Winning Executive Buy-In For Scaling AI in Insurance - with Ermir Qeli of Swiss Re

Today’s guest is Mark Surman, President of the Mozilla Foundation. In conversation with Emerj CEO and Head of Research Daniel Faggella from 2023, Mark speaks at length about the shifting paradigms of privacy, security, and data governance in the age of generative AI. Throughout the episode, Mark explains how privacy concerns have evolved from simple data protections in the early days of the internet to complex issues involving data provenance, consumer trust, and ethical AI governance. As businesses increasingly rely on AI-powered services, leaders must address not only compliance but also new expectations around customer respect and transparency. Their conversation highlights the importance of building privacy and governance expertise into leadership teams, encouraging proactive engagement with evolving regulations and emerging technologies. If you’ve enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

Today’s guest is Patrick Simonnet, Chief Audit Executive for Bank of China’s US operations. Patrick joins us on today’s show to explore the evolving landscape of financial risk management. As technology reshapes the financial sector, Patrick shares practical use cases of generative AI in audit workflows and cybersecurity, touching on how these technologies assist financial institutions in staying ahead of increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. His conversation with Emerj Senior Editor Matthew DeMello also covers the long-term future of audit, emphasizing the importance of merging data science skills with traditional audit practices. This episode is sponsored by MindBridge. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

Today’s guest is Joe Gelman, Platform Marketing Manager at Riskified. Riskified is a publicly traded SaaS company that specializes in fraud and chargeback prevention. Joe joins us to talk about the evolving landscape of fraud prevention for retail and eCommerce. As the holiday season approaches, with forecasts projecting $240 billion in U.S. online shopping, merchants face increasing challenges balancing customer-friendly policies with the risk of policy abuse and sophisticated fraud schemes. Joe explains how the pandemic reshaped consumer behavior, normalizing liberal return policies but also creating opportunities for fraud. He highlights how policy abuse—such as repeat returns or fake claims—differs from more organized fraud operations manipulating shipping systems or repackaging defective products. This episode is sponsored by Riskified. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

Today’s guest is Juan Ferres, Corporate Vice President and Chief Data Scientist at Microsoft. Juan returns to the program to explore how to win buy-in for sustainable AI projects. As a leader in the AI4G Lab and author of the new book AI for Good, Juan shares insights on navigating complex digital transformations, particularly when it comes to initiatives where the return on investment is philosophical rather than immediately measurable. Throughout the episode, Juan and Emerj Senior Editor Matthew DeMello discuss the challenges of managing up and driving forward AI innovations that aim to benefit society as a whole. If you’re interested in unlocking our AI best practice guides, frameworks for AI ROI, and specific resources for AI leaders, visit emerj.com/p1.

Today’s guest is Luke van der Waals, Demand-to-Deliver Value Stream Owner at SLB. SLB is a global technology company driving energy innovation for a balanced planet. They are the largest offshore drilling company by revenue as of 2022 and were ranked 349th largest company globally by the Forbes Global 2000 list that same year. Luke joins us on today’s show to explore the evolving complexities of global supply chains and procurement. He shares insights on the challenges of maintaining resilience amid geopolitical tensions, inflation, and post-pandemic disruptions—especially in the energy sector. Luke also offers a candid look at how global conflicts amplify supply chain risks and emphasizes the importance of balancing local sourcing with global constraints to control costs and ensure seamless operations. This episode is sponsored by Arkestro. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

Today’s guest is Chloe Rice, Director of Global Customer Experience at Shutterstock. Shutterstock is a New York-based provider of stock photography, stock footage, stock music, and editing tools with a library of nearly 200 million royalty-free stock photos. Chloe joins us to explore the rapidly changing landscape of media and the role AI plays in shaping customer interactions. Throughout the episode, Chloe shares her insights on the emerging trends in customer experience, from the ethical use of AI to building transparent policies that ensure authenticity across all content channels. To access Emerj’s frameworks for AI readiness, ROI, and strategy, visit Emerj Plus at emerj.com/p1.

Today’s guest is Ermir Qeli, Head of Data Science in AI at Swiss Re. Ermir returns to the program to discuss strategies for gaining executive buy-in and scaling AI within the insurance industry. Throughout the discussion, Ermir highlights the role of data infrastructure, particularly for legacy institutions, in ensuring that data is clean, structured, and distributed effectively across the enterprise. He also delves into how change management is crucial for driving AI adoption, emphasizing the need for collaboration from day one, upskilling teams, and building trust in the technology from the beginning. Download our PDF brief “AI in Insurance: Executive Cheat Sheet” at emerj.com/ins1.

Today’s guest is Paulo Ruy, Head of Terminal Procurement for Latin America at A.P. Moeller-Maersk. A.P. Møller–Maersk, a Danish shipping and logistics company with over 100 years of history, is a publicly traded family business. In 2023, the company generated $51.1 billion USD in revenue and was ranked by Forbes as the 174th largest public company globally. Paulo joins host Matthew DeMello to explore the complexities of global shipping and procurement. Their conversation provides critical insights into how geopolitical conflicts, such as the Ukraine war and Red Sea challenges, are impacting global supply chains and contributing to inflation. Throughout the episode, Paulo discusses the need for flexibility in contract negotiations and the ongoing shift in shipping routes. To discover more AI use cases, best practice guides, white papers, frameworks, and more, join Emerj Plus at emerj.com/p1.

Today’s guest is Frédéric Rivain, CTO of Dashlane. Dashlane is a password manager and digital wallet app, available through subscription, designed for macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android platforms. Frédéric joins Emerj Senior Editor Matthew DeMello on the program today to examine trends in how AI is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape, presenting both significant risks and opportunities for enterprises. As AI tools become more sophisticated, they are changing the dynamics of cybersecurity — from automating complex attacks to enhancing defense strategies. This episode is sponsored by Pieces. To learn more about Emerj Media and how to reach the Emerj audience, visit emerj.com/ad1.

Today’s guest is Matthias Steinberg, Chief Financial Officer of MindBridge Analytics. MindBridge is a software company that has developed an AI-powered risk and anomaly detection platform at the cutting edge of accounting and financial service workflows, driving deep business insights in the process. Matthias joins us in today’s program to talk about the trouble that financial professionals face across industries when adopting AI. Later, we touch on the difference between short- and long-term ROI as we see more support for automation across finance teams in every kind of enterprise. This episode is sponsored by MindBridge Analytics. Find out more about sponsored content and how to engage with the Emerj audience at emerj.com/ad1.