For future speaking opportunities, email sbrown@commercialriskonline.com
| Company | Job Title | Name | Profile Picture | Speaker Bio | Speaking At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aon | Head of Construction Asia | Vincent Banton |  | Vincent leads Aon’s regional Construction and Infrastructure practice across Asia and has 24 years of experience in the insurance and construction industries. He has managed underwriting portfolios in facultative reinsurance and direct market insurance together with working as a practicing project engineer for major civil and building construction contractors in the United Kingdom, West Indies and Australia. | Panel discussion: Managing key risks in data centre construction Fireside chat: The evolving risk landscape for rail projects across Asia |
| Descartes | Head of EMEA Distribution & Client Management | Blanca Berruguete |  | From Descartes’ Madrid office, Blanca is responsible for EMEA business development, client services, and leads the European commercial team. During her 25 years serving clients and brokers in the commercial insurance sector, Blanca has developed a keen focus on building value for clients by listening to their needs. Most recently, she was Global Industry Solutions Director for Construction at Allianz Commercial, working closely with underwriters and key account executives to build industry-specific expertise and best practices. She previously served in leadership roles in broking and underwriting, both in London and Madrid, at firms including Generali, the Corporation of Lloyd’s of London, AIG, Zurich Insurance, as well as Heath Lambert and AJ Gallagher. She is an executive committee member of the International Engineering Insurance Association (IMIA). | Panel discussion: Evolving risk financing mechanisms – captives, parametric triggers and alternative capital markets |
| AXA XL | Senior Underwriter | Wah Chuang Ng |  | Wah currently serves as Senior Underwriter at AXA XL, responsible for underwriting Construction risks across the Asia region with a primary focus on key growth markets including Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Prior to joining AXA XL, he established a strong track record as the lead Construction/Engineering underwriter at major syndicates including Canopius and Chaucer, managing complex risk portfolios and fostering key industry relationships across regional markets. | Panel discussion: Managing key risks in data centre construction |
| Aon | Managing Director, Project Solutions, Construction & Infrastructure | Chris Davis |  | Chris is a Managing Director within the North American Construction & Infrastructure Practice. In this role, he is responsible for overall delivery of project solutions and services to Aon’s largest enterprise clients and construction projects. Prior to joining Aon in 2025, Chris served as the US Project Risk Practice Leader at Marsh. He first began working in the industry in 2003. | Workshop: Building success in the U.S. – managing risk and unlocking opportunity for Asian construction investors and contractors |
| Aon | Head of Growth & Client Liaison APAC - Cyber Risk | Mani Dhesi |  | Mani Dhesi is the Head of Growth and Client Engagement for Aon. Mani has extensive experience in developing cyber risk programs for multiple multinational organisations. Mani's expertise includes cybersecurity assessments, IT disaster recovery, risk quantification, and supporting the cyber underwriting process for a range of clients. Mani has international awareness and in-country experience in the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Mani has supported clients with the implementation of cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST CSFY, ISO 27001, and CIS Critical Controls. Mani is also a patent owner for methods and systems for cybersecurity assessment of organisations' technology infrastructure. | Panel discussion: Geopolitical risk and terrorism – protecting construction projects in an era of persistent instability |
| QBE | Regional Property & Construction Manager, Asia | Brendan Dunlea |  | Brendan joined QBE in May 2017 as the Asia Pacific Head of Engineering. He has since taken on the additional role of Regional Head of Property role. Before moving to Singapore Brendan was the Global Head of Power Generation, and Singapore CUO for Zurich. Prior to insurance Brendan worked in various electrical installations & maintenance roles in industries including petrochemical, industrial and real estate. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and the Australia New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF), the IMIA representative for Asia and Chairperson of the SCI/GIA Singapore Construction & Engineering Committee. | Panel discussion: Weathering the future – climate risk, extreme weather and insurance for Asian construction Fireside chat: The evolving risk landscape for rail projects across Asia |
| Aon | Broking Leader, Crisis Management, Asia | Joe Gardner |  | Joe Gardner is the Broking Lead for Crisis Management, Asia at Aon, based in Singapore. With over nine years of experience in the insurance industry, Joe specialises in terrorism and political violence, kidnap & ransom, contingency, and crisis management solutions across the Asia-Pacific region. He has worked on some of the world’s largest and most complex political violence programmes, combining London Market expertise with regional insight to help clients navigate an increasingly complex risk landscape. Joe holds the ACII designation from the Chartered Insurance Institute and a BA (Hons) in International Relations from King’s College London War studies department. | Panel discussion: Geopolitical risk and terrorism – protecting construction projects in an era of persistent instability |
| Aon | Managing Director, Construction & Infrastructure | Brian Hearst |  | For nearly four decades Brian has worked in claims, underwriting, brokering and risk management which has given multiple perspectives when it comes to advising clients on solutions to best manage their risk. Working closely with many of the foremost Data Center Development Companies he has brokered in excess of 80 Data Center Projects, including greenfield, new-build, expansion & major renovation, and complex fit-out projects, in North America, Europe and Asia. | Panel discussion: Managing key risks in data centre construction Workshop: Building success in the U.S. – managing risk and unlocking opportunity for Asian construction investors and contractors |
| Charles Taylor Adjusting | Singapore Country Manager & Client & Business Development Director, Asia | Mathew Hessian |  | Mathew brings over three decades of insurance industry experience, with a strong focus on building lasting client relationships and delivering tailored solutions. His expertise lies in understanding client needs, navigating complex claims, and driving strategic initiatives that delivers value for clients. With extensive technical proficiency in managing and negotiating losses across international jurisdictions, Mathew is dedicated to ensuring seamless claim settlements that prioritise client needs. He has extensive catastrophe response experience and has worked as part of many different response teams both in technical and leadership roles. | Workshop: Delay in Start-Up – governing the risk that decides project value |
| Allianz Commercial | Senior Underwriting Team Leader, Natural Resources and Construction | Teo Cher How |  | Cher How is the Senior Underwriting Team Leader for Natural Resources and Construction at Allianz Commercial, the global line of the Allianz Group for insuring large enterprises, mid-sized businesses, and specialist risks. He has over 20 years’ experience in Asian markets and currently leads the underwriting strategy and portfolio management of the Construction line of business, including the Semiconductor, Power, and Renewable Energy sectors. In this role, he partners with clients, brokers, and risk consultants to deliver tailored insurance solutions for complex and large-scale engineering risks. | Presentation & panel discussion: Construction outlook – growth, volatility and risk in a shifting economy |
| AXA XL | Underwriting Manager, Crisis Management & Special Risks | Carrie Huang |  | Carrie Huang has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry and is responsible for managing and expanding the War, Terrorism, and Political Violence Insurance portfolio that she has specialised in for the past 11 years for Asian clients and business partners. Carrie's expertise extends beyond underwriting complex terrorism and political violence risks, she is very experienced in designing and implementing multinational program solutions that safeguard various clients' global assets, enabling them to navigate geopolitical risks and comply with local regulations and compliance requirements for their international operations. Her extensive experience encompasses risk assessment, policy and programme structuring, and engagement with reinsurance markets and local network partners for local policy issuance and management. | Panel discussion: Geopolitical risk and terrorism – protecting construction projects in an era of persistent instability |
| McLarens | Technical Director | Anthony Hutchings |  | Anthony is Technical Director – Thailand at McLarens, specialising in complex Construction, Power and Energy claims across Asia. With more than 16 years' experience, he has managed major CAR, EAR, DSU, Machinery Breakdown and Business Interruption losses on large-scale infrastructure, power, renewable energy and industrial projects throughout Asia and internationally. Anthony combines deep technical construction expertise with extensive experience investigating and resolving complex insurance claims. | Presentation: Valuing construction claims in an inflationary market |
| Allianz Commercial | Senior Underwriter, Political Violence and Terrorism | Robert James |  | Robert James is a Senior Political Violence & Terrorism Underwriter at Allianz Commercial. With around ten years’ experience across the London and Asian insurance markets, Rob is the regional subject matter expert for PVT in nine markets across Asia, including China, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Japan, and Korea, with primary accountability for underwriting strategy, performance, and development. Rob is Cert CII qualified and has professional-level Mandarin proficiency. | Panel discussion: Geopolitical risk and terrorism – protecting construction projects in an era of persistent instability |
| AIG | Global Head of Construction | Andy Kane |  | Andy has 35 years insurance industry experience with 30 years in the London Market. Since September 2025 Andy has led AIG Global Specialty’s Construction business. He has been involved in many large infrastructure, transport, energy and power projects world-wide. Andy sits on the executive committee of IMIA and has a HND in Natural Sciences, an MBA and is DipCII qualified. | Panel discussion: Managing key risks in data centre construction |
| Zurich Insurance Company | Head of Engineering Lines and Construction APAC | Dave Kong |  | Dave Kong joined Zurich Insurance in August 2009 to head up the construction team in the Asia Pacific Region. His main responsibilities are providing underwriting and technical support, developing and executive construction business strategy in the region, training, and development for the underwriting team etc. Prior to Zurich, Dave has been working more than 10 years with other international insurance companies and broking house to provide servicing and managing needs for major construction clients for their projects in the region and other countries in Europe, Middle Asia, Middle East and Latin America. | Presentation & panel discussion: Construction outlook – growth, volatility and risk in a shifting economy |
| Cushman & Wakefield | Risk Manager | Rahul Kumar |  | Rahul Kumar is a seasoned professional with a proven track record of delivering strategic solutions to multinational clients. After building the foundation as an insurance broker servicing all lines of insurance for a diversified group of multinational clients, he joined the in-house Risk Management team at a fortune 100 technology-based industry leader and soon became the APAC lead for Risk and Insurance. More recently, Rahul is engaged as APAC leader for Risk and Insurance for a Global Commercial Real Estate firm. Rahul specialises in structuring and implementing global programs, leveraging his expertise to mitigate risks and optimise insurance solutions for the business. His expertise includes: Global program design and implementation, risk assessment and mitigation strategies, and insurance market analysis and negotiations. | Panel discussion: Evolving risk financing mechanisms – captives, parametric triggers and alternative capital markets |
| Aon | Regional Director, Construction & Infrastructure Asia | Timothy Lam |  | Timothy has more than thirty years’ experience in insurance broking, with more than twenty-five years of focus in construction, infrastructure and engineering specialty. He joined Aon in 2000 and became Head of the Construction Department in 2016 and Regional Director in 2025. | Workshop: Small projects, big losses – lessons in risk and loss prevention from Grenfell and Wang Fuk Court |
| Descartes Underwriting | Assistant Vice President – Business Development | Zhi Wei Leong |  | Based in Singapore, Zhi Wei is a professional in the insurance and risk management industry, specialising in corporate business development and parametric insurance solutions. Currently serving as an assistant vice president at Descartes Underwriting, his role involves building strategic client relationships, analysing weather-related exposures, and offering specialised risk mitigation solutions across the Southeast Asia region. Prior to joining Descartes, Zhi Wei has previously worked as a senior analyst at Marsh, specialising in structuring programs based on different underwriters risk, appetite and pricing and marketing the clients’ risks to reinsurers. | Panel discussion: Weathering the future – climate risk, extreme weather and insurance for Asian construction |
| AECOM | Executive Director, Ports & Marine | Stanley Liu |  | Stanley Liu is a Hong Kong–based civil engineer with more than 24 years of experience in marine engineering and coastal resilience. He specialises in integrated coastal protection and flood risk management, leading initiatives that evaluate coastal hazards associated with sea level rise and increasingly severe storm conditions. His project experience includes delivery of the award-winning eco-shoreline design for the Tung Chung New Town Extension and the caisson breakwaters for the expansion of the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter in Hong Kong. He also supports the Civil Engineering and Development Department of the HKSAR Government in developing the Shoreline Management Guidelines for Coastal Development. | Panel discussion: Weathering the future – climate risk, extreme weather and insurance for Asian construction |
| Aon | Global Head of Construction & Infrastructure | James MacNeal |  | James is currently Aon’s Global Head of the Construction and Infrastructure Practice which includes over 1000 specialist colleagues in 48 countries. In this role James is responsible for growth, thought-leadership and best practice in this key industry practice. James is also the relationship lead for certain Aon clients. He has over 35 years of construction insurance experience, of which 21 have been with the Aon Group. He was previously at Marsh where he led the UK Construction Units broking team. James has travelled extensively and placed a wide variety of major construction projects in most parts of the world, for Owners, Contractors and Infrastructure Funds. James has a strong track record of delivering on clients' expectations with some of the largest firms in the Construction sector. He has designed insurance programmes across a wide variety of industry segments, with particular specialisation around energy/power, digital infrastructure and transportation. James is actively engaged as the Executive Sponsor / Account Director on some of Aon's largest construction accounts and leads the carrier relationships in this key industry. | Presentation & panel discussion: Construction outlook – growth, volatility and risk in a shifting economy |