The International Underwriting Association (IUA), which represents London Market insurers and reinsurers, has established a new Chief Underwriting Officers Council for the London company market.
On 10th October 2025, the Council met and reviewed the results of a recent survey by the IUA of senior underwriting executives. The findings identified three top challenges for the year ahead: market conditions and profitability, attracting and retaining underwriting talent, and implementing new technologies into the underwriting process.
Respondents also ranked their top emerging risks, with geopolitical instability identified as the biggest threat, followed by social inflation and rising natural catastrophes.
The IUA’s survey also highlighted opportunities for underwriters to focus on in the next five years, which included harnessing artificial intelligence and data, promoting risk resilience and sustainability, and closing the insurance protection gap.
Tom Hughes, the IUA’s Director of Underwriting, has been responsible for convening the new Chief Underwriting Officers Council. He said, “I’m excited to be developing this new group which will ensure the IUA’s strategic objectives are tightly aligned with the underwriting priorities of our members.
“By engaging with companies at a senior level we will be well placed to lead debate and promote innovative solutions to the key underwriting challenges facing our sector.”
The Chief Underwriting Officers Council will include at least one representative who is also a member of the association’s Board, enabling direct input into the IUA’s senior governance body. Currently this is Rob Wilson, Chief Underwriting Officer at Chubb Global Markets.
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