George Robbins is Head of UK Markets here at Shift Technology.
In this instalment of the “Four Questions with” series we talk with George about his career path, current opportunities and challenges in the UK&I insurance market, and how he believes strategic decisioning contributes to overall success and competitive advantage.
Shift Technology: Tell us a bit about your career background and what brought you to Shift?
George Robbins: Well, in my original background, I’m a technologist and self-confessed "geek in a suit", so my fascination with complex problems and domains has been a driving force for as long as I can remember. It’s a passion that began during my academic journey in computer science, biology, AI, and machine learning; something that made me fascinated with what it means for something to be intelligent and (philosophically at least) ultimately self-aware.
Early in my career, I worked on engineering problems but like many people a path that wasn’t obvious in advance led into software for telecoms network design, before the rise of the data centre and the Internet led me into high speed analytics on communications data and then into the world of security and anti-criminality for cyber protection. As data centres scaled globally, I transitioned into anti-piracy and anti-counterfeit, with companies utilising AI to detect pirated electronic content and fake goods online. Later this role evolved into anti-fraud, anti-money laundering, and broader financial crime domains.
Looking back, there is a clear thread connecting my experiences. Though it wasn’t apparent when I started, my career has always really been about data, analytics and intelligent systems. I have always pursued endeavours that I find valuable and impactful. Addressing significant challenges is a compelling reason to come to work each day and that’s always attracted me.
The insurance sector, in particular, plays a crucial role in society, providing essential services that we often take for granted; it’s the many supporting the few when life’s challenges hit. Just ask anyone who’s lived in an environment where they can’t get insurance how easily and profoundly the fundamentals of your life, like home and health, can be impacted without it.
Before joining Shift, I worked for a major anti-financial crime vendor across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for ten years. I enjoyed the people, the challenges, and the meaningful problems we solved. After that, I spent several years in the credit industry, but as I followed those new opportunities, I remained connected to the domain and observed Shift’s impressive growth from a small team in France to a leading innovator in AI technology.
When I was introduced to Shift, I was struck by the company's vision and the exceptional people driving it. Joining Shift felt like a natural progression for me, aligning with my interest in companies that are genuinely transforming their industries with advanced technology. Shift stood out as the ideal choice, and I am excited to be part of this innovative team.
Shift Technology: How do you approach identifying and capitalising on emerging trends and opportunities in the UK&I insurance market to drive sales growth?
George Robbins: My approach to identifying and capitalising on emerging trends in the UK&I insurance market is deeply rooted in my career experience. Early on, I worked in industrial research, where we developed advanced capabilities using neural networks, but despite creating promising solutions for a range of high impact areas, the company faced significant resistance to deploying AI technology at the time. The experience taught me how important it was to me that the area I work in makes a tangible impact on real-world problems that are accessible today.
To drive sales growth, I believe it is crucial to engage closely with customers. Genuine interest and honesty about what technology can and cannot achieve are essential. By taking the time to understand our customers' businesses, I find they are more open about their challenges. This openness allows us to identify trends and opportunities where our solutions can make a real impact.
People ultimately buy from people, valuing integrity and honesty. Building strong relationships with customers and partners in the industry is vital. Our focus on the insurance sector allows us to maintain a continuous dialogue with industry stakeholders. This ongoing communication helps us quickly understand the challenges and trends in the market and identify where we can provide effective solutions. Staying close to our customers and being responsive to their needs is key to capitalising on emerging opportunities and driving sales growth.
Shift Technology: What do you see as the current opportunities and challenges in the UK&I insurance market?
George Robbins: Many of the current opportunities and challenges in the UK&I insurance market are reflective of global trends, though they may be influenced by local market characteristics. A significant challenge worldwide is the difficulty insurers face with their combined operating ratios, where many companies have ratios exceeding 100 percent; losing more money than they are making on the policies they write. The reasons for this include rising claims costs, economic conditions, and increasing repair expenses. Additionally, there is considerable price pressure in different markets and inefficiencies in the process, with many aspects of insurance still being document-intensive and people-intensive.
Another major challenge is climate change, which has led to a dramatic rise in claims costs related to climate events such as flooding and wildfires. These large-scale events put additional financial pressure on insurers.
The ongoing digitization process also presents both challenges and opportunities. There is a constant demand for insurers to be faster, more agile, and more cost-effective. Mobile phones have become the primary device for most people, with over 93% of all mobile traffic in the UK now coming from apps. This is a long term macro-trend and it necessitates that insurers adapt to meet customers’ digital expectations, providing services such as mobile banking, insurance, and claims processing through accessible and user-friendly apps.
In the UK specifically, the insurance market is one of the most competitive in the world, largely due to trends such as the early adoption of price comparison sites. These sites have driven the personal lines market to become extremely price-sensitive, making it difficult for insurers to easily recover rising costs through policy pricing; but other markets are following their own highly competitive routes. Equally important, while there are significant opportunities to innovate and streamline processes through digital transformation and data science, insurers have to navigate a highly competitive personal and commercial lines landscape and manage rising costs effectively while ensuring high quality service and regulatory compliance.
Shift Technology: How do you believe strategic decisioning contributes to overall success and competitive advantage?
George Robbins: Strategic decisioning plays a pivotal role in driving overall success and maintaining a competitive edge, particularly in a dynamic landscape such as the insurance industry. While technologies like generative AI offer significant capabilities, they are not singular solutions for every challenge. This is where our value proposition shines—we excel as technology partners by deeply understanding the domain-specific challenges insurers face and applying tailored solutions.
Embracing advanced decisioning capabilities is imperative. AI is transforming how quickly and intelligently decisions can be made, as well as enhancing our ability to contextualise each situation uniquely. Insurers who fail to adopt these advancements risk falling behind, becoming slower and less cost-effective compared to their peers. Conversely, those who leverage these technologies effectively can optimise processes across fraud detection, financial crime prevention, and intelligent claims decisions.
One significant aspect often overlooked is the role of strategic decisioning in enhancing corporate memory. Unlike human counterparts, machines do not forget—this creates a lasting institutional knowledge that improves consistency and efficiency. By automating routine tasks and providing insights that augment human decision-making, AI enables employees to focus on higher-value activities. This dual benefit of freeing up resources and institutionalising best practices ensures that insurers can consistently deliver superior service and operational excellence.
In essence, strategic decisioning not only accelerates operational efficiencies but also fosters innovation and resilience in an increasingly competitive market. By harnessing the power of AI to augment human capabilities, insurers can navigate challenges effectively and seize opportunities for sustainable growth and differentiation.
It’s an exciting time to be in insurance.