The Insurance Coffee House with Nick Hoadley

On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley is joined by Michael Forman, Co-Head of North America M&A and Capital Raising, and Cate Kenworthy, Managing Director, at Howden Capital Markets & Advisory.

Michael shares his career journey from insurance underwriting at Travelers into investment banking and corporate development. After completing business school, he joined Willis Capital Markets & Advisory before moving to AIG’s global corporate development team. He has now spent more than nine years with Howden Capital Markets & Advisory, advising insurance companies and investors across M&A and capital-raising transactions.

Cate’s background is in fundraising and alternative asset management. Her career has included fund-of-funds investing, macro and emerging markets, and insurance-linked securities before she joined Howden Capital Markets & Advisory in 2023. Her role focuses on educating investors and developing relationships with institutions seeking to understand and access insurance and reinsurance investment opportunities.

The conversation explores the role of Howden Capital Markets & Advisory within the wider Howden Group. Michael explains how its global team focuses exclusively on the property and casualty insurance industry, advising insurance carriers, insurance services businesses and investors across M&A, private debt and equity, new company formations and insurance-linked securities.

Michael also discusses how the team can draw on specialist expertise from across Howden and Howden Re when advising clients. Depending on the transaction, this can include actuarial, ratings, capital-modelling, broking and market expertise, while maintaining the required regulatory and information controls.

Cate explains how investor education has become an increasingly important part of the firm’s work. Following Hurricane Ian and changes in interest rates and reinsurance pricing, private equity firms, private credit funds, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and family offices began looking more closely at property catastrophe risk and insurance-linked securities.

What began with investor roundtables focused on a specific market opportunity has developed into broader discussions covering casualty and specialty insurance, reinsurance sidecars, MGAs, Lloyd’s and direct investment in insurance businesses.

Nick, Michael and Cate discuss why institutional capital continues to move into insurance. Michael explains why insurance services businesses and MGAs remain attractive to private equity investors, including their recurring revenue, strong free cash flow and comparatively capital-light operating models.

For investors seeking direct access to underwriting risk, insurance can also provide diversification from wider financial markets. Improvements in modelling, data and market information have helped investors better understand property and casualty risks and evaluate how those investments may fit within a broader portfolio.

The conversation explains how sidecars allow institutional investors to provide capital against a defined portfolio of insurance or reinsurance business. These structures can enable investors to participate in underwriting returns while helping insurers and reinsurers diversify their sources of capital and develop longer-term institutional relationships.

Cate discusses how the team develops a detailed understanding of the appetite of approximately 700 investors. This includes the risks they will consider, their investment horizons, the source of their capital and where they are within the life of their funds. That information allows the team to connect insurance businesses with relevant investors and consider how an opportunity could be structured.

Michael also shares examples of Howden Capital Markets & Advisory’s work across carrier M&A, MGA transactions, company formations, capital raising and insurance-linked securities. He explains why specialist insurance knowledge remains valuable even when advising highly experienced institutional investors with established financial services teams.

The discussion then turns to investor appetite for MGAs. Michael explains that demand for high-quality MGA platforms remains strong, with significantly more private equity investors seeking platform investments than suitable businesses available.

However, investors are becoming more selective as market conditions change. Businesses that benefited primarily from favourable pricing will need to demonstrate that their performance can continue through different stages of the insurance cycle.

Michael outlines the factors investors are prioritising when assessing an insurance business. A consistent underwriting track record remains fundamental, alongside durable growth, strong capacity relationships, an integrated operating platform and a management team capable of performing across different market conditions.

Technology and data are also becoming more important. Investors want to understand whether a business is using them to improve efficiency, price risk more effectively, strengthen the customer experience and build a more scalable organisation.

Cate explains how institutional investors are moving away from trying to enter and exit insurance investments around short-term market changes. Instead, more are seeking long-term partnerships and holdings that can perform throughout the cycle, whether through an MGA, an insurance-linked securities fund, a sidecar or another form of direct investment.

Looking ahead, Michael expects continued activity across MGA M&A, insurance services and specialty insurance. He discusses why differentiated underwriting, experienced management teams, integrated platforms and effective use of data will continue to influence which businesses attract capital and achieve premium valuations.

Cate also highlights growing investor interest in long-term property and casualty partnerships, sidecars and Lloyd’s. Investors that initially entered the market through managed funds are increasingly exploring more direct participation and considering structures such as corporate members and London Bridge vehicles.

Cate closes with advice for investors who may be interested in insurance but concerned about its complexity. She encourages them to continue asking questions, learning about the risks and developing their understanding rather than dismissing the sector because it is unfamiliar.

Michael advises insurance businesses to consider the full range of capital available to them. Depending on the company and its objectives, the appropriate solution could involve institutional equity, private equity, debt, insurance-linked securities or reinsurance capital.

Connect with Michael Forman on LinkedIn to follow his work across insurance M&A, capital raising and strategic advisory.

Connect with Cate Kenworthy on LinkedIn to follow her work across institutional investment, insurance-linked securities and investor education.

Learn more about Howden Capital Markets & Advisory.

The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.

We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.

Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance Coffee House Podcast or sign up to our News and Insights.

Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

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On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley is joined by Robert Salamon, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, and Anthony Recine, Managing Director, Investments, at BHMS Investments, a Connecticut-based private investment firm focused on the North American lower middle market.

Robert explains how BHMS has evolved since he co-founded the firm in 2010. While its team and investment capacity have grown, the firm has maintained a concentrated, high-conviction approach centred on service-oriented businesses, active partnerships with management teams and the conservative use of leverage.

Anthony reflects on joining BHMS in 2016 as the firm prepared to raise its first institutional fund. He discusses how the firm’s experience and resources have developed while its approach to selecting investments, constructing its funds and working with management teams has remained consistent.

The conversation explores how insurance became a significant area of focus for BHMS. Robert explains why insurance brokerage initially stood out as an attractive investment opportunity, with strong customer retention, recurring revenue, clear value across the supply chain and significant scope for consolidation.

BHMS made its first insurance brokerage investment in 2011 and continued building experience through investments including The Hilb Group, PCF Insurance Services, Inszone Insurance Services and King Risk Partners. Over time, the firm’s understanding of the wider insurance ecosystem led it into insurance business process outsourcing, MGAs and technology-enabled insurance platforms.

Nick, Robert and Anthony discuss how BHMS has refined its investment strategy as competition and capital entering the insurance sector have increased. Robert explains why the firm does not simply follow the areas attracting the most private equity interest. Instead, it looks for opportunities where its existing knowledge can provide an advantage and where there remains a clear, executable path to value creation.

They also examine how BHMS’s approach to insurance brokerage has developed from traditional aggregation strategies towards more integrated operating models. Robert explains why integration can allow a business to pursue smaller acquisition targets, access a more fragmented part of the market and reduce its reliance on sellers remaining with the organisation over the long term.

Anthony discusses what BHMS looks for in prospective management partners. Alongside an attractive industry and a credible investment plan, the firm considers trustworthiness, work ethic, ambition and alignment. For acquisition-led brokerage strategies, management teams must also understand the commitment involved in completing transactions and building a much larger organisation.

The conversation considers how evaluating an MGA differs from evaluating a retail brokerage. Anthony explains the importance of understanding why the MGA exists, what gives it a distinct understanding of the risks it underwrites, the size of its addressable market and whether its operating model can remain defensible as larger competitors enter the sector.

Nick and Anthony then discuss what BHMS contributes beyond investment capital. As the first institutional investor in many of its portfolio companies, the firm may initially operate as an outsourced M&A resource before helping the organisation establish its own acquisition capabilities.

However, completing acquisitions is only one part of the work. Anthony explains how BHMS supports management teams as they bring separate businesses into a more cohesive organisation. This can include developing accounting, payroll and benefits infrastructure, consolidating carrier relationships, implementing an enterprise-wide CRM, standardising processes and workflows, improving reporting and introducing consistent technology and training.

The discussion also explores the challenges that emerge at different stages of growth. New platforms must first establish credibility and demonstrate that they can complete and integrate acquisitions successfully. As the business grows, it must recruit leaders capable of operating at a larger scale while managing the cultural and organisational impact of bringing multiple businesses and teams together.

Anthony explains why people, culture and change management are central to building a successful insurance platform. The organisation needs people with the technical ability to develop its systems and processes, as well as the emotional intelligence required to work effectively through a period of significant change.

The conversation then turns to BHMS’s investment in Boost Insurance. Robert and Anthony explain how Boost supports insurance programmes across areas including capacity, regulatory requirements, policy administration and data. They discuss how its technology helps brokers, MGAs and other distribution partners launch and manage programmes more efficiently while providing reinsurers with timely and detailed information.

Nick, Robert and Anthony also consider the role of technology across insurance distribution. They discuss why technology is more likely to strengthen the work of brokers and advisers than remove the need for them, particularly in commercial insurance where clients continue to value specialist guidance, coverage advice and support during a claim.

Robert explains why integrated insurance businesses may be particularly well positioned to benefit from new technology. Consistent data, standardised workflows and shared systems make it easier to introduce tools that improve both customer-facing services and operational efficiency.

The episode closes with Robert and Anthony addressing common misunderstandings between private equity firms and insurance executives. Robert explains that a private equity investment does not always require an exit after a predetermined number of years and discusses BHMS’s approach to finding a suitable future partner with the involvement of the management team.

Anthony reflects on what investors can underestimate about insurance. He explains why insurance businesses cannot be assessed purely through systems, processes and financial performance: their greatest assets are their people. Investors must also understand the differences between specific geographies, products and customer segments, as these can expose a business to risks that are not immediately apparent from the broader stability of the insurance market.

Learn more about Robert Salamon and his work at BHMS Investments, or connect with Robert on LinkedIn.

Connect with Anthony Recine on LinkedIn to follow his work across insurance investment, transactions and portfolio development.

Learn more about BHMS Investments.

The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.

We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.

Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance Coffee House Podcast or sign up to our News and Insights.

Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

Insurance Executive Search Consultants in USA, London and Bermuda.

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On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley is joined by Joe Zuk, Operating Partner at Altamont Capital Partners, where he focuses on corporate and business development across the firm’s insurance portfolio.

Joe shares his career journey from reinsurance broking and underwriting into insurance operations and private equity. He reflects on beginning his career in New York, building experience across different lines of business and international markets, and later moving into the MGA sector, where he worked across corporate development, strategy and operational leadership before joining Altamont.

The conversation explores Joe’s transition from running insurance businesses to working within a private equity firm. He explains how his role allows him to work alongside Altamont’s investment principals when assessing new opportunities while also supporting executives and senior management teams across its portfolio companies. For Joe, the role brings together investment, underwriting and operating experience with the practical work of building and growing insurance businesses.

Nick and Joe discuss what insurance executives should consider before joining or partnering with a private equity firm. Joe explains why it is important to understand the firm’s investment philosophy, fund duration, experience within the sector and track record of working with founders and management teams. He also discusses Altamont’s long-term approach and why alignment between investors, founders and leadership teams matters throughout the investment period.

The discussion then turns to how Altamont evaluates potential insurance investments. Joe outlines the importance of underwriting or operational discipline, an understanding of market cycles, strong financial fundamentals and a defensible position within the market. He explains why the quality of the leadership team remains central to the assessment, including its ability to build, attract and retain talented people.

Joe also shares how Altamont assesses leadership needs before and after an investment. This includes understanding the ambitions and timelines of founders and CEOs, evaluating the depth of the existing executive team and identifying where additional expertise may be required. Depending on the business, that could involve strengthening finance, operations or other strategic functions with leaders who are aligned culturally and financially with the company’s objectives.

Nick and Joe explore what distinguishes Altamont’s approach when founders and CEOs are considering several potential investment partners. Joe discusses the firm’s experience across insurance, its network of portfolio companies and its founder-first approach. Rather than directing management teams on how to run their core insurance operations, Altamont aims to provide practical support through strategic advice, leadership recruitment, acquisitions, board development and access to relevant relationships.

The conversation also examines how to build an effective board. Joe explains why the strongest boards operate as constructive partners to the CEO and management team rather than simply providing oversight. He discusses the value of independent directors who bring relevant operating experience, different perspectives and access to senior relationships, while remaining actively involved in the business beyond formal board meetings.

Nick and Joe discuss the qualities Altamont looks for when appointing independent directors. While insurance knowledge can be valuable, Joe explains why strong thinkers and experienced operators from other sectors can also contribute significantly. Experience in areas such as business services, manufacturing, sales culture, systems and organisational development can provide a different perspective while still being applicable to insurance businesses.

The discussion then considers how data and technology are influencing insurance investment. Joe explains why he is more interested in businesses that use technology to strengthen a distinct operating model or make better use of proprietary data than businesses built around technology alone. He shares examples of how data can support claims analysis and underwriting decisions while emphasising the continued importance of regulatory awareness, judgment and relationships.

Looking ahead, Joe identifies opportunities around the convergence of capital and risk origination, closing insurance coverage gaps and the continued development of specialty insurance. He also discusses the potential for further activity across MGAs, commercial insurance, parametric products and embedded insurance as established carriers look for new ways to participate in the specialty market.

Joe closes by reflecting on the culture at Altamont and across its portfolio companies. He discusses the firm’s focus on developing its people, supporting its wider network and maintaining a culture built around capable professionals who communicate clearly, treat people well and remain committed to helping management teams succeed.

Connect with Joe Zuk on LinkedIn to follow his perspectives on insurance investment, MGAs, specialty insurance, leadership and business development.

The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.

We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.

Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance Coffee House Podcast or sign up to our News and Insights.

Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

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On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley is joined by Kirk Southern, Group Chief People Officer at Howden, a global insurance group with around 26,000 employees across 57 countries.

Kirk shares his career journey from recruitment into HR, beginning with an administrative role during the financial crisis before moving into HR at Royal Bank of Canada. He reflects on the importance of early sponsorship, the value of learning directly from the business, and how roles at Citadel, Barclays and Arrow Global helped him build experience across business partnering, commercial management and reward before joining Howden in 2022.

The conversation explores Kirk’s transition from Global Head of Reward, Benefits and Wellbeing into the Group Chief People Officer role, and what it means to lead the people function within a rapidly growing, founder-led insurance business. Kirk explains why one of his biggest priorities is protecting Howden’s culture while continuing to bring in talent that is comfortable with autonomy, ambiguity and taking responsibility for building and growing the business.

Nick and Kirk discuss how the role of the Chief People Officer is changing. Kirk argues that CPOs and CHROs are increasingly expected to operate as commercial advisers to CEOs, boards and investors, with a clear understanding of how people decisions connect to growth, revenue, profitability and long-term value creation. He reflects on why commercial acumen, data and organisational design are becoming increasingly important capabilities within the profession.

The discussion also looks at Kirk’s relationship with Howden founder and CEO David Howden. Kirk shares what he has learned from working closely with a founder-led leadership team and why having a genuine voice in strategic conversations matters. He discusses some of the questions senior leadership teams are considering around workforce planning, culture, organisational design and how businesses remain flexible as technology and the world of work continue to develop.

Nick and Kirk also explore how Howden is approaching technology across a large and growing organisation. Kirk explains how curiosity and experimentation are already part of the culture, making the challenge less about encouraging adoption and more about prioritising the opportunities that can create meaningful value. He discusses the importance of balancing experimentation with governance, understanding the implications for organisational design and skills, and keeping people at the centre of those decisions.

The conversation then turns to the relationship between the people function and the board. Kirk explains why HR leaders need to move beyond professional terminology and understand how the business actually makes money. For him, combining strong people expertise with commercial understanding is one of the clearest differences between being an HR specialist and operating effectively at CPO or CHRO level.

Kirk closes with advice for HR professionals who aspire to reach senior leadership. He emphasises patience, humility and the importance of building experience over time. He encourages people to remain ambitious while recognising that judgment develops through experience, mistakes and exposure to different business situations.

Connect with Kirk Southern on LinkedIn to follow his work across people leadership, organisational strategy, culture and talent at Howden.

The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.

We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.

Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance Coffee House Podcast or sign up to our News and Insights.

Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

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On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley is joined by Tracy Letzerich, Chief People Officer at Hippo Insurance. With a career spanning consulting, technology, organisational design, and people leadership, Tracy shares how an unconventional path into HR has shaped her approach to building high-performing organisations.

Tracy reflects on her early career in technology consulting, where she worked on large-scale business transformation programmes before becoming fascinated by a recurring question: why do some transformations succeed while others fail? That curiosity led her away from software implementation and towards organisational design, leadership, and the people side of change.

The conversation explores Hippo's evolution from an insurtech startup into a profitable, publicly traded insurance company. Tracy explains how the business has maintained many of the characteristics of an early-stage technology company, including rapid decision-making, strong cross-functional collaboration, and a culture built around innovation, while developing the operational discipline required of a modern insurer.

Nick and Tracy discuss the relationship between technology and culture, and how Hippo has created close partnerships between engineering, product, and insurance teams. Rather than technology operating separately from the business, Tracy explains how technical teams are involved in solving insurance challenges from the outset, creating a collaborative approach that has become a defining part of Hippo's culture.

A significant part of the discussion focuses on workforce enablement through technology. Tracy shares how Hippo approached organisation-wide adoption by giving every employee access to AI tools, encouraging experimentation, measuring adoption, and creating opportunities for technical and non-technical teams to learn together. She explains why creating capacity is ultimately about giving people more time to focus on strategic, high-value work rather than repetitive manual tasks.

The conversation also explores leadership, hiring, and organisational growth. Tracy shares her perspective on building high-performing teams, maintaining culture as organisations scale, and why behavioural interviewing, curiosity, and cultural alignment are just as important as technical expertise. She also explains why leaders should focus on helping employees spend more time doing work that energises them.

Nick and Tracy close with practical advice for leaders navigating change. Tracy encourages organisations to embrace curiosity, move before every answer is known, and create environments where learning is expected rather than feared. She also shares advice for candidates and leaders alike: know what matters to you, ask thoughtful questions, and don't try to become someone you think others want you to be.

Connect with Tracy Letzerich on LinkedIn to follow her work across people leadership, organisational design, leadership development, and technology-enabled transformation.

The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.

We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.

Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance Coffee House Podcast or sign up to our News and Insights.

Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

Insurance Executive Search Consultants in USA, London and Bermuda.

Copyright Insurance Search 2025 - All Rights Reserved.

On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley is joined by Jennifer Martin, Chief Human Resources Officer at Alliant Insurance Services.

Jennifer is approaching 22 years with Alliant, having joined the business in 2004 when it had around 400 employees and was primarily a California-based insurance broker. Today, the organisation has grown to more than 15,000 employees across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and Jennifer has grown alongside it, helping build an HR function capable of supporting that scale and complexity.

Jennifer shares how her own career began outside insurance, from early ambitions to work in foreign affairs to discovering HR through her mother, starting out in agency recruitment, moving into HR business partnering, and eventually joining Alliant. She reflects on how her role evolved as the business expanded and how the HR function developed from what she describes as a “1.5 FTE show” into a mature organisation with specialist expertise across total rewards, talent acquisition, HR business partnering, HR technology, people analytics and more.

The conversation explores Alliant’s growth model and the culture behind it. Jennifer explains how the combination of organic growth, selective acquisitions, employee ownership and long-term private equity backing has shaped the business. With employees owning 51% of the organisation, she discusses how ownership influences decision-making across all levels of the company and supports a more entrepreneurial culture.

Nick and Jennifer then explore one of the areas Jennifer is most passionate about: M&A. Having worked across hundreds of acquisitions during her time with Alliant, Jennifer explains why HR should be involved as early as possible, from the initial stages of a potential transaction through due diligence, integration and the longer-term transition that follows.

She shares why building trust quickly with sellers is so important, particularly when many are going through the process of selling a business for the first time. Jennifer also discusses the uncertainty employees can experience during an acquisition and why transparency, collaboration and early relationship-building can influence how people feel about the transition one, two or even three years later.

The conversation also looks at cultural alignment in acquisitions. Jennifer explains why Alliant is selective about potential deals and why the business is not looking for sellers who simply want to cash out. Instead, it looks for leaders who want to stay, invest and continue growing with the organisation. She reflects on the lessons learned across hundreds of transactions and why every acquisition still brings different challenges.

Nick and Jennifer also discuss the role of technology in a growing HR organisation. Jennifer shares how Alliant has introduced a range of tools over recent years to improve efficiency, reduce administrative work and give employees more time to focus on higher-value activity. She explains how the business approaches emerging technology through clear governance, training, cross-functional working groups and department-led experimentation.

The episode closes with Jennifer’s advice for leaders and HR professionals. She explains why curiosity matters when joining a new organisation, why HR leaders should build trust early during M&A, and why adaptability has been one of the most important lessons of her career. After more than two decades of growth and change, her view is clear: change is constant, and the ability to adjust your outlook, processes and ways of working is essential.

Connect with Jennifer Martin on LinkedIn to follow her work across people leadership, HR, M&A and organisational growth.

The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.

We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.

Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance Coffee House Podcast or sign up to our News and Insights.

Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

Insurance Executive Search Consultants in USA, London and Bermuda.

Copyright Insurance Search 2025 - All Rights Reserved.

On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley is joined by Anne Arnold, Director of Talent Acquisition at Farmers Insurance®. With a career that began in the entertainment industry before moving into agency recruiting and eventually in-house talent acquisition, Anne shares how an unexpected career move led her into a profession she has now spent more than two decades building.

Anne reflects on her transition from agency recruiting into corporate talent acquisition, first helping build the function from scratch at a real estate investment trust and later joining Farmers Insurance, where she has spent the last ten years. From establishing the executive recruiting capability to leading enterprise-wide talent acquisition, she shares how her role evolved and what has kept her excited about the opportunities within the insurance industry.

Nick and Anne discuss the scale and complexity of hiring across a national organisation. Despite having a lean team, Farmers hires between 4,000 and 5,000 people annually, and Anne explains the processes, discipline, and technology that allow the team to manage more than 150,000 applications each year. She discusses how technology has helped improve efficiency and candidate engagement while reinforcing her belief that recruitment remains fundamentally a human business.

The conversation explores how technology is being used behind the scenes to support recruiters, automate administrative tasks, and surface highly qualified candidates more quickly. Anne explains why understanding the problem you're trying to solve matters more than adopting technology for its own sake, and why recruiters should focus on using new tools to create more time for conversations, relationships, and better candidate experiences.

Nick and Anne also discuss leadership, authenticity, and building strong partnerships. Anne shares her views on hiring leaders, working with external search firms, and the importance of listening, transparency, and creating environments where people feel comfortable sharing ideas and learning from mistakes. She reflects on the lessons she has learned as a leader and why trusting your own experience and using your voice are essential to professional growth.

Connect with Anne Arnold on LinkedIn to follow her work in talent acquisition, leadership, and people development.

The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.

We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.

Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance Coffee House Podcast or sign up to our News and Insights.

Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

Insurance Executive Search Consultants in USA, London and Bermuda.

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On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley is joined by Nicola Nairn, Group Head of HR at Lancashire Insurance Group, a global specialty insurance and reinsurance business operating across London, Bermuda, the US, and Australia.

Nicola shares her career journey into HR, starting on the trading floor at Morgan Stanley before moving into asset management and eventually transitioning into human resources. She reflects on how an unplanned move into HR led to a long-term career in reward and, later, broader HR leadership, bringing a strong commercial lens to people strategy.

The conversation explores how Lancashire has grown from around 300 to 450 employees in recent years, and how the focus has now shifted from expansion to optimising the structure, effectiveness, and development of the organisation. Nicola explains how this creates opportunities to focus more deeply on talent, mobility, and long-term capability building across the business.

Nick and Nicola discuss practical approaches to talent development, including identifying high-potential and high-performing individuals, building internal mobility, and combining external training with internal initiatives such as mentoring and knowledge-sharing programmes. Nicola outlines how creating visibility across the business helps employees better understand opportunities beyond their immediate roles.

The episode also looks closely at culture. Nicola shares how Lancashire maintains a consistent culture across geographies while allowing for local differences, and explains why common sense and common decency are the foundations of the organisation’s approach to hiring and leadership. She emphasises the importance of hiring for both capability and character, and treating recruitment as a two-way process.

They also discuss hiring practices, working with search partners, and the gradual introduction of technology such as applicant tracking systems to improve hiring processes and data visibility. Nicola highlights the importance of investing time upfront with recruitment partners to ensure alignment on role requirements and culture.

The conversation closes with practical advice for candidates and HR professionals, including the importance of authenticity in interviews, taking the time to understand motivations, and recognising that career paths do not need to be linear. Nicola also shares a simple but consistent lesson from her career: spend more time listening than talking, and stay open-minded.

This episode offers a grounded view of how people and culture strategy is evolving within insurance, and how organisations can build strong teams by focusing on development, clarity, and cultural alignment.

Connect with Nicola Nairn on LinkedIn to follow her work across HR leadership, talent development, and organisational culture.

The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.

We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.

Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance Coffee House Podcast or sign up to our News and Insights.

Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

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On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley is joined by Beth Boucher, an experienced independent director with a portfolio spanning Hiscox, Coforge, and Specialty Insurance. Beth brings over 30 years of experience across technology, insurance, and business transformation, with a career built around using technology to drive operational change and growth.

Beth shares how she transitioned from a full-time executive career into a portfolio of board roles, advisory work, and fractional CIO positions. She explains why that shift happened after COVID, how she approached building a board career intentionally, and what she learned early on about the difference between operating roles and governance.

The conversation explores how to secure a first board role, including the importance of signalling your transition clearly to your network and recruiters, repositioning your profile, and being deliberate about the type of roles you pursue. Beth also shares her experience of board certification, why she chose to do it before securing her first role, and how it helped her understand the responsibilities and expectations of a non-executive director.

Nick and Beth discuss the realities of board work, including onboarding into complex organisations, managing large volumes of board material, and building an understanding of areas outside your core expertise. Beth explains how directors can stay effective by committing to continuous learning, understanding their blind spots, and using the resources available within the board and management team.

The episode also explores board dynamics and culture, with Beth emphasising the importance of fit, trust, and open challenge in the boardroom. She highlights why board appointments are always a two-way decision, and how interpersonal dynamics can be just as important as technical expertise.

Beyond governance, the conversation looks at corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the role boards play in shaping meaningful impact. Beth shares examples of initiatives focused on education, community access, and environmental programmes, and explains how these efforts support employee engagement, brand reputation, and long-term value creation.

The discussion closes with a practical look at cyber risk and technology oversight. Beth outlines the key questions boards should be asking around cybersecurity, including risk appetite, asset protection, resilience planning, and incident response. She also highlights the growing importance of AI and why all board members need a baseline understanding of both cyber and emerging technologies.

This episode provides a clear view of how modern board careers are built, how governance expectations are evolving, and what boards need to focus on as technology and risk continue to change.

Connect with Beth Boucher on LinkedIn to follow her work across insurance, technology, governance, and board leadership.

The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.

We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.

Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance Coffee House Podcast or sign up to our News and Insights.

Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

Insurance Executive Search Consultants in USA, London and Bermuda.

Copyright Insurance Search 2025 - All Rights Reserved.

On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley is joined by Elaine Rocha, former Chief Investment Officer at AIG and current CEO of the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club of New York City. Elaine brings a career that spans law, insurance, investments, and executive leadership, shaped by a series of deliberate career moves and transitions across the industry.

Elaine shares how she first entered the insurance industry through private legal practice, working on complex insurance coverage matters in the London market. She reflects on the early years of her career, where she developed deep technical expertise by working through large-scale claims, litigation, and policy structures, and how that foundation shaped her approach to problem-solving and learning.

The conversation explores her move into AIG in the aftermath of the financial crisis. Elaine discusses the decision to leave private practice, the risks involved in joining a company undergoing significant change, and how she approached building credibility in a new environment. She explains how she navigated a large and complex organisation by focusing on learning quickly, asking questions, and developing strong relationships across the business.

Nick and Elaine discuss how her role evolved within AIG, moving from legal into broader leadership responsibilities. Elaine reflects on the importance of saying yes to new opportunities, even when they sit outside your core expertise. This included stepping into roles such as Chief of Staff, moving into the investments division, and eventually becoming Chief Investment Officer, overseeing complex operations, transformation programmes, and large-scale strategic initiatives.

The discussion highlights the breadth of experience required to operate at senior executive level within a global organisation. Elaine describes how working across insurance, investments, operations, and finance gave her a unique perspective across the value chain, including asset liability management, technology transformation, outsourcing strategies, and regulatory engagement.

The conversation then turns to her transition into her current role as CEO of the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club. Elaine shares how her experience at AIG prepared her to lead an organisation undergoing transformation, and how many of the same leadership principles apply in a nonprofit environment. This includes building alignment across teams, introducing new operating models, leveraging technology, and working closely with an engaged board.

Nick and Elaine also explore the relationship between executive leadership and the board. Elaine reflects on what she has learned from both sides of the boardroom, including how to ask better questions as a director and how to manage board relationships effectively as a CEO. She emphasises the importance of preparation, curiosity, and using past experience to guide better decision-making.

The episode closes with practical advice for executives considering their next move. Elaine encourages leaders to take calculated risks, remain open to new opportunities, and continue building their skill set over time. She also highlights the importance of networking, staying informed on industry developments, and being intentional about long-term career direction.

If you’d like to follow Elaine’s work across insurance, leadership, and her current role at the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club, connect with Elaine Rocha here on LinkedIn.

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