September is always a full month for our industry, and this year was no exception. From the terrace of the Hôtel Hermitage in Monte Carlo to the stage at the Airmic Guernsey conference, I saw how Guernsey's mix of regulatory proportionality, speed to market and specialist expertise continues to resonate. Across every Guernsey Finance event, two themes stood out: risk profiles are evolving rapidly, and Guernsey's regulatory agility and stability are more relevant than ever.
At our Guernsey Champagne Reception in Monte Carlo on 9 September, conversations circled around four dominant forces: AI and technology, climate change, geopolitical instability and cyber risk. As businesses face increasingly complex risks, Guernsey's insurance and reinsurance sector enables efficient capital deployment and tailored solutions for emerging exposures.
A highlight was hearing Convex CEO Paul Brand describe Guernsey as, "a very good place to have a business – a jurisdiction making a constant series of improvements." Paul spoke of, "pricing, people and productivity," as the industry's watchwords, but said the "p" that best fits Guernsey is possibility – a sentiment echoed throughout the week. People want credible, practical routes to get things done.
I also discussed how Guernsey's jurisdictional strengths enables organisations to respond to evolving risk profiles with speed and confidence. By drawing on captives, commercial reinsurance, ILS and special purpose vehicles, Guernsey's expertise helps companies develop and launch tailored risk financing and risk management solutions effectively.
Another recurring theme was talent. As Paul Brand also noted, there was some, "one-upmanship around tech and AI," in Monte Carlo, raising the question of how we attract people who can harness these tools responsibly. The answer lies in ecosystems like Guernsey's, where regulators, managers, advisers and service providers work together to turn ideas into alternative risk financing solutions. A collaborative environment fosters innovation which in turn attracts talent.
That spirit of partnership was equally evident at the second Airmic Guernsey conference, which took place in Guernsey at the end of September. More than 80 UK delegates attended, and I joined a panel alongside Howden's John Rowson, LMG's Caroline Wagstaff and GFSC's Caroline Bradley, moderated by Airmic CEO Julia Graham. We explored how captives have moved into the mainstream as risk managers seek control over a complex and shifting risk profile, require access to the reinsurance market and where operational agility of their businesses are paramount to success. Guernsey's insurance and reinsurance ecosystem supports these requirements offering a robust, yet responsive framework that enables innovation, without compromising regulatory integrity.
Looking ahead, data-driven decision-making, AI, cyber coverage and climate-linked protections are evolving fast. Guernsey's broader risk-transfer offering, from captives, collateralised reinsurance and ILS, gives decision makers the tools to move quickly, guided by the expertise on the island.
Overall, September reinforced three things for me: evolving risk profiles, jurisdictional agility and stability and collaborative innovation. Guernsey's promise is simple – to make good ideas possible and make them work.
For more information about Guernsey's finance industry please visit www.weareguernsey.com.
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