MGAA Conversations

AI is increasingly shaping the future of MGAs and the broader insurance sector. In this episode, Charlie Blackburn, CEO of Azzur Technology, outlines the progress and promise of AI tools, particularly for underwriting efficiency and claims processing. However, he emphasises that without strong oversight, governance, and data accuracy, technology could quickly become a double-edged sword. Regulators and capacity providers are rightly demanding real-time data, transparent controls, and evidence of responsible automation. Listen for nuanced observations on why balancing innovation with governance is crucial for MGAs looking to build sustainable, scalable businesses.   Key Quotes: “Knowledge is going to become a commodity.” “Nail it before you scale it.” “The technology will deliver against the margin and the return on investment.” “We don’t want to go scaling it until we really know what we’re doing.”  “The same technology is improving the entire value chain.”  Resources: https://www.linkedin.com/company/azurtechnology https://azurtechnology.com/ About the Guest:   Charlie Blackburn, CEO, Azur Technology Charlie Blackburn is the CEO of Azur Technology, bringing over two decades of experience building and scaling technology businesses. He has founded and led multiple SaaS and digital platform companies, and has held senior leadership roles across enterprise software and consulting. With a strong background in product development, operations, and growth, Charlie now focuses on helping MGAs and program administrators modernize how they launch and manage insurance programs through Azur Technology’s MGA Connect platform.   https://uk.linkedin.com/in/charles-blackburn-8880011 

Modern MGAs, brokers, and insurers face pressure from every side: softening rates, rising claims, regulatory scrutiny, and impatient investors. But as Xceedence’s Gavin Lillywhite shares, meeting these headwinds means embedding robust operational controls and strategic automation, including agentic AI and efficient, customer-first claims management. This isn’t hype: it’s how 350+ Excedence clients have found quick wins and long-term ROI, even as the competitive landscape shifts. Sharpen your knowledge of consolidation trends, embedded insurance, and the business case for digital transformation in today’s market.   Key Quotes: “We’re here to solve problems. We don’t sell products; we sell solutions.” “It’s time to really automate and agentify your operations.” “Claims is your shop window.” “I think of AI as the underwriter in the pocket.” “Fortune favours the brave.”   Resources: https://www.xceedance.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/xceedance  About the Guest:   Gavin Lillywhite Senior Vice President, Operating Leader, UKI and Europe Gavin is a chartered insurer with over 30 years global P&C and Specialty Insurance Underwriting and distribution experience, having spent seven years at Royal & Sun Alliance and 22 years at Allianz, and most recently, Axio, focusing on cyber risk assessment and quantification, working in both the company and Lloyd’s market. Throughout his career he has held a number of roles including Global Property & Casualty Underwriting, leading the Financial Institutions and Real Estate Underwriting portfolio verticals, Client Management and Head of Global Broker Management, latterly with a EUR4.2Bn portfolio under management with Aon and WTW in addition to previous work with Marsh, AJG, Howden, Lockton, McGill et al and numerous Broker Networks. Having spent more than half his career in global roles, he has expert knowledge of global insurance markets from the Americas to Asia Pacific and all territories in between across Property & Casualty, Specialty, Credit Solutions, Affinity, Asset Management and Life & Health. He holds a postgraduate diploma in advanced management from The European School of Management & Technology, Berlin, and in 2005 was also awarded the Burton Rowe Prize for Chartered Insurance Institute Best National Paper in Advanced Broking. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-lillywhite/

Insurance law is rarely front-page news until someone like Michael Peyton enters the room. In this energetic, wide-ranging conversation, Clyde & Co's long-standing chairman unpacks stories from the Shergar mystery and Piper Alpha, right through to the AI ‘hallucinations’ haunting today’s legal work. Expect sharp takes on AI’s real risks (for insurers and claimants), why regulation’s tougher stance might actually be paying off, and the secret to inspiring the next generation of industry talent. Whether you’re a claims leader, underwriter or future market shaper, don’t miss the insights (or the racing tips).   Key Quotes: “The thing that strikes me most is what hasn't changed... the need to have trust and respect." "It is absolutely unforgivable for a lawyer to rely on what AI tells you without checking it yourself." "We've got great stories to tell... insurance is actually such an interesting career to have, as against banking." "People would ask what sort of law I did. I'd say, 'Insurance,' and they'd just turn and talk to someone else." "Insurance is so much more interesting than banking." Resources: https://www.clydeco.com/en  https://www.linkedin.com/company/clydeco  About the Guest:   Michael Payton Michael is the Chairman of Clyde & Co, having served as the firm's Senior Partner for 30 years, during which period Clyde & Co progressed from a niche shipping firm of 20 Partners to a more broadly based, global world trade practice with approx. 300 Partners. Michael has acted for Underwriters and Insurers worldwide on most of the major international insurance problems of recent years. Michael helped to establish and was Chairman of the Solicitors Indemnity Mutual Insurance Association from 1986 until 2007. He has been Chairman of the British Maritime Law Association since 1996. He holds various Non-Executive Directorships, in the insurance industry.  He is Chairman of the International Disputes Resolution Centre, in London. Michael was voted Senior Partner of the Year at the Legal Business Awards, 2004 and again at the British Legal Awards 2011. In Chambers 2007 he is recorded as 'a true leader of the insurance industry in London, Europe and Asia'. He was a member of the UK Judicial Delegation to India in 2008 for discussions with the President and Judges of the Indian Supreme Court. Michael was also listed as a leading individual in the 2009 Global Arbitration Review, in which the firm was ranked 11 out of the top 100 global arbitration practices. In 2011 Michael was awarded the title of Honorary QC.

The specialty insurance market stands at a crossroads: soft conditions, shifting client risks, and the relentless advance of AI. In this candid conference podcast, leaders from AXA, GEO, and Genesis debate where the real value lies—portfolio agility, meaningful partnerships, or competitive tech? Whether it’s monoline niche or diversified portfolios, everyone’s rethinking scale, distribution, and trust. Plus: why speed (not just size) is rapidly becoming the only advantage, and how the industry’s digital arms race is moving from talk to tangible action. Essential insights for MGAs, brokers, carriers and anyone shaping the next chapter of UK specialty insurance.   Key Quotes: "Speed, not size, is rapidly becoming the only sustainable advantage in specialty insurance." "The industry's digital arms race has moved beyond discussion and into tangible action." "As client risks evolve, insurers are rethinking scale, distribution, and trust from the ground up." "The real competitive edge may no longer be technology alone, but the combination of portfolio agility and meaningful partnerships." "From niche monoline specialists to diversified portfolios, every player is reassessing where value is created."   Resources: https://www.geounderwriting.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/company/geo-underwriting/   https://www.genasystech.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/genasystech/   https://www.axa.co.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axa-uk/ About the Guests: Graham Clarke (Geo) Graham Clark is Commercial Director at Geo, where he is responsible for driving the strategic growth of the MGA, alongside leading acquisition and integration activity. He previously led Navigators & General, the specialist marine insurer acquired by Geo in 2024. Graham brings extensive experience from his time at Zurich, across both the UK retail insurance market and global specialty lines.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/graham-clark-4960345a/    Gavin Peters Gavin Peters is Chief Growth Officer at Genasys, responsible the company's sales and marketing function. He joined in 2022 as VP of Marketing, became Chief Marketing Officer in 2023 and stepped into his current role in early 2025. Before moving into B2B SaaS he spent more than a decade in marketing agencies, including senior strategy roles at Havas Sports & Entertainment and Pitch Marketing Group, and was Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at the hospitality fintech Onvi. His agency work covered global campaigns and commercial consultancy for brands including Barclays, Coca-Cola, LVMH and O2. He has a research background and specialises in customer-centric, insight-based strategy across product marketing, digital and social, advertising, PR, events and inbound lead generation. Genasys is a cloud-based insurance software platform used by insurers, MGAs and brokers. Its policy administration system gives carriers and intermediaries a single core to run the policy lifecycle, and the company operates across the UK, South Africa and Australia. For MGAs in particular, the platform handles policy, billing and claims in one place, which is the kind of operational backbone the MGAA audience will recognise. Gavin's focus at Genasys is connecting that product capability to the growth strategy, bringing an agency-trained marketing approach into the insurance technology market.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-peters-marketing/    Joel Markham (AXA) Joel Markham is the Director of Schemes and Delegated Authorities at AXA UK. A passionate insurance advocate, Joel leads efforts to create long-term, trusted partnerships in the MGA space. With a background in underwriting and leadership, he champions innovation, talent development, and diversity, all while ensuring AXA continues to be a reliable and future-ready capacity provider.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-markham-67083711/   

How healthy is the UK broker landscape really? Ahead of BIBA 2026, leaders from Qclaims, Victor Insurance, Virtue, CGI, and First Underwriting debate the shifting shape of the broking sector. From AI-powered innovation to the resurgence of entrepreneurial ARs, discover where new value is being created and why service,  not just price, is back in vogue. With consolidation slowing and MGAs finding their agile edge, this conversation is packed with actionable insights for insurers, brokers, and anyone invested in the future of distribution. Can community, smarter tech, and a focus on relationships keep the MGA sector ahead? Find out inside.   Key Quotes: “We’re there to listen as much as we’re there to talk and to sell our products. We want to hear where brokers are struggling in the market, where we can help them out, where there’s gaps… we’re not just building things for the sake of building things. We want to build products that actually make brokers’ lives easier.”   “What I do like about being at BIBA is you can really talk to people about what’s working well, what has worked, where are the struggles… and that allows us to shape our solutions to get the best out of the technology that’s on the table today.”    “The really interesting thing is to have so many conversations in such a short space of time… and having 75% of your customers and suppliers in the same postcode for three days is genuinely unique.”   “The broking community is so dynamic in the UK, and it’s always changing shape… we’ve seen huge amounts of consolidation, but in the last 18 months the AR community just seems to be exploding again… it’s constantly reinventing itself.”    “Yes, we are in a soft market, and yes, everyone is after the best possible competitive rate. But we find that where we win and we keep our brokers is by service… they know they can pick up the phone and speak to an underwriter who can make a decision.”   Resources: https://www.cgi.com/uk/en-gb  https://www.linkedin.com/company/cgi/    https://www.virtuunderwriting.co.uk/  https://www.linkedin.com/company/virtusolutions/    https://qlaims.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/qlaims-limited/   https://www.firstuw.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-underwriting-limited/   https://www.victorinsurance.com/uk/home.html https://www.linkedin.com/company/victoruk/    About the Guests: Daren Rudd - Head of Business and Technology Consulting |UK Insurance | Vice President – Consulting Expert  Daren is a Vice-President in CGI’s UK Insurance business, leading a consulting team working with clients to shape digital strategy, modernise business models, and apply emerging technologies to deliver measurable outcomes. With over 30 years’ experience in the London and General Insurance markets, Daren brings deep industry expertise alongside more than a decade in InsurTech, consulting and technolgytechnology delivery. He applies a pragmatic approach in the use of technology to make a difference for the business, focusing on a lean rapid approach to transformation and focused on the value it creates for people. Daren is passionate about approaching complex challenges differently and believes that traditional transformation does not meet the needs of modern business. He partners with senior business and technology leaders to bridge the gap between innovation and reality, to ensure solutions are focus on real value not technology hype.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/daren-rudd/  Emily Gough - Property Owner Department Lead at Virtu Underwriting Emily Gough is an accomplished insurance professional with extensive experience across property and commercial underwriting. She currently serves as the Property Owner Department Lead at Virtu Underwriting, a position she has held since September 2023. In this role, Emily leads departmental strategy, oversees underwriting frameworks, and ensures the delivery of competitive, profitable, and customer-focused solutions for brokers and their clients. Before joining Virtu, Emily spent more than a decade developing deep technical and operational expertise. Her leadership has consistently centred on a strong blend of technical knowledge and practical leadership to the property insurance sector. https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-gough-acii-3a8a7687/    Liz Latter - CEO Qlaims Liz is a commercially driven insurance leader and CEO of Qlaims, a fast-growing specialist MGA providing Loss Recovery Insurance. With experience across brokers, software providers, and insurers, including leadership roles in start‑ups and mature organisations, she champions using technology to elevate, not replace, the empathy and clarity people need during challenging claims moments. https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-latter-70180b11/    Simon Taylor - Commercial Director, First Underwriting Simon Taylor is Commercial Director at First Underwriting – one of the UK’s leading specialist and scheme insurance MGAs. With over 30 years of experience, he’s held a wide range of senior leadership roles in the UK general insurance market with a track record of building businesses and profitable business growth. As Commercial Director at First Underwriting, he’s focused on enhancing and evolving its distribution and insurance solutions – further strengthening the organisation’s commitment to helping broker partners succeed. His favourite insurance story is being served a £4,500 bottle of wine by mistake several years back at a BIBA conference! https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-taylor-ab309b1b/    Susan Diemer - Head of Sales and Distribution at Victor Insurance  Susan Diemer is the Head of Sales and Distribution at Victor UK responsible for leading the UK sales team and developing the sales strategy for Victor in the UK. Susan has 25 years of experience in the industry; starting as a graduate at AXA, then working in strategy and proposition development positions at NIG, and most recently as Head of Strategic Partners at Markel. Through her time in insurance she has found her passion in developing good customer outcomes for brokers and end customers alike and loves being in front of brokers, supporting their growth. She is a Chartered Insurer with an Advanced Diploma from the Chartered Insurance Institute and holds a MA in Management Studies from St. Andrews University. https://www.linkedin.com/in/suz-diemer-acii-ma-32b4911b/