Scouting for Growth

Romaney O’Malley: Disrupting Financial Strategy in InsurTech

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On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Romaney O’Malley, Group CTO at bolttech, an InsurTech unicorn that is quite literally electrifying the InsurTech space, now spearheading solutions in 35 markets across three continents.

In today’s episode, we explore a multitude of topics, including: The Journey to the Top: What were the critical turning points in Romaney's impressive career? Master Strategist: How does Romany approach challenging strategic decisions at bolttech? Industry Titans: What's the inner fabric of companies like Bolltech, as well as traditional companies such as AIG, Swiss Re, and GE Insurance?

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • In 2008, my husband and I decided to move to Johannesburg so he could take an opportunity with a bank in South Africa. That was a big deal to move away from London & a great job with SwissRe, but this was a really unique opportunity that ended up being one of the best decisions we’ve made for both of our careers. It exposed me to very different markets across Africa, which was invaluable to the rest of my career. Taking risks is important.
  • One of the fascinating things about emerging markets is that they can leapfrog the steps that have shaped mature industries. The use of mobile technology & telcos in banking in many parts of Africa is far more advanced than we see in developed countries, because they have skipped many of the evolutionary steps that some older economies have taken. Those markets & consumers are at the sharp end of innovation.
  • You can’t approach things as 1 decision. Your leadership team/board is never going to make 1 linear series of decisions; the complexity comes from multiple decisions & how they interact with each other. You should approach these problems as multi-dimensional & you’re always going to be balancing different things. Strategic decisions are about trade-offs & maximising the point at which you ensure you’re delivering a range of things to different stakeholders without getting out of balance.

    • BEST MOMENTS

    ‘Moving to London from Sydney on secondment gave me the opportunity to see the scale & the size of the opportunity in the rest of the world.’

    ‘I always knew the future of insurance was technology-based.’

    ‘Play to your strengths but surround yourself with a team of people that are really good at the things that you’re not so good at.’

    ‘The stronger we can build an ecosystem across the opportunity in InsurTech, the more effective insurance industry we’re going to have.’

    ABOUT THE GUEST

    Romaney O’Malley, Group CFO at bolttech, an international insurtech company that is revolutionizing the way we think about insurance and technology. Her unique blend of leadership skills and financial acumen is drawn from a 25+ year-career at the apex of the insurance industry.

    Romaney's depth of experience is not limited to the insurance field; she has also ventured into reinsurance, finance, and consulting.

    When the numbers are crunched and the strategies laid down, Romaney finds her escape in the great outdoors. Whether planning her next exciting travel adventure or unwinding through the meditative art of yoga, she's a perpetual explorer—of landscapes, of limits, and of life.

    ABOUT THE HOST

    Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.

    If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.

    And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at [email protected]

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    Scouting for GrowthBy Sabine VanderLinden
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