments:

(2:15) Two big property insurance trends to look out for: the impact of inflation and tariffs and natural catastrophe losses

(4:00) While there is pressure in the original property insurance market, it's a very healthy time and a great time to be a reinsurance buyer.

(8:55) A recent Aon report highlighted a $5 billion opportunity in emerging casualty risks. This underscores the potential for growth and innovation within the insurance industry.

Additional Resources:

Relevance Through the Market Cycle: 5 Strategic Imperatives for Insurers to Drive Performance

Soundbites:

Dave Nicholson:

“I think the view of Aon is a healthy insurance and a healthy reinsurance market is good for our clients and good for the world because it creates resiliency.”

Dave Nicholson:

“Then we think with the future potential of increased loss costs, it's a great time to add a little bit more limit on the top of your program to ensure that in the event of a large natural catastrophe, that your capital is well protected.”

Financial wellbeing is an increasingly important topic for both employers and employees. A survey of multinational companies by Aon found that 88 percent of employees surveyed experienced financial stress, which has a major impact on resilience, self-esteem and relationships. In this episode of Better Being, our experts — Paul Gordon, Aon’s chief commercial officer for global financial wellbeing, and Fleur Iannazzo, financial wellbeing coach and content creator at Aon — explore how understanding and reshaping financial behaviors can lead to lasting financial security.

Key Takeaways:

• There is a notable disconnect between what employees expect and what employers currently provide in terms of financial education and support.
• Understanding individual financial behaviors is essential for designing effective financial wellbeing programs that resonate with both employees and organizational goals.
• Financial wellbeing issues vary by sector — some industries face talent loss due to financial mismanagement, while others see spikes in cyber fraud during economic downturns. 

Experts in this episode:

• Paul Gordon, Chief Commercial Officer for Global Financial Wellbeing, Aon (Host)
• Fleur Iannazzo, Financial Wellbeing Coach and Content Creator, Aon 
   

Key moments:

(3:24) Financial stress is felt across all salary levels and industries.

(5:33) There’s a big mismatch between employee expectations of financial wellbeing support and what employers are providing.

(13:00) Financial wellbeing is coming to the top of everyone’s agenda.

Additional Resources:

2025 Employee Sentiment Study

Soundbites:

Paul Gordon: "So just retaining your best people by helping them understand their attitudes to money and how they can do things differently helps that organization."

Fleur Iannazzo: "When you feel secure financially and resilient financially, it really improves your relationships and your emotional connections to people because of that independence."

In this episode of On Aon, our cyber experts explore the escalating scale and complexity of cyber threats, from AI-driven attacks to systemic third-party risks. Hosted by Nancy Eaves, product leader for Cyber Solutions, and featuring insights from Brent Rieth, global cyber leader, and David Molony, EMEA head of cyber solutions, the conversation explores the evolving regulatory landscape, the strategic use of cyber insurance and the critical role of executive engagement in managing cyber risk.

Key Takeaways:

• Threat actors are using AI to scale attacks like phishing and ransomware, while organizations are deploying AI to improve detection, response and risk quantification.
   
• Cybersecurity has become a board-level priority, with executives embedding it into enterprise risk management due to its material impact.
   
• Global regulatory developments are encouraging greater transparency in cyber incident reporting, reducing reputational stigma and enhancing collective defense.
   
• Despite rising claims, cyber insurance pricing has declined thanks to market maturity, improved risk modeling and diversified underwriting strategies.
  
  Experts in this episode:
• Nancy Eaves — Product Leader, Cyber Solutions, Aon (Host)
• Brent Rieth — Global Cyber Leader, Cyber Solutions, Aon
• David Molony — Head of Cyber Solutions EMEA, Aon

Key moments:

(0:55) The increase in frequency of reported cyber incidents, including AI-driven threats, ransomware and cloud and identity-based intrusions.

(3:50) The reputational impact of cyber incidents on organizations.

(13:30) The factors contributing to the buyer-friendly market for cyber insurance

Additional Resources:

2025 Global Cyber Risk Report

Soundbites:

David Molony: “Ultimately, we are seeing threat actors leveraging generative AI to create highly personalized phishing campaigns and deepfake content, making social engineering more effective.”

Brent Rieth: “I'd add it's important to continue to drive a holistic approach to navigating cyber risk. It's incredibly complex. It can't be managed in isolation by any individual stakeholder.”