The CEO shares three key areas of focus for his team and the company overall.
Expanding Capabilities
GB’s acquisition of W K Webster & Co (WKW) in February and Caytons Law in late 2024 set the precedent for a year of expansion into both new lines and regions.
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Mr Sagar is excited to add significant capabilities in the marine industry to GB’s growing list of core competencies, “Marine is a truly global line of business and the thought of GB being the enabler for worldwide trade is something that drives me and the team. Welcoming WKW into the GB family provides a platform to grow the business, particularly in North America and Europe, where we have clients in need of marine expertise.”
Along with this, Mr Sagar highlighted other areas he expects the business to grow over the coming 12-months; “I look forward to us expanding our financial lines capability in 2025, following the acquisition of Caytons, especially in professional liability, cyber and medical malpractice.”
“We have an unmatched wealth of expertise within the organisation and I want to make sure our clients have access to that.”
Talent Development
Mr Sagar acknowledges the challenges the claims industry faces in attracting and retaining talent, particularly in the UK, and has made it a priority for 2025 to invest in GB’s workplace sustainability. “No one finishes their studies and thinks, ‘I’m going to build a career in claims management’. It’s our challenge to do a better job of explaining what we do.”
“We help people return to work after an injury. We help restore auto and property after an accident or flood. We help recover cargo if a ship is damaged. We need to emphasise the essentialness of our work, how we lead with empathy and try to make things right” said Mr Sagar.
Ongoing investment in career growth opportunities are core to GB’s plans, “I want to establish a development programme to find and retain young talent. Establishing a talent exchange programme between business units and even geographical regions would be a great way for our employees to learn new ways of working as well as challenge themselves in new environments.”
Technology and Data
The third area of focus for GB in 2025 is increased investment in AI and data analytics. Mr Sagar explained how continued investment in technology is critical to keep pace with the rising complexities of the modern insurance landscape.
“Data holds the key. How we leverage that data and generate the appropriate insights is going to determine how much value we can offer to our clients.”
UK insurers are already utilising generative AI for data analysis, fraud detection and reporting.
“New technologies are emerging that make near-real time data insights possible, and I’m excited to be a leader in a sector that’s at the forefront of adopting these technologies. GB is uniquely positioned, having capabilities across claims management, risk consulting and legal solutions, to act on the insights we’re generating and reducing cost of risk holistically.”
After a year of transformation in 2024 and a year of expansion planned for 2025, Mr Sagar was adamant about one thing not changing. “GB remains outcome focused. Great outcomes are driven by the human elements of expertise, dedication and attention to detail. Our clients can expect us to continue delivering those same superior outcomes in 2025 and long beyond.”
