In this week's episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas is joined by Ketan Motwani, COO at Arch Insurance, for a rich and refreshingly candid conversation about career reinvention, resilience, and rising through transformation. From rebelling at school in India to being parachuted into boardrooms in the UK, Ketan’s story spans military training, software engineering, Deloitte consulting, and executive leadership at Aon and Arch.

Key Topics Covered:

• From physics to the Indian Army to Deloitte: an unconventional start
• How transformation became his leadership DNA
• Making the shift from consulting to industry (and how having twins was the catalyst)
• The evolution of the COO role — and why it’s not one-size-fits-all
• Embedding AI as part of a broader operating model shift
• Advice for aspiring COOs on building a rounded career

We unpack the pivotal decisions that shaped his journey, the mindset shift required to go from change agent to COO, and why the London Market's data challenge is today’s biggest opportunity. Whether you’re an aspiring leader, a transformation junkie, or just love a great story - there’s something in here for you.

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Ketan on LinkedIn: Connect Here

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

In this weeks episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas sits down with Arvinder Mudhar, Group CIO of IQUW, whose career spans investment banking, global tech transformation, and the intricacies of the insurance world. From his first lines of BASIC code in East London to leading IT strategies across Mumbai, Geneva, and now London, Arvinder's journey is anything but typical.

Key topics that we discussed include:

• Why he never planned to be a leader, and how he found his way into the CIO chair
• The biggest cultural shift he experienced when moving from banking to insurance
• How bereavement counselling and career coaching shaped him into a better leader
• His view on AI as the most profound shift in tech in our lifetime
• Why insurance needs a CMO for the next generation

This episode is packed with practical advice for anyone considering a career in tech leadership, as well as deeply human insights into how people grow, change and lead through challenge.

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Arvinder on LinkedIn: Connect Here

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

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Desk, Mark Thomas sits down with Hélène Stanway independent advisor and former Head of Digital & Innovation at AXA XL. With a career spanning more than 30 years across reinsurance, operations, digital innovation, and data, Hélène has carved a truly unique path through the insurance industry.

In this wide-ranging conversation, we unpack her zigzag career journey, how curiosity led her into the world of insurtech and emerging tech, and why she's convinced insurance doesn’t have a technology problem but an adoption problem. From reinsurance recoveries in Farnborough to spearheading global innovation strategies and now advising organisations across the market, Helene shares wisdom on leading transformation, creating space for change, and making the leap to work independently.

Key topics discussed:

• How Hélène intentionally chose insurance (yes, really!) and started in outwards reinsurance
• The pivotal moment RPA sparked her passion for innovation
• Transitioning from global operations to a digital innovation leadership role at AXA XL
• Why success in innovation starts with structure, not just ideas
• The secret to driving adoption in legacy-heavy environments
• What most insurers are getting wrong about AI and talent strategy
• Why insurers must think beyond efficiency and start solving for growth
• The reality of becoming an independent advisor - and the challenges of BD without playing golf
• The power of breadth over linear career paths
• Hélène’s call for insurance to become service-led, not just product-led

This is a fascinating story of career evolution and how you can flip what you are doing quickly, the challenges that change presents and whole lot more.

Connect with us:

• Mark Thomas on LinkedIn: Connect Here
• Follow Beyond the Desk on LinkedIn: Follow Here
• Watch Full-Length Video Episodes on YouTube Here
• Hélène on LinkedIn: Connect Here

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: linkedin.com/company/invecta-group