Claims Interviews: Recent Episodes
MDD Forensic Accountants
In MDD's new series of podcasts, we interview leading claims figures from around the globe. In these interviews we find out how these people have made their careers, what excites them, the highs and lows of their careers and some of their interests outside claims. Interviewer Barry Jones, puts our guests through their paces in a quick fire round where our guests have to make tough choices and reveal what they really think..
Tom Upton joined Markel in July 2015 as a Senior Claims Adjuster in their Marine & Energy team. He began his career on the Lloyd’s Claims Graduate Scheme, before joining Hiscox as a Claims Underwriter in the Marine and Energy team. After moving to Markel in 2015, he was promoted to Manager of Energy, Cargo, Specie and......
Next up in our Claims Series Interviews: Barry Jones sits down with Andrew Bart, of Crawford & Company. Andrew Bart is the Chief Executive Officer of Crawford International Operations, which incorporates all operations outside of North America. This includes Loss Adjusting, Third Party Administration (TPA) and Platforms. Andrew is committed to delivering market leading claim......
After interviewing over 30 claims professionals, Barry had the pleasure of sitting down with Markus Heiss, one of MDD’s most seasoned forensic accountants, for a candid and insightful conversation. What began as an unexpected start at MDD evolved into a career defined by purpose and a deep passion for claims. Markus shared what continues to......
In this latest instalment of our Claims Interviews series, Barry Jones sits down with Stuart Wright. Stuart is Head of Non-Marine Claims for Ascot Syndicate 1414, overseeing a complex book of insurance and reinsurance claims for all non-marine lines of business. He has over 25 years experience in the London Market, the last 14 years......
Up next in our Claims Interviews series is Ian Thompson. With 12 years at Zurich Insurance in EMEA and global executive claims roles and 19 years at RSA in senior strategic and operational positions, Ian brings a 30-year track record of success in transformation, turnaround, innovation, and overcoming complex business challenges. Today, Ian leverages this......
We had a great time speaking with Nigel Ward for our Claims Interviews series. Nigel is a technical insurance practitioner with broad experience of managing major insurance losses. He has represented Lloyd’s syndicates and both London and international market companies on the Steering Committee of many of the major losses of the new Millennium, including the World......
Steve Parry joined Hiscox in July 2023 as the Group Claims Director. He started his career as a claims adjuster with AIG in Manchester before moving to London, where he held several management roles prior to his departure to join Ace in 2006. He held various roles with Ace and Chubb over 14 years, including......
Elliott joined W/R/B Underwriting in July 2022 and is Senior Claims Executive with 20 years Lloyd’s and London Market experience. Elliott has worked across different jurisdictional and regulatory environments and is deeply passionate about excelling in client and customer service. Elliott has a strong operational background with proven track record in strengthening claims teams whilst......
Gavin is the Head of Claims at IQUW, managing a complex book of insurance and reinsurance for all Specialty and Property lines of business. Gavin has extensive experience in the claims market, before IQUW Gavin headed up various claims teams at Canopius and Hiscox and prior to that enjoyed a long career as a claims......
Juliet joined Canopius in January 2023. Prior to this role, she was Head of First Party Claims at Inigo and Head of Energy and Construction Claims at AXA XL. She previously held roles in the client/insured space, working for Shell and Indecs Consulting Services. Juliet has been involved in the successful settlements of many major......
Paulina joined SCOR UK in June 2022 as Global Practice Lead for Construction Claims. Prior to joining SCOR, she spent almost 11 years at Liberty Specialty Markets as Senior Claims Specialist handling large and complex energy and construction claims. Before Liberty, Paulina spent almost 4 years working in the energy loss adjusting division of Charles Taylor. Paulina is originally from Poland and has been in the UK since 2007. She also lived in Qingdao in China for two years where she studied Mandarin Chinese.
Leo joined Integra in 2015 as COO and was promoted to CEO in 2018. He has overall responsibility for delivering the company’s business plan and strategic objectives and is responsible for a number of Integra’s client relationships around the world.
Prior to joining Integra, Leo was the Global Head of Energy Claims for Zurich Insurance Company and handled several of their largest and most complex claims during his tenure. He was the financial and technical authority for Energy claims in the company and engaged with colleagues around the world to ensure the settlement of the company’s more challenging claims.
After a break in our podcasting schedule, we are back with a bang this week having interviewed Paul Lewis, a Partner at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP. Paul is currently Global Head of the Insurance & Professional Risks practice at Herbert Smith Freehills based in London. Paul has worked on insurance disputes for over 30 years and most recently led the HSF team acting for the FCA in the COVID BI Test Case. Paul works with clients on all aspects of insurance and professional negligence disputes. He assists policyholders, insurers and brokers with claims under liability policies including professional indemnity, public liability, directors and officers, Bermuda form and crime.
Paul explains to Barry how he came to work in insurance disputes, the highs and lows of his career, what he thinks makes a good lawyer and his aspirations for the future. Listeners will also hear some slightly different questions in this week's quickfire round.
Torben currently fulfils the dual role of Country Manager (Australia & New Zealand) and Executive Adjuster with Integra Technical Services (Australia) Pty Ltd. He is responsible for the investigation of complex claims, while also leading and supporting a highly specialised Adjusting team across Australia and New Zealand.
Previously, he held the position of Head of Major & Complex Loss at Crawford & Company (Australia) Pty Ltd having responsibility for a team of 25 skilled/specialised Adjusters nationally who managed all commercial claims in excess of $250k. Prior to this, he worked at Crawford & Company (South Africa) Pty Ltd for some 17 years, specialising in the investigation of a wide range of complex insurance claims across the categories of Property, Liability, Construction, Engineering, Mining, Power & Energy and Marine & Transportation.
Torben talks to us about how he came to be in the insurance industry, his background in South Africa, his responsibilities at Integra and what attracted him to this role. Barry asks Torben his thoughts on what makes a great claims handler, who his biggest influences have been and the high/low points of his career.
This week Hugh Sparks from Charles Taylor Adjusting joined us in our office to record our next claims interview. Hugh is a seasoned loss adjuster with 40 years of experience in the profession. He talks to us about some of the changes that have taken place at Charles Taylor over the last few years, some of the challenges that the loss adjusting industry faces and what he thinks the future holds. He also tells Barry what he thinks makes a great claims adjuster and some of the loss adjusters that he has admired and influenced his career.
Jeremy Burgess joined us in our most recent Claims Interview podcast. Jeremy is co-founder of The Insurance Network (TIN). Although not a claims professional like our other guests to date, he has very much been involved in helping publicise issues and solutions in the London market claims industry. Jeremy talks to us about how TIN was formed and how they are driving positive change in the industry by bringing topics such as technology and diversity to the forefront. He also gives us his take on what he thinks makes a good claims handler and some of the challenges his business has faced and overcome because of Covid.
Our second interview of 2022 sees Barry Jones talk to a seasoned claims broker, David Hair, Partner at Lockton. David has been in the market for over 4 decades specialising in particular in Financial & Professional Lines claims. Hear David talk about how he came to find himself in the industry, his view of what makes a great claims broker and what/who has influenced his career. David also talks about why Lockton is so successful and how it’s client-focused approach underpins that success. The role of the claims broker is to identify and deliver positive outcomes, but it is also incumbent upon today’s senior claims practitioners to ensure knowledge & skills transfer to the next generation. You will hopefully find this to be an interesting and informal chat.
Our first interview of the New Year was with Tobin Ryan, Head of Claims for Tokio Marine Kiln. Tobin started his London Market insurance career in 1990 and joined Tokio Marine Kiln in 2012. Tobin talks to us about what it’s like working for TMK and the culture and core values that are central to the firm and everyone who works there. He also talks to us about great people working in an empowered environment to deliver a client focussed claims management solution, his role as a leader and his mission to use the positive power of change to innovate solutions for the future. We also discuss his highs and lows, biggest influences and future aspirations. A really interesting and inspiring listen, especially for up and comers working in claims.