Nine months of dedication, innovation, and transformation concluded with the Digital Minds Cohort 7 Showcase, hosted at Miller Insurance Services in London. A room filled with industry leaders, sponsors, and future change-makers witnessed the culmination of the delegates’ hard work and bold ideas‒ideas that will shape the future of insurance.
Pushing the Boundaries of Innovation
Kicking off the event, EDII CEO Caroline Bedford set the tone with a powerful message: The insurance industry must evolve with its customers, not lag behind them. While digital transformation is well underway, traditional structures still present challenges. The next generation of insurance leaders‒those with the skills and mindset to challenge the status quo‒will determine how successfully the industry adapts.
This is exactly where EDII Digital Minds comes in. Accredited by the CII, this immersive programme equips professionals with the tools to drive real change. Over nine months, delegates tackle real-world industry challenges, apply cutting-edge methodologies, and develop future-focused solutions that resonate beyond the programme.
Cohort 7: Change Makers in Action
This year’s delegates took on some of the industry’s most pressing challenges, demonstrating a relentless drive to innovate. Their projects addressed key industry pain points, offering forward-thinking solutions:
The Future of Underwriting: Proactive Risk Management
Traditional underwriting is reactive, leading to slow claims processes and rising premiums. This team developed a unified digital platform that integrates AI, digital alerts, and real-time data to prevent losses before they occur. Their three-pillar approach‒Protect, Prevent, Prosper‒became their rallying cry, even featuring on custom team t-shirts. Their vision? A shift from risk assessment to continuous risk management, improving both efficiency and customer trust.
Delegates:
The Future Workforce: Training for Tomorrow
As AI and automation reshape the workforce, insurers must adapt. This team created their vision for the Virtual Insurance Industry Space (VIIS) ‒ a prototype AI-driven training tool that delivers experiential learning anytime, anywhere. To reinforce their message that even small steps in learning lead to big change, the team handed out sand timers‒a simple reminder that investing just a minute or two in upskilling can make a significant difference. With 25% of the workforce set to retire within the next decade, solutions like this will be key to attracting and upskilling new talent.
Delegates:
The Future of Risk Management: Parametric Insurance for Certainty in Uncertain Times
The team tackled one of the biggest issues in traditional insurance – delivering certainty in uncertain times. They shared their research into parametric insurance models, where pre-defined triggers (e.g., extreme weather, commodity price fluctuations) automatically release payouts, eliminating delays and disputes. To showcase how parametric insurance is expanding beyond climate risks, they creatively used Creme Eggs with individual price tags to demonstrate how fluctuating egg prices in the USA impact commercial businesses‒proving that parametrics can be a game-changer across industries.
Delegates:
Investing in Future-Focused Talent: The Power Behind the Programme
The calibre of delegates is matched by the strength of the organisations investing in them.
have all demonstrated their commitment to nurturing talent and driving meaningful change through their sponsorship and support.
Guiding Innovation: The EDII Coaching Team
At the heart of Digital Minds are EDII CEO Caroline Bedford and the EDII Coaches – seasoned professionals who bring a wealth of industry experience to guide and inspire delegates. Paul Willoughby, Hélène Stanway, Nick Haldane, and Jasmine Shell have each played pivotal roles in driving innovation and transformation across the insurance sector. Their expertise spans emerging technology, strategic innovation, and process improvement, equipping delegates with the confidence and tools to implement change. Through hands-on mentoring, real-world insights, and a passion for innovation, they ensure that Digital Minds participants are not just learning about the future of insurance, bringing in industry experts such as Emma Culham, QBE, to add additional perspective.
A Standout Moment: Expert Insights
Beyond the delegate presentations, EDII Coach Hélène Stanway and ATA’s Lead Underwriter, Alistair Blundy took to the stage, enlightening the audience with insights into how emerging technologies are reshaping the insurance landscape, energising the room with a deep dive into the transformative power of AI, digital twins, IoT, and more.
They painted a vivid picture of a future where technology is not just an enabler but a critical force in redefining risk and opportunity in insurance. Their presentation sparked curiosity, prompting lively discussions on how insurers can harness these technologies to stay ahead of the curve, anticipate risks, and proactively serve clients in a rapidly shifting digital ecosystem. They reinforced the message that embracing these innovations isn’t optional—it’s essential for insurers and brokers to meet evolving client needs with confidence, agility, and a forward-thinking approach.
Our Digital Minds Awards Go To
As the Digital Minds Cohort 7 Showcase came to a close, EDII celebrated individuals who went above and beyond in their innovation journey. The standard across the cohort was exceptionally high, making it almost impossible to choose winners. However, these individuals stood out for their dedication, impact, and ability to drive real change.
Innovation Impact Award: Molly Richardson, (Verisk) & Chloe Bamford (Miller Insurance Services)
Molly and Chloe demonstrated an outstanding ability to influence, inspire, and bring others on the journey of change, ensuring that their ideas gained momentum and real industry impact. Their dedication to collaboration and driving measurable change made them worthy winners of this award.
Innovation Knowledge Champion: Lee Thorne, Liberty Specialty Markets
Lee stood out for his commitment to knowledge-sharing and strategic innovation. His ability to engage peers, support discussions, and ensure that innovation was not just conceptual but structured for long-term success made him the perfect recipient of this award.
These awards highlight not only individual excellence but also the spirit of collaboration, persistence, and forward-thinking that defines the Digital Minds programme.
What our delegates had to say about their experience:
Venkat Manivannan, Senior Business Analyst
This programme completely changed my perspective on innovation within insurance
Louise Pyner, Operations Assistants Team Leader
Falling in love with the problem, I learned the power of collaboration to drive meaningful solutions, and with EDII’s tools, I now approach innovation and process improvement with confidence.
Molly Richardson, Senior Business Analyst
The ability to connect with industry leaders and gain hands-on experience has been invaluable.
Lee Thorne, Senior Operations Analyst
Having exposure to leaders in the industry has been a huge benefit. The course was extremely well designed and delivered.
Katrine-Oriane Wandji, Junior IT Support Engineer
Being exposed to different career paths and industry specialists broadened my horizons.
Amber Murton, Talent and Capability Advisor
The Digital Minds Programme is a must for anyone looking to drive insurance forward with innovation, equipping participants with essential skills and a dynamic network to shape the industry’s future—don’t hesitate to sign up!
What’s Next?
Join the Next Wave of Insurance Innovators
Cohorts 9 and 10 launch in May and October. If you or your organisation want to be part of the next wave of insurance leaders, now is the time to get involved.
Ready to join us?
