“Innovation isn’t about getting all of the latest tools in to your environment and creating the longest set of buzzwords that don’t deliver anything. Focus on the ‘why’ and then work out the fastest and easiest path to that point.”

Today’s guest is Nigel Walsh. Nigel is a Partner in Deloitte Digital and leads the firms proposition for InsurTech disruptors and how they engage across the insurance sector.

Nigel is a respected industry commentator and influencer and is regularly featured in industry trade news sharing his take on the latest trends in innovation and InsurTech. He is the co-host of his own podcast, InsurTech Insider, where he shares the latest news, insight and debate within the InsurTech space. If that wasn’t enough he is also co-author of the recently launched InsurTech book sharing a chapter on ‘frictionless insurance in a land of utility’ which focuses on the intersection between customer experience and the rise of the sharing economy.

We cover some really interesting topics in this conversation including:

What successful innovation looks like and how corporates should be approaching innovation to deliver results.

What really matters when it comes to selecting your insurer and why there’s more to think about then a toy Oleg.

Disruption in the Consulting industry and what changes our own industry is facing.

Collaboration in Consulting and the story behind Nigel’s industry leading podcast which he co-hosts with another Consulting firm.

And much much more!

It was great fun speaking to Nigel and getting his perspective on innovation within the Insurance industry and beyond.

If you’re looking to move in to the start up space or want to understand how you can work with innovative tech businesses as a Consultant then this episode is a must listen!

You can find out more about Nigel here:

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelwalsh/?originalSubdomain=uk

Twitter – www.twitter.com/nigelwalsh

And get in touch with him at ndwalsh@deloitte.co.uk

Specific things we discuss in the show:

The InsurTech insider podcast –  https://ii.11fs.com/

The INSURTECH book – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1119362210/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_4NZXBbJ3Q14W5

Pocket app – https://getpocket.com/

‘InsurTech top 50 influencers’ – https://InsurTechnews.com/influencers

Denim Labs – https://denimlabs.com/

Bold Penguin – https://www.boldpenguin.com/

Chris Cheatham – https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrischeatham/

What we talk about:

00:03:00 – What big corporates need to consider to deliver effective innovation.

00:04:34 – The importance of starting with ‘why’ when it comes to innovation.

00:09:08 – The difference between exponential and incremental innovation and why you should focus on the former.

00:10:33 – Innovation in the Insurance market and what you need to consider when buying your own insurance.

00:15:40 – Innovation in the Consulting industry and the changes our industry faces.

00:19:38 – The ‘gig economy’ and what it means for Consulting.

00:23:27 – The benefits Nigel’s seen from running his own podcast and how his partnership with 11:FS came about.

00:25:55 – The challenges and questions Nigel faced from internal colleagues when launching his own podcast.

00:29:28 – The common misconceptions that people have about the Big 4 and why they’re wrong.

00:32:26 – The importance of building your personal brand as a Consultant and how Nigel has built a successful personal brand for himself within the InsurTech space.

00:34:31 – David’s advice to Consultants looking to grow their personal brand, whether that’s through a podcast or another medium.

00:38:18 – Nigel’s book, resource and app recommendations.

00:42:23 – Nigel’s closing advice for you whether you’re just starting out in Consulting, In the middle grades or approaching Partner level.

00:45:50 – How to get in touch with Nigel.