Re/insurance talent: Lloyd’s plans in Asia

As Lloyd’s Asia approaches its 25th anniversary, chief executive officer Emma Loynes is looking beyond celebrations. Instead of reflecting, she wants to chart a strong course for the future—and it all starts with talent. 

Speaking to SIRC Today on the sidelines of the Singapore International Reinsurance Conference (SIRC), she discussed the industry’s biggest hurdles with a specific focus on talent, a theme she described as “universal and urgent”. 

“For our industry to develop and thrive, we need to tackle the issue around talent collectively,” Loynes said. She stressed that this wasn’t simply about attracting new professionals but, crucially, about nurturing and retaining them.

When Loynes took the helm in Singapore last year, her top priority was establishing a similar talent ecosystem to the one in London. This led to the creation of the Lloyd’s Young Talent Development Group, which has “now grown to over 240 members” and offers young professionals in claims, brokering, and underwriting a network and educational opportunities.

“The focus has been on bringing together professionals to give young talent a view into the breadth and depth of careers that you can have in insurance,” Loynes explained. “It’s about giving them the support they need, from networking to insight from senior figures.”

Loynes and her team are focused on starting early. They are building partnerships with schools and universities to introduce students to insurance before they graduate. “By the time graduates enter the market, it’s often too late,” she remarked. The Lloyd’s Academy, with its curriculum and series on emerging risks, has further reinforced this talent strategy.

“The Academy’s global reach has been invaluable,” she noted. Its programmes draw over 5,000 participants from across the region each year. With 2025 on the horizon, Loynes is exploring ways to integrate the Young Talent Development Group with Lloyd’s Academy into a holistic programme, in an effort to prioritise “development and retention, rather than just attraction”.

“We need to tackle the issue around talent collectively.”

Commitment to APAC

Lloyd’s Asia has more than talent on the agenda: this year marks the platform’s 25th anniversary in Singapore, an event Loynes sees as testament to Lloyd’s commitment to the region. Lloyd’s opened its doors in Asia in 1999. “Singapore is as an important hub for us. A lot of the business we write is in India, Korea, China, Australia—and Singapore acts as a pivotal point for all of our markets,” she said. 

“Many of our service companies have a significant regional presence here, and we’re seeing real investment across Asia-Pacific,” she added.

In the past year, Lloyd’s in Singapore has invested in core lines such as cyber, marine, and financial insurance, each showing double-digit growth and profitability.

“We’re seeing service companies invest significantly in their cyber propositions.”

The cyber insurance sector, in particular, has been a standout focus, responding to the growing demands of businesses across Asia-Pacific. Cyber insurance in Asia has moved from a reactive purchase to something core to a business’s risk strategy, Loynes explained. 

“Cyber is hugely important. We’re seeing service companies invest significantly in their cyber propositions to addresses emerging risks.” Over the past 18 months, the platform has increased its underwriting expertise by 24 percent, with a large focus on cyber, including not just underwriting, but also service management and other supporting roles, she shared.

Loynes is equally driven to improve the operational side of Lloyd’s Asia’s offerings, highlighting a broader ambition to remain a leader in sustainable, profitable growth. “We’re constantly evolving,” she said. She notes that initiatives around data and analytics can optimise the insurance transaction process, while artificial intelligence (AI) can develop new capabilities.

“AI is a big focus,” she acknowledged. She emphasised the need to prepare Lloyd’s workforce with future-ready skills, especially in data and AI. For Loynes, the goal is twofold: enhancing customer experiences and ensuring Lloyd’s continues to attract top talent in this rapidly advancing field.

Looking ahead to 2025, Loynes anticipates Singapore will play an even larger role as part of Lloyd’s global structure. The Asia platform will soon operate as one of three core hubs, along with EMEA and Americas, driving greater collaboration across regional markets. 

“Singapore is a true hub for our market, acting as a central point for all of our markets to be able to expand into the broader region,” she said. “It’s about expanding on our successes here and the insights we can bring from here into our broader operations.”

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