Markel International, the global insurance division of Markel Group (NYSE: MKL), has appointed Maureen Tomlinson as Head of AI and launched an AI Centre of Enablement to support responsible AI adoption across its operations.
The AI Centre of Enablement (CoE) has been created to accelerate the deployment of AI across Markel International’s five businesses.
The function will sit within the International Portfolio Analytics team led by Managing Director Simon Cooper-Williams and will provide education, advisory support, governance and engineering capabilities to deliver AI systems aligned with business needs.
Tomlinson will take on the Head of AI role alongside her current position as Senior Vice President of Operations for Markel in Canada. Based in Toronto, she will work closely with the International Portfolio Analytics team, as well as IT and Change Delivery teams, to help identify strategic AI opportunities and oversee the delivery and adoption of AI tools across the organisation.
Carys Lawton-Bryce, Chief Operations Officer, Markel International, said, “At Markel, we see AI as a stepchange technology with the potential to support our ambitious profitable growth targets. We also recognise that this potential is only realised when AI is governed well, understood across the business and deployed responsibly. Our newly-launched Centre of Enablement will be central to how we leverage AI in a way that makes adoption safe, scalable and business-led, while ensuring responsible governance that stays ahead of regulatory expectations.”
Simon Cooper-Williams, Managing Director, International Portfolio Analytics, Markel International, said, “As an organisation, we’ve made significant progress with the adoption of AI. The new AI Centre of Enablement is a huge step in strengthening our operational foundations and continuing on our path of success. I’m delighted to have Maureen at the helm of this team as Head of AI, with her leadership and extensive knowledge of the business, having served as Senior Vice President, Operations in Canada since 2023. Operating from Toronto, Maureen’s appointment will also strengthen collaboration between all five international businesses as we look to bring greater consistency and clarity to how AI is developed and deployed, empowering teams with the tools and knowledge to deliver stronger outcomes.”
Tomlinson brings extensive experience across operations, technology and analytics. She has served as Senior Vice President of Operations for Markel Canada since 2023, where she oversees business technology strategy and the execution of technology tools, data, pricing, and operational processes supporting policy and claims services.
Before joining Markel, Tomlinson spent 11 years at Verisk, formerly Opta Information Intelligence, where she served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Professional Services from 2017, leading teams delivering analytics solutions to actuarial and underwriting departments across Canada. Earlier roles included Vice President of Analytics and R&D and Vice President of Production Solutions and Operations at Verisk, as well as senior technology leadership positions at Economical Insurance Group.
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