Archives: Speakers

James is Head of Innovation at Brit Insurance. Previously he setup the InsurTech Gateway at Hambro Perks, an early stage insurtech venture capital fund. He also co-founded award winning and Zurich-backed travel insurance startup Pluto, and was recognised last year as ‘35 under 35 in FinTech’ by Business Insider. In his global facing role, James leads the Brit Innovation Team’s focus on identifying and exploring new opportunities spaces for sustainable growth for the business. The team incubate their own products, collaborate with strategic partners to co-build market propositions and empower innovation through the core business.

James is the Digital Artificial Intelligence Theme Lead at AXA XL the largest insurance/re-insurance companies that offer property, casualty, professional and specialty insurance products globally. James has spent the last two years working on the AXA XL Global Technology Digital Program leading research into AI technology and applying it to the world of commercial insurance. Prior to insurance, James spent nearly 20 years working in the Telecoms industry with a focus on Data and Business Intelligence.

Chris built a regional insurance advisory business with $50m revenues. He was Partner and Managing Director for The Boston Consulting Group, Head of Insurance Practice for Asia, and has 15+ years’ experience in the insurance industry in Europe and Asia. He has actively supported the launch of numerous innovative digital insurance businesses. Chris has worked across life insurance, asset management, reinsurance and broking sectors.

Andy started his career in the public sector, working in the NHS and the UK’s Department for Health.  His first role in the insurance industry was at the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, with responsibility for communications on industry databases as well as media handling of wider uninsured driving issues. He joined the British Insurance Brokers’ Association in 2013 and is now responsible for corporate affairs at BIBA, helping to develop the trade association’s influencing policy and represents brokers’ interests to Government. Latterly he has taken responsibility for BIBA’s work on digital innovation; driving forward the trade body’s role in helping the industry make the most of opportunities arising from InsurTech – through BIBA’s cross-industry Innovation Working Group which he set up. 

Twitter: @BIBAAndy 

Name: Andy Thornley     Title: Head of Corporate Affairs

Ed joined Lloyd’s in August 2018 following ten years as a consultant at KPMG and EY, specialising in technology and data.

He now runs the Lloyd’s Lab InsurTech programme which is running its fourth cohort in Spring 2020. His role covers all elements of the Lab programme – from meeting interested InsurTechs and insurers, through to planning and running the ten-week programme with the support of the Lab team.

An outsider to the insurance industry, having spent most of his career working with retail, consumer goods, and government clients, Ed comes with a different perspective which fits his role in the Lloyd’s Lab well.

John heads up Flock’s platform team on its mission to make the world a smarter, safer place. His leadership has led to Flock insuring some of the world’s largest drone fleets and partnering with leading underwriters and brokers. Prior to joining Flock, John spent 10 years advising on corporate finance matters in the (re)insurance sector, working within the Corporate Advisory teams at Guy Carpenter and Aon Benfield. John began his career as a qualified chartered accountant.

John is a seasoned Finance professional with diverse sector experience including financial services, media and technology.

John holds a Masters degree in Finance from the University of Cape Town. He is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst and previously worked at PwC where he gained extensive experience in the insurance industry. He later took up a director role within Finance at Swiss Re Life Capital.

John also founded a number of businesses including an innovation incubator and a retail property asset management company.  Prior to joining B3i, in 2013 he co-founded a B2B online marketplace for traditional advertising in South Africa.