The Leadership in Insurance Podcast - Insurtech & Innovation

In the latest episode of the Leadership in Insurance podcast, host Alex Bond sits down with Michael Streit, President of Applied Systems Carrier Business, for a fascinating conversation about the future of commercial insurance and the technology driving it forward.
Michael shares how Applied, a company with over 40 years of institutional knowledge, is tackling one of the industry's most persistent challenges: friction in the commercial risk submission process.
He explores how the recent acquisition of Cytora is enabling carriers to digitise unstructured insurance data using AI and large language models, all without forcing standardisation or compromising each carrier's unique view of risk.
The conversation covers three distinct phases of digitisation maturity (from basic document processing, through workflow orchestration, to full connectivity between agencies and carriers), and what it actually takes for carriers to become front of mind for brokers writing commercial risk.
Michael also reflects on the cultural challenge of sustaining innovation within a large, established organisation, and why the independent agent channel remains central to the insurance ecosystem.
Whether you're a carrier, broker, or insurtech enthusiast, this episode is packed with practical insights on where agency-carrier connectivity is heading — and how quickly it's getting there.
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#LeadershipInInsurance #InsurTech #CommercialInsurance #AppliedSystems #AI #DigitalTransformation #Insurance
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What does it take to transform the insurance broker industry from the inside out?
In the latest episode, host Alex Bond sits down with Will Johnson, Co-Founder and CEO of Gyde, to explore how his company is reimagining what it means to be an insurance broker in the age of AI.
Will shares how Gyde is on a mission to empower brokers to become true, comprehensive guides for their clients - providing the technological infrastructure, automation tools, and operational support to help them go far beyond a single line of business.
The conversation covers:
🔹 Why brokers are the most underleveraged, but critical entry point into the US healthcare and insurance system
🔹 How Gyde's M&A strategy is built around finding partner-aligned agencies, not just financial deals
🔹 The role of automation in solving the labour-intensive renewal process during periods like AEP
🔹 What building a culture of empathy and intellectual rigour looks like at an early-stage insurtech
🔹 Gyde's roadmap: from completing their leadership team to accelerating their AI platform (GydeOS & Gia)
Will brings a rare insider perspective, including experience at Oscar, and beyond — and it shows in how Gyde is speaking the language of the brokers they're building for.
If you work in insurance, healthtech, or benefits distribution, this one is worth your time.
#LeadershipInInsurance #InsurTech #Insurance #HealthInsurance #Brokers #AI #Podcast #FutureOfInsurance
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In this week’s episode, host Alex Bond sits down with Andrew Doran, CEO of UnderwriteMe, to explore what it really takes to bring AI into one of the most regulated corners of financial services — life and health insurance.
Andrew shares how UnderwriteMe operates a dual business model: a distribution platform powering up to a quarter of the UK's advisor protection market, and a B2B automation platform for underwriting and claims — two sides that constantly inform each other.
The conversation covers:
🔹 Why AI adoption looks like a "quiet evolution" in mature markets like the UK and Australia but a "grand revolution" in emerging ones like India
🔹 The danger of waiting for perfection and why incremental progress beats standing still
🔹 What the future really holds for human underwriters in an AI-driven world (spoiler: the role evolves, it doesn't disappear)
🔹 How to bring risk and compliance teams along early rather than treating them as a blocker
Andrew's take on navigating innovation inside a regulated industry is both pragmatic and refreshing. A must-listen for anyone working at the intersection of insurance, technology, and change.
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The next episode of the Leadership in Insurance Podcast is here - and it's one not to miss.
Host Alex Bond sits down with Abbie Day, reporter at Insurance Insider and one of the industry's most informed voices on AI, to explore what AI really means for the future of insurance.
Abbie brings a uniquely informed perspective: her interest in AI dates back to her Masters dissertation on editorial responses to the technology back in 2018, and she has since authored a widely-read six-part AI series for Insurance Insider.
In this conversation, she and Alex go beyond the hype to have an honest discussion about where the industry actually is on its AI journey.
They cover a lot of ground, including:
🔹 How AI is reshaping claims, underwriting and broking - and what that means for the people doing those jobs
🔹 The tension between efficiency gains and the human relationships that insurance has always been built on
🔹 The question every insurer is wrestling with: build in-house or buy in?
🔹 The concept of "ethical debt" - and why getting AI implementation right from the start matters more than speed
🔹 What future insurance leaders will actually need to succeed in an AI-augmented world
🔹 Why the industry is shifting from talking about AI to doing something about it - and what the early results look like
Whether you're a leader navigating AI adoption, a professional thinking about what these changes mean for your career, or simply someone trying to make sense of where insurance is heading — this episode is for you.
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Insurance"
In the latest episode of the Leadership in Insurance podcast, host Alex Bond sits down with Sharon Rodriguez, Co-Founder and CEO of Nevado AI, for a fascinating conversation about the future of artificial intelligence in the insurance industry.
With 20 years of insurance experience under her belt, Sharon shares how Nevado AI is using an agentic workforce to help insurers cut through operational inefficiency and regulatory complexity — without the friction of traditional outsourcing models.
The conversation explores some of the most pressing questions facing insurance leaders today:
🔹 What does it actually mean to be AI-native — and how do you build that infrastructure?
🔹 How should organisations rethink roles, training, and incentive structures in an AI-driven world?
🔹 What kind of leadership does successful AI integration demand?
Sharon and Alex also discuss the cultural shift required for companies to treat AI not just as a tool, but as a genuine part of the workforce — and why empathy and creativity are now non-negotiable leadership traits.
Whether you're an insurance executive, an ops leader, or simply curious about where AI is taking the industry, this is a conversation worth your time.
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