Judges

Maryam focuses on risk-aware accounting and advanced analytics in financial risk management and has been a lead analyst and author on a variety of industry and thought-leadership reports covering areas including insurance risk systems, asset and liability management, and credit risk analytics. She also works on Chartis’ governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) research, focusing on model risk management, and runs Chartis’ production, specializing in visualizations. Maryam holds a first-class BA Honours from the London School of Economics and is currently completing a master's degree in computation and cognition; she also has a certificate in Risk in Financial Services from the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

Vivek is the Managing Director of Polaris UK Ltd, an insurance industry owned organisation that underpins digital trading within the industry. More than 125 organisations use Polaris’ products – ProductWriter which is the industry’s most widely used digital rating engine, Standards for digital trading, the imarket gateway that connects broker systems to Commercial Lines insurer systems and a Live-Chat service allowing insurers and brokers to have secure risk related conversations while trading digitally.   

Vivek has over twenty years’ experience in the industry. Prior to joining Polaris, he was the Chief Digital Officer at Gallagher UK, leading the development of a multi-product, multi-country digital platform and mobile apps. Previously, he worked for Brit Insurance and NIG, leading the development of their online distribution propositions. He has also chaired BIBA’s cross-industry Innovation Working Group and was a member of TechNation’s Insurtech Board for three years.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/polaris-uk-limited/mycompany/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivek-banga-03a560

Melissa Collett is Professional Standards Director at the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), leading its professional standards, ethics and conduct activity as a united profession across insurance and financial planning. She is also responsible for the professional body’s legal affairs, risk management, disciplinary matters and governance. She is keen to raise awareness of best practice and drive ethical behaviour through engagement with the profession and external stakeholders.

Melissa has an extensive background in consumer and legal issues. She spent over a decade at the Financial Ombudsman Service, was a Director at Fairer Finance and sits as a Tribunal Judge. She is also qualified solicitor, specialising in insurance law at Hogan Lovells. She is a frequent speaker at conference and events, sits on judging panels, and is the author of numerous articles and publications on consumer law subjects.

A proven leader with an inquisitive nature, Fraser’s courage to challenge the status quo led him to co-found Broker Insights, an award winning insurtech start-up, with ex-Aviva colleague Iain Crole. Over the last year Broker Insights has been leading the Scottish insurtech market, transforming insurance distribution and improving collaboration between major insurers and regional commercial brokers through data analytics. Formerly Broker Distribution Director for Aviva UK, Fraser has over 25 years of knowledge and experience from the general insurance industry having led distribution and commercial teams using a full range of distribution models for general insurance products. Investors in innovation and people, Fraser and co-founder Iain have tripled the size of the Broker Insights team over the last six months to accelerate growth plans and are dedicated to helping Brokers unlock the value held in their data whilst using technology to facilitate new insurer relationships.

Mark has navigated the insurance industry for nearly 50 years, originally as a claims specialist in the Lloyd’s Market, he has run his own businesses since the late 1990s. The epitome of a pioneer, he founded one of the UK’s first claims outsource businesses and since times many other companies that help those trading within the sector grow and for those entering, to do so successfully. Having co-found an early insurtech MGA, he exited his businesses in 2017. He now advises and mentors many companies, including at the Lloyd’s Lab. He is an investor and serves as a NED and external Chairman for others. He lectures in entrepreneurship and is passionate about DEI, serving on the  board of a number of social mobility charities, striving to bring those underserved into the workplace. Mark is currently the Master of the Company of Entrepreneurs, one of the City of London’s Livery Companies.

Matt has a wealth of experience in senior management and ExCo positions for global insurer’s, working both in the UK and the US. These include Business Development Director for AXA, Sales Director at RSA, Commercial Director and then Managing Director at MORE TH>N.

In 2017 he founded Neos, a disruptive and award winning insurtech business focused on giving consumers more value from their insurance by providing them with policies that included smart technology to actively protect their properties. In 2019 Neos was the no. 1 seller of smart indoor cameras. This business was sold to Sky in 2021 and has been rebranded to Sky Protect. He was Managing Director of this business until the end of 2023 when he stepped down to pursue other interests. He remains as Non Exec Chair of this business.

Andrew Rear, Chief Executive, Digital Partners, Munich Re

"I'm just trying to live in the future, in an industry that lives in the past"

First computer: ZX Spectrum

First mobile phone: Nokia 1610 - the one before the classic Nokia

First job: Barman, waiter and part-time film extra

Digital hero: Clive Sinclair

Best thing about your current job: The pace and vision of our start-up partners

Last time you wore a tie: When I go to our head office in Munich (mostly to ask for money...)

If the insurance industry was a piece of technology what would it be? Fixed-line telephony

If you were not a digital activist what would you be doing? Regretting it

Andy started his career in the public sector, working in the NHS and two separate Executive Agencies of the Department for Health, including the £12.8bn NHS IT project. He began working in the insurance industry with the Motor Insurers' Bureau, responsible for the communications on industry databases and wider uninsured driving issues, before moving to the British Insurance Brokers' Association in 2013. Andy is responsible for public affairs at BIBA, helping to develop the trade association's policy and representing brokers' interests to the media, regulator, officials and Parliamentarians. Andy's brief at BIBA includes InsurTech and he is responsible for a cross-industry working group with the aim of fostering innovation within the industry.

First Car:

A 973cc Vauxhall Corsa that, as a student, I blew the engine up on!

If you had to carpool with any famous person (current or historical) who would it be? 

Stephen Fry – the man who knows everything about anything. He’s a natural story-teller and would make even the most monotonous journey interesting!

Twitter: @BIBAandy from @BIBAbroker