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The Leadership in Insurance Podcast - Insurtech & Innovation
From Capitol Hill to Catalyzing Innovation: Joan Woodward on Insurance, and Driving Societal Impact
đ New Episode of the Leadership in Insurance Podcast â Live Now!
This week, I had the privilege of sitting down with Joan Kois Woodward, EVP of Public Policy at Travelers and Founding President of the Travelers Institute.
Joan is a true trailblazer with an incredible career spanning Capitol Hill, Goldman Sachs, and now, leading one of the most dynamic and impactful âdo tanksâ in the insurance industry.
In this episode, Joan shares her deep expertise and passion for driving innovation, education, and societal impact through insurance. We cover:
â How the Travelers Institute tackles critical global challenges like cybersecurity, distracted driving, and workforce risks, and why these issues matter to businesses and individuals alike.
â The role of insurance as a catalyst for innovationâfrom enabling advancements in self-driving cars to climate resilience and cyber defense.
â Her commitment to diversity and inclusion in the industry, including the launch of SheGolfs, a groundbreaking initiative empowering women to break barriers in traditionally male-dominated spaces.
â Why insurance is essential for society, acting as the backbone for businesses and individuals to recover, thrive, and innovate in an ever-changing world.
Joanâs perspective is a must-hear for anyone interested in leadership, public policy, innovation, or the transformative role of insurance.
Whether youâre leading a business, navigating risk, or simply curious about how insurance impacts nearly every aspect of our lives, this episode is packed with invaluable insights.
đ§ Tune in now to hear why Joan believes that education and collaboration are the keys to shaping a better future for our industry and society.
#LeadershipInInsurance #Podcast #TravelersInstitute #InnovationInInsurance #Cybersecurity #DiversityInLeadership #BusinessLeadership
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Rewriting the Rules of Claims, A Conversation with Alex Pezold, CEO and Co-founder of Agentech
27:32|Insurance has poured billions into growth and distribution, yet claimsâthe biggest cost in the industryâhasnât seen the same level of innovation. Why is that? And what happens when experienced founders decide to tackle it differently?In todayâs episode of the Leadership in Insurance Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Alex Pezold, CEO & Co-Founder of Agentech, about what needs to change in claims and how Agentech is approaching it differently.đ This episode really got me thinking about:Why claims innovation has taken a backseatâand whatâs finally shiftingThe difference between a horizontal vs. vertical approach to fixing claimsHow Alexâs past experience building and selling companies shaped his mindset this time aroundThe power of having the right team when trying to solve big industry problemsAlex brings so much insight, experience, and honesty to this conversationâitâs one of those episodes that challenges the way we think about the status quo. If youâre in insurance, claims, or just passionate about where this industry is headed, this is a must-listen.Would love to hear your thoughtsâwhere do you see claims innovation heading next?#LeadershipInInsurance #Podcast #Insurtech #ClaimsInnovation #FutureOfInsuranceTransforming Leadership, A Conversation With Des Burke on Data, AI, and Driving Change in Insurance
42:29|đď¸Â New Podcast Episode Alert!This week on The Leadership in Insurance Podcast, weâre delighted to feature Des Burke, Group COO of Tokio Marine HCC International. đFrom navigating a career across multiple industries to leading transformation in a global organisation, Des shares insights every leader should hear. đđĄ Key topics include:đą The role of social mobility in shaping leadership values.đ How multi-sector experience influences problem-solving and decision-making.đ The pivotal role of data in the insurance sector and the challenges of qualifying and using it effectively.đ¤ The future of AI in insuranceâopportunities, misconceptions, and how it can augment human capabilities.Desâs journey from a working-class background to the C-suite is not just inspiringâitâs a testament to the importance of understanding where we come from and how it shapes our approach to leadership.đ Tune in now for an engaging conversation that explores everything from transformation and technology to the human side of leadership.#LeadershipInInsurance #InsurancePodcast #Data #AI #Leadership #InsuranceInnovation #SocialMobilityFrom Finance to Founding: CEO Christie Horvath on Leadership, Bold Pivots, and Building Wagmo
34:03|đđď¸ New Podcast Episode: Live now!This week on the Leadership in Insurance Podcast, weâre thrilled to feature Christie Horvath, CEO and Founder of Wagmo, a pioneering insurtech empowering responsible pet parenting. đžChristieâs entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of remarkable. From her beginnings in big finance at BlackRock to founding Wagmo during business school, Christie has faced and overcome challenges most of us can only imagine.In this episode, she opens up about the moments that shaped Wagmoâs successâincluding the bold decision to pivot from direct-to-consumer to a B2B2C model, tailoring pet wellness solutions for employers and their teams. đŻ Hereâs what youâll learn:đ§ŠThe challenges of hiring for roles youâve never encountered before. How to create focus and drive success by narrowing your business strategy.đââď¸Why the secret sauce isnât just building a great teamâbut aligning them to sprint together. đĽCandid advice on what not to do as a founderâlessons learned the hard way. đĄ One of the standout lessons? The importance of bold pivots. Wagmoâs decision to shift focus wasnât easyâessentially rebuilding the company and teamâbut itâs now paying off in dividends.Whether youâre a founder, a leader, or someone passionate about startup stories, Christieâs transparent and thoughtful insights are bound to inspire.đŹ Whatâs the most valuable lesson youâve learned about leadership or scaling a business? Weâd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!#Leadership #Insurance #Podcast #Wagmo #StartupLessons #ScalingUp #PetWellnessRevisiting Favourites: Inside The Global Impact of Insurtech Gateway with COO, Maria Coko.
25:55|đ Revisiting One of Our Most Insightful Episodes with Maria Coko đThis Monday, weâre bringing back one of our most-watched and most-loved episodes of the year! đď¸ Maria Coko, COO at Insurtech Gateway, joined The Leadership in Insurance Podcast to share her invaluable insights into the world of incubation, investment, and innovation in insurtech.Mariaâs episode struck a chord with so many of you because of her candid discussion about:đĄ What makes Insurtech Gateway unique in its structure and approach.đ How they maintain a high deal velocity while supporting their portfolio companies.đ¨ The creative side of being a COO, and how that shapes their strategy.đ The importance of local market insights and LP relationships in their success.If you missed it the first time or want to revisit the wisdom Maria shared, nowâs your chance! Join us as we spotlight this standout conversation againâperfect for anyone eager to understand how insurtech innovation is nurtured and scaled.đ§ Tune in Monday to revisit this must-listen episode! #LeadershipInInsurance #Insurtech #Innovation #Investment #Incubation #BusinessLeadership #MariaCoko #PodcastRevisiting Favourites: CEO & Founder, Alex Hearn, Dives Into Insurance Innovation.
25:31|Revisiting One of Our Most-Viewed and Favorite Episodes of the YearđđźWeâre excited to re-upload one of our most-viewed and favorite episodes from The Leadership in Insurance Podcast, now live!Alex Hearn, CEO and Founder of Slipcase, shares the incredible story behind the platformâs evolution from a social tool to a powerhouse for curated content in the insurance and reinsurance industries. This episode has been one of the top performers of the year, offering unique insights that continue to resonate with our audience.đĄWhat youâll hear in this episode:đŤSlipcaseâs journey from a social tool to a leading industry platform.đŤThe rise of data-driven content and its pivotal role in insurance marketing.đŤExciting growth plans, including a major platform upgrade and strategic acquisition.If you havenât listened yet, now is the perfect time to dive in. This is a must-listen for anyone looking to stay ahead in the ever-evolving insurance space!#LeadershipInInsurance #PodcastRevisit #MostViewedEpisode #Slipcase #Innovation #ContentMarketingRevisiting Favourites: CCO Tom Spier on Transforming Reinsurance with Supercede | The Reinsurance Platform
38:21|đ Revisiting One of Our Favorites! đAs we approach the end of the year, we're taking a moment to reflect on some of the standout conversations from The Leadership in Insurance Podcast. One episode that continues to resonate is our deep dive with Tom Spier, Chief Commercial Officer at Supercede.Tom joined us to discuss:⨠The future of reinsurance platforms and how Supercede is transforming the landscape.⨠The importance of technology in simplifying complex processes.⨠His insights into building partnerships, driving innovation, and navigating the insurance industry's challenges.Whether youâre new to this episode or revisiting it with us, itâs packed with actionable insights and thought-provoking discussions that are as relevant today as they were when we first released it.Let us know your key takeaways in the comments! đ#InsuranceInnovation #Leadership #Podcast #Reinsurance #SupercedeDynamic Risks, Dynamic Solutions,: A Conversation with Rachel Olney from EarthDaily Analytics.
32:25|đď¸ New Episode Alert: The Leadership in Insurance Podcast đď¸This week, weâre excited to welcome Rachel Olney, GM of the Insurance Line of Business at EarthDaily Analytics, to the show! đFrom founder to innovator, Rachel has navigated two acquisitions and now leads groundbreaking work in geospatial analytics for the insurance industry. đđĄIn this episode, Rachel shares:đ The transformative power of geospatial data in risk modeling.đĄ How dynamic risk insights are reshaping insurance strategies.đ¤ The importance of building strong, mission-driven teams.đŻ Her candid experiences navigating leadership and industry challenges.Whether youâre a fan of innovation, a tech enthusiast, or simply curious about how cutting-edge data is driving real-world change, this is a conversation you donât want to miss!đ Drop your thoughts in the comments and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!#LeadershipInInsurance #Podcast #GeospatialAnalytics #InsuranceInnovation #RiskManagementTransforming Legal Tech: A Conversation with Jacqueline Schafer, CEO of Clearbrief.ai
24:24|đ New Episode of the Leadership in Insurance Podcast â Out Now!This week, I had the privilege of speaking with Jacqueline Schafer, founder of Clearbrief.ai, about how AI is revolutionizing legal writing and risk management.Jacqueline shared her inspiring journey from litigator and in-house counsel to tech founder, creating a tool thatâs transforming how legal teams work.In this episode, we discuss:â The inspiration behind Clearbrief.ai and its role in modernizing legal writing.â The challenges of launching a startup during the pandemic.â Why Clearbrief.ai is trusted by teams like Microsoftâs to reduce risks and boost efficiency.â The impact of integrating AI with tools like Microsoft Word.â Clearbrief.aiâs global expansion and the importance of partnerships like LexisNexis.Clearbrief.aiâs integration with Microsoft Word has been a game-changer, bringing the power of AI into a tool that legal professionals use every day. This thoughtful approach to usability has been instrumental in its rapid adoption by law firms and corporate legal teams.Jacqueline also gives us a glimpse of whatâs next for Clearbrief.ai: ongoing innovation, expanded functionality, and a commitment to helping legal teams work smarter, not harder.If youâre curious about how AI is transforming the legal sectorâor youâre just looking for inspiration from a leader whoâs driving changeâthis is an episode you wonât want to miss.đ§Â Listen now and join the conversation about the future of legal innovation!#LeadershipInInsurance #AI #LegalTech #ClearbriefAI #Innovation #Podcast