Agenda

 

The Mermaid, London Blackfriars

2nd July 2026

(All Times in BST)

 

08.15-08.55

Registration and Coffee

08.55-09.00

Welcome Address: Grant Attwell, Director, Cannon Events

09.00-09.20

Keynote Address: Affordable Energy First –Bringing Back Britain’s Industrial Advantage

This keynote sets out the case that competitively priced, reliable energy is the indispensable foundation of economic growth, industrial resilience and national prosperity. Richard Tice MP will argue that Britain’s escalating energy costs have eroded manufacturing competitiveness, deterred capital investment and exposed strategic vulnerabilities in critical supply chains. Rebuilding the UK’s industrial advantage requires a decisive shift in energy policy: prioritising domestic production, streamlining regulatory barriers, accelerating infrastructure delivery and placing affordability at the centre of decision-making. By restoring cost discipline and security of supply, Britain can attract industry back to its shores, safeguard skilled employment and reassert itself as a serious industrial economy in an increasingly competitive global market.

Presenter: Richard Tice MP, Deputy Leader, Head of Business, Trade and Energy, Reform UK

09.20-09.40

Keynote Address: Betting on the Future Under Uncertainty

Today, as CEO of RenewableUK, Tara argues that energy policy is about making bets on the future under uncertainty — something insurers do every day. Insurers have long led on pricing climate and geopolitical risk, from extreme weather to system shocks, while governments have historically come under pressure for how they make risk-based decisions, whether on how to consider fast‑rising demand from AI and electric vehicles, or how to manage in a world of increasingly fragile global supply. Tara’s keynote will explore how a risk‑based approach to energy policy — grounded in demand, security and deliverability — can guide those decisions, and the role insurers can play in backing the lowest‑risk outcomes.

Presenter: Tara Singh, Chief Executive Officer, RenewableUK

09.40-10.20

Panel Discussion: State of the Market – Are Insurers Being Increasingly Isolated?

The run of play says brokers represent insureds in placing business with insurers. In this session, we ask whether brokers have increasing delegated powers and if that is beneficial to the insured and insurers. We consider whether the genie is out of the bottle and whether this trend should be reversed or whether insurers are set to be further isolated for the end-client.

Moderator: Hosh Mak, Senior Associate, DWF Law

Panellists: Oliver Paine, Global Leader – Offshore, SCOR

Alison Clarke, Renewables Leader, Aon

William Beach, Managing Director, Marsh

Alex Nelson, Head of Power & Renewables, Liberty Specialty Markets

10.20-11.00

Panel Discussion: Geopolitics – Making the World Go Around

Uncertainty appears to have become the new normal in the past few years and 2026 is set to be more of the same. In this session, we analyse the ways in which geopolitics and energy are so interwoven and how politics may shape the energy market for years to come, from Donald Trump’s “Drill Baby Drill”, to Ed Milliband’s bid to end oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. We discuss the ways in which political decisions are translating directly into major insurance claims as well as into the appetite of global investors, including a look at the high north as well as at the possibility of rebuilding power assets in Ukraine.

Moderator: Stuart Kempson, Senior Lawyer, Gard

Panellists: Joe Dutton, Energy Innovation Lead, AXIS

Sean Brennan, Team Leader- Senior Claims Adjuster, Energy, Marine & Construction Claims, Zurich

Graham Thomas, Partner, Herminius

11.00-11.30

Coffee and Networking Break

11.30-11.50

Presentation: Complex Claims: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The rise in nuclear verdicts in the US has caused many oil, gas, and energy providers to rethink their strategies in defending complex claims. Recent mock jury studies have been enlightening on how members of the public perceive the corporation, evaluate comparative fault, and subconsciously develop attitudes that guide their decision making. This session will identify the psychological factors driving juror decision making and discuss how corporations can best prepare for litigation and trial.

Presenters: Nick Rauch, Attorney, Larson King

Nick Polavin, Senior Jury Consultant, JuryConnect

11.50-12.30

Panel Discussion: From MGAs to M&A

For the past few years, market talk has been dominated by the increasing numbers of MGAs arriving to disrupt business as usual. However this year, talk is not just of MGAs, but also of the number of mergers proposed between major insurance names. In this session, we discuss the changing shape of the market, analysing the benefits and pitfalls of a smaller market, not just among insurers, but among clients, too.

Moderator: Liz Booth, Editor, The Marine Insurer

Panellists: Rob Earrey, Founder, Interprotect

Fabio Iacono, Head of Power UK, Zurich

Josh Cantwell, Head of Offshore, PERse International

Phillipe Bara, Director and Chief Underwriting Officer, Azura Global Risks 

12.30-12.50

Fireside Chat: Data Centres/Grid Infrastructure – Powering up the Data Centres

As artificial intelligence takes hold, huge data centres are being built around the world, with many more giant projects promised. However, the challenge for constructors is a lack of power and an ailing grid infrastructure. Should we be viewing these new centres as a huge opportunity for energy insurers, or just as yet another industrial customer? Are there opportunities for insurers as grids are upgraded and does it provide an opportunity as renewables are used to bridge some of the gaps in the grid? Does it present a major business interruption threat for the future?

Participants: John Colquhoun, Director, Rimkus

James Chenery, Senior Director, KEVLINX Data Centers

12.50-13.45

Lunch and Networking Break

13.45-13.50

Room Change

13.50-14.50

Roundtable Sessions

Each roundtable will run for 25 minutes. There will be a short break to allow delegates to change tables. The tables will then be repeated in a second 25-minute sitting.

14.50-14.55

Room Change

 

Stream One: (Main Auditorium) Renewables 

Stream Two: (Lower River Room) Oil & Gas 

14.55-15.30

Panel Discussion: State of the Market

Panel Discussion: State of the Market

The renewables insurance market remains soft as new entrants continue to arrive. The question we ask is whether there is sufficient experience of the market for these new players to succeed? Are rates fair for both insurer and insured, or is it leading to a downturn in service standards when it comes to claims?  

A benign period without a major loss for some years, it is no wonder that rates remain soft for the oil and gas sector, however market experts fear that it would only take one major incident before the market would be in a deficit. The sale of infrastructure to smaller operators is leading to questions as to  whether they have the funds and the expertise to maintain those facilities adequately.

Moderator: Angela Bilardi, Senior Associate, DAC Beachcroft 

Panellists: Kate Jones, Claims Technical Lead- Energy Property & Construction, Liberty Specialty Markets 

Dele Fajimolu, Senior Technical Underwriter, Lloyd’s Market Association 

Dave Vicary, Technical Product Lead, Renew Risk

Oliver Litterick, Head of Renewables, TMGX 

Moderator: Nicola Harris, Head of Natural Resources, MS Amlin

Panellists: John Swann, Senior Technical Energy Underwriter, CNA Hardy

Henry Pettinger-Harte, Energy, Marine and Construction Claims Team Leader, Zurich

Peter O’Neill, Head of Onshore Energy and Power, Convex

George Richardson, Upstream Energy Broker, Natural Resources, Willis

15.30-15.50

Presentation: Cross Border Projects  

Presentation: LNG – A Growth Sector

Increasing numbers of the renewable energy projects involve cross border collaboration, particularly in Europe, but also in Asia. The question to be asked is whether a change in government might result in good neighbours falling out and there are also some serious questions to be asked around the reliability and safety of equipment bought elsewhere, in terms of security of supply and for national interests. In this session, we also consider contract frustration and how it works in practice. 

The scale of growth in the US LNG sector has been extensive, as countries look for energy security and turn away from Russia. UK insurers have been taking advantage of this growth and enjoyed a boom in business. However today, more US domestic insurers have been moving into this space, creating new areas of competition. This session will examine the likely new areas of competition for the London market and whether London can continue to have a unique selling point.

Presenter:  Robert Jones, Renewable Energy Leader Asia, Marsh 

Presenter: Jeff Wilson, Divisional Director Marine and Offshore Advisory, Howden

15.50-16.30

Panel Discussion: Claims – Repair, Replace or Abandon? 

Panel Discussion: Is the Spate of Refinery Claims a Developing Trend?

Technology is changing so rapidly that it can be hard to keep up. One of the biggest questions for insurers and clients in the renewable space is do they try and repair the plant, replace it with new technology or simply abandon the site and develop anew. We also ask how business interruption (BI) costs are driving the overall claims and how that might impact the decision on repair, replace or abandon. More positively, we look at how technology is helping settle claims rapidly in a bid to reduce BI costs. 

After a spate of refinery claims in 2025, particularly in the US and Europe, the market is asking itself whether this is a long-term trend or s simple blip in the claims landscape. With these refineries accounting for some 30%- 40% of the oil and gas energy book, no one can ignore this. In this session, we hear from industry experts who can provide the backdrop to the recent claims and share their opinions on the likelihood of more claims to come.

 

Moderator: Trudie Moeller, Managing Director, JS Held 

Panellists: Sophie Draper, Renewable Energy Engineer, AXIS 

Mathias Kristian Reding, Director of Engineering, Bladena (a RES company) 

Jim Plug, Senior Claims Executive, Gard 

Prof. Suby Bhattacharya, Co-Founder, Director and Chief Scientific Officer,Renew Risk

Moderator:

Panellists: Michel Krenzer, Head of Energy, SCOR

Scott McNeil, SVP Risk Engineering Hub Leader, Energy and Power, UK, Marsh

Daniel Nicholls, Executive Vice President, AG London

 

16.30-16.50

 

 

 

 

 

Panel Discussion: The Challenges of Renewable Business in the US 

Presentation: Venezuela – Opportunity or Risk?

While the US president has called a halt to offshore wind projects, some are still under construction courtesy of ongoing tax credits. In this session, we look at the likelihood of these projects finishing before the money runs out. We also consider ongoing claims in this space, particularly in light of the Jones Act and how insurers are helping insureds to manage repair work. We also look at some of the other challenges the sector is facing in the U.S

Many oil and gas companies have had their fingers burnt in Venezuela as regime changes led to changing appetite for overseas investors. In the wake of the political upheaval at the start of the year, we delve into the potential opportunities and pitfalls of doing business in Venezuela in 2026, including a look at the latest sanctions position.

Presenter: Franc Gozalvez, Partner, DAC Beachcroft

16.50-17.10

Moderator: Liz Booth, Editor, The Marine Insurer

Panellists: Rod Rennison, Senior Vice President Global Energy Services, Rimkus

Matt Taylor, Senior Construction Risk Engineer, FM Renewable Energy

James Mulligan, Senior Underwriter, Tokio Marine GX

Josh Macabuag, Chief Executive OfficerRenew Risk

Presentation: Implications of War in the Middle East for Upstream Oil & Gas and Insurance 

With war in the Middle East, the whole world received a short, sharp lesson in the importance of the Straits of Hormuz. In this session we discuss the impact of war, not just on energy prices and its inflationary effect, but also the increase in asset value for energy owners, asking wether insurers are keeping pace with the rapid changes in insured values.

Presenter:  Ian Conway, Upstream Expert, S&P Global

17.10

End of Conference

17.10-18.15

Drinks Reception

 

Cannon Events Ltd reserves the right to amend the program and is not responsible for cancellations due to unforeseen circumstances. Cannon Events Ltd accepts no responsibility for statements made orally or in written or digital material distributed by any of its speakers at its conferences or virtual events. In addition, Cannon Events Ltd is not responsible for any copying, republication or redistribution of such statements.