As French poet Paul Valéry once said, “The problem of our times is that the future is not what it used to be.” Although this quote is from 1937, it could have been said today, as it reflects the doubts and anguish we all feel when facing our, more and more uncertain, future.

And although it is also said that knowing the future could be man’s greatest curse, the pace of transformation today is so great that there‘s no way to prepare for what’s in store other than to think about the future and anticipate how it will be. That’s why in this edition of FULLCOVER we have a technical dossier dedicated to the future of insurance, where we take a look at the main trends that are driving our sector. A general overview of what’s to come is followed by glimpses into the potential direction of insurance in the not-too distant future from parametric insurance to risk management in the digital world, to the new liabilities related to AI and IoT; to the development of embedded insurance and gamification in insurance; and to ESG in the insurance sector or the risk of satellites.

In our interview this year we focus on a leading insurance woman’s perspective. Kadidja Sinz, Head of Central Region of Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM), shares her views on leadership, diversity, and her role in creating opportunities for women in the industry. She also talks about how LSM has evolved in recent years, her plans for the future and how and why sustainability is a strategic priority for the company along with a commitment to advance climate resilience.

FULLCOVER has also talked to the three CEOs of Ardonagh International, the newest platform of the Ardonagh Group: Des O’ Connor (Ardonagh Global Partners), Conor Brennan (Ardonagh Europe) and Steve Hearn (Ardonagh Capital Solutions) about the business and its plans for the next 12 months.

As José Saramago, a Portuguese Nobel prize in Literature, said: “The Portuguese language is a body scattered all over the world”. As a Group of Portuguese origin, we are proud of our heritage, particularly our language, which is spoken by around 300 million people across five continents. In this edition we provide an opportunity to learn more about the Portuguese language with a piece on Lusophony: the history, the economic potential and its diversity.

But that is not all – you will also find many more articles that will undoubtedly stir your interest including a focus on agricultural insurance, a line of business growing in importance; a look at the mysteries of quantum computing; analysis on the scourge of inflation; outlook for insurance and war and the success story that is Cell Europe and HighDome pcc.

There is so much more to discover in this edition of FULLCOVER. And even though the future has become harder to predict, at MDS we look at it with a mixture of curiosity and optimism. After all, according to Malcolm X, “The future belongs to those who prepare for it today”. By reflecting on the future, looking  at the main trends, and sharing them with our readers, we like to think we can all be better prepared.