Beyond the Desk with Mark Thomas

The Evolution of the CDO Role in Insurance & Navigating the AI hype with Chris Pearce, CDO at esure

In this episode of Beyond the Desk [https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondthedeskpodcast/], Mark Thomas [https://www.linkedin.com/in/markthomas0/] is joined by Chris Pearce [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-pearce-0b75567a/], Chief Data Officer at esure. Chris shares his fascinating journey from a childhood love of video games to leading one of the UK’s most advanced data and AI transformations in the insurance industry. We explore Chris’s academic path from mathematics to a PhD in epidemiology, his early career spanning banking, automotive, and aggregators, and his progression into insurance leadership. Along the way, Chris gives a brutally honest view on the evolution of the CDO role, the hype and reality of AI in production, and how esure has embedded over a dozen generative AI use cases into the frontline of its business. Key topics discussed: * Why video games sparked Chris’s interest in problem-solving and led to a career in data * What a PhD in epidemiology taught him about resilience, research, and learning how little you know * His early career in banking, Mercedes-Benz, and MoneySuperMarket and how each built his leadership toolkit * Entering insurance with Hastings Direct and building data science teams across pricing, fraud, and claims * Becoming CDO at esure and building an enterprise-wide data and AI capability * The differences between 1st-gen and 2nd-gen Chief Data Officer roles * What most people misunderstand about driving value from data science * How to thrive as a leader without losing your technical edge * What 16 GenAI use cases in production actually looks like in practice * Where the CDO role is heading, and why agentic AI is next This is a brilliant insight into the mindset and career history of a modern, new CDO and what's next for data leaders in the insurance sector. Connect with us: * Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/markthomas0/] * Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondthedeskpodcast] * Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here [https://youtube.com/@beyondthedeskpodcast?si=GqwxuL03SOJE_yQD] * Chris on LinkedIn: Connect Here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-pearce-0b75567a/] If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable! New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧 Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams.

From Corporate Tech Leader to Independent: How David Clamp took to leap and ended up building The Camelot Network

In this episode of Beyond the Desk [https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondthedeskpodcast/], Mark Thomas [https://www.linkedin.com/in/markthomas0/] is joined by David Clamp [https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-clamp/] Founder of The Camelot Network, a network of independent consultants serving the insurance sector. From apprentice electronic engineer to insurance transformation leader and founder of a thriving network of 150+ independent experts, David Clamp’s career path has had some key milestones and changes in direction. In this episode, David shares the pivotal moments that shaped his journey, the birth of The Camelot Network, and his mission to reinvent what it means to be an independent advisor in insurance. We dive into: * Leaving corporate life and embracing risk at 50 * Building The Camelot Network from a pub meetup to a market force * Bridging the gap between insurance and insurtech * What makes a successful independent consultant * The future of AI, data, and operating models in insurance Connect with us: * Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/markthomas0/] * Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondthedeskpodcast] * Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here [https://youtube.com/@beyondthedeskpodcast?si=GqwxuL03SOJE_yQD] * David on LinkedIn: Connect Here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-clamp/] If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable! New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧 Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: www.invectagroup.com [https://www.invectagroup.com/]

Not Your Typical CTO - Taking a different path to insurance tech leadership with Daren Rudd, VP Insurance Consulting at CGI

In this episode of Beyond the Desk [https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondthedeskpodcast/], Mark Thomas [https://www.linkedin.com/in/markthomas0/] is joined by Daren Rudd [https://www.linkedin.com/in/daren-rudd/], Head of Insurance Business and Technology Consulting at CGI. Daren is a self-proclaimed "non-traditional CTO" whose route into insurance technology started not with a computer science degree, but a geography course and a job in marketing. Daren's path is a masterclass in curiosity, resilience and leadership that prioritises strategic impact over ego or titles. We delve into the pivotal moments that have shaped his 30+ year career, including a decade at Hiscox, a stint at Brit, the leap into consulting, and his current leadership role at CGI. Along the way, we explore how insurance businesses are tackling modernisation, the risks of layering AI on legacy, and why tech leaders need to stop pretending they have all the answers. Whether you're a current or aspiring leader, Daren's story offers an honest and refreshingly practical view on what good leadership actually looks like in insurance tech today. Key topics we cover include: * Why Daren swapped marketing for tech (with no formal background) * What makes a great BA and why it's not just a stepping stone * Leading without being the expert: lessons in facilitation * The danger of "AI as a silver bullet" for legacy systems * What today’s insurance clients really need: clarity, resilience, and pragmatism Connect with us: * Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/markthomas0/] * Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondthedeskpodcast] * Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here [https://youtube.com/@beyondthedeskpodcast?si=GqwxuL03SOJE_yQD] * Daren on LinkedIn: Connect Here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/daren-rudd/] If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable! New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧 Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: www.invectagroup.com [https://www.invectagroup.com/]

Exploring the evolution of the insurance CTO with Paul Butler, CTO at Hiscox Re & ILS

In this episode of Beyond the Desk [https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondthedeskpodcast/], Mark Thomas [https://www.linkedin.com/in/markthomas0/] by Paul Butler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mermantle/], newly appointed CTO of Hiscox Re & ILS and former CTO of Hiscox London Market. Paul’s journey is anything but typical. From writing code as a teenager on a ZX Spectrum to launching tech for startups in Borough Market and leading reinsurance innovation at one of the most recognised names in the London Market, his story is full of surprises, learnings, and sharp insights. We dive into: * Why coming from outside insurance gave Paul the right tools for success inside it * How he scaled a startup from 10 to 350 people while battling burnout * The pivot from project to product thinking at Hiscox * How hiring for attitude (not just skillset) helped him build high-impact teams * What he learned from selling data products to hedge funds * The future of insurance automation and why underwriters still matter Plus, Paul shares his take on flow engineering, embracing multi-cloud, and loads more. Connect with us: * Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/markthomas0/] * Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondthedeskpodcast] * Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here [https://youtube.com/@beyondthedeskpodcast?si=GqwxuL03SOJE_yQD] * Paul on LinkedIn: Connect Here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mermantle/] If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable! New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧 Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: www.invectagroup.com [https://www.invectagroup.com/]

Neural Networks to Insurtech with Krishnan Ethirajan, Chief Digital & AI Officer at Mosaic Insurance

In this episode of Beyond the Desk [https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondthedeskpodcast/], Mark Thomas [https://www.linkedin.com/in/markthomas0/] is joined by Krishnan Ethirajan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/krishnan-ethirajan-8442861/], Chief Digital & AI Officer at Mosaic Insurance. Krishnan shares his fascinating journey from studying neural networks in the 1980s to leading cutting-edge AI initiatives in the global insurance sector. With a background that spans academia, consulting, and executive leadership, Krishnan's career is anything but linear. Together, they explore pivotal moments in his personal and professional life, how early exposure to neuroscience shaped his thinking on AI, and why staying uncomfortable is often the best place to grow. Key Topics Covered: * Growing up in India and pursuing engineering * Studying AI and brain cognition in the 1980s * Building a PhD from scratch at University of Houston * Early neural networks and NASA-funded research * Selling his first company at 26 and choosing not to retire * Transition from academia to John Deere to Allstate * Moving into consulting with Gartner and PwC * Becoming CEO of Ironshore after being their consultant * Founding Mosaic Insurance in the middle of the pandemic * Driving value through AI, tech and strategic innovation * How to build differentiated, future-facing AI in insurance From brain plasticity and robotics to insurance operations and AI-led underwriting, this is an episode filled with thoughtful reflection, practical advice, and inspiring insights. Whether you're a tech leader, aspiring executive, or someone curious about where AI and insurance intersect, this is not one to miss Connect with us: * Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/markthomas0/] * Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondthedeskpodcast] * Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here [https://youtube.com/@beyondthedeskpodcast?si=GqwxuL03SOJE_yQD] * Krishnan on LinkedIn: Connect Here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/krishnan-ethirajan-8442861/] If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with colleagues who might find it valuable! New episodes drop every Tuesday. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of insurance and InsureTech. Thanks for tuning in - see you next time on Beyond the Desk! 🎧 Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Invecta Search, the brand new leadership search product from Invecta Group, which leads the insurance industry in building best-in-class technology and transformation leadership teams. Find out more: www.invectagroup.com [https://www.invectagroup.com/]