Insurance industry must embrace inevitable change

Sector must significantly narrowing the “insurance gap” over next decade, says insurance chief

Van Cutsem

What's your name?

Eddy Van Cutsem

What is your organisation, what does it do and what position do you hold?

I am the CEO of DIMA, Dublin International Insurance & Management Association. As an association DIMA represents the large majority of the international insurance and reinsurance and captive companies based in Ireland.

How long have you held your current role?

I was one of the founders of DIMA in 1990. I was DIMA’s vice chairman from 2011 until 2013, and served on the DIMA board for many years. I was appointed as CEO in August 2016.

What are your day to day responsibilities?

• Representation of DIMA members

• Interaction with stakeholders (Central Bank, Department of Finance, EIOPA - the European Regulator, European Commission etc.)

• Day-to-day operational management of DIMA and our team

What is your professional background and experience?

I have more than 25 years of senior international re/insurance experience working for Royal Bank of Canada and other blue chip financial groups in Ireland and Europe. I am a Chartered Director, serve on the board of reinsurance companies and am also a consultant to re/insurance companies. See also my LinkedIn profile.

Tell me about yourself away from work?

I like food, as well the cooking as the eating. I also like travel and skiing in winter.

Tell us something very few people know about you?

I am a self-professed “news junkie”.

You are a speaker at the Future of Insurance Summit. What will you be speaking about?

The challenges but in particular the huge opportunities of the re/insurance sector in the short and medium term.

What challenges do you see for the sector?

Technology and innovation, regulation, competition from new entrants and profitability. In short, embracing the inevitable change.

Where would you like to see the industry in 10 years time?

To have achieved a step change in efficiency and a significant narrowing of the “insurance gap” (gap between insured risks and the economic risks)

Van Cutsem will be speaking at The Sunday Business Post Future of Insurance Summit on November 18 at The Gibson Hotel in Dublin. Seewww.futureofinsurance.ie for further details.