Future of business

In today’s technologically advanced and globalised world, industries are being disrupted, enhanced and reinvented – at an exponential pace.

The velocity of change – and its breadth and sheer impact – is being felt in almost all countries, sectors and markets. Its impact extends to entire systems of production, supply chains, distribution, and in areas of management and governance. Crises such as coronavirus and climate change are further drivers of disruption, with implications for traditional business models and global trade.

In The Future of Business series, we look at the scale of change in the industries that are driving real innovation and shaping the future of business, and consider the impact from a risk and insurance perspective.

Future of International Programmes

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International programmes: The broker perspective

Finding the right carrier and ensuring cover correctly placed is presenting new challenges for firms and the brokers who serve them.

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Expert view: Insight at the touch of a button

The future for international programmes involves speed, transparency and the need for standardised data, argues Reto Collenberg

Future of renewable energy

  • Renewable Energy

    Renewable energy firms face growing cyber risk

    Cyber attacks on global renewable energy businesses have increased during lockdown, causing significant disruption - GCube

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    Renewables: A transforming landscape

    New technologies are revamping the renewable energy industry, enabling businesses to scale up production and achieve economies of scale. But new options, and even the better-established energies, still have some maturing to do

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    Running for cover: Insuring renewable projects

    As tech innovation continues in the renewable energy space and projects scale ever bigger, conventional insurance options are unable to keep up and insurers are now wondering – what’s next?

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Delay in start-up: Renewables need more

When embarking on a large renewable energy project, delay in start-up insurance is crucial – and obligatory. But can standard DSU offerings give renewable start-ups what they require, or are more tailored options needed?

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Cloud cover: Finding alternatives

As the renewable energy sector is seeing its risk profile change dramatically, there is increased demand for ways to cover against arguably its greatest foe – unpredictable weather

Future of automotive

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Mobility ecosystems: Driving change

Self-driving cars are speeding from the future into our present. But what effect will such tech have on the way we view transport, and crucially liability on the road? Insurers cannot afford to hit cruise control and wait to find out

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Electric cars: Powering change

The market for petroleum alternatives like electric and hydrogen is accelerating but this developing tech brings new risks to the road. Risks that offer new opportunities to insurers

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Production lines: Supplying change

The sheer numbers and complexity in car manufacturing supply chains make them exceptionally vulnerable. It takes a proactive approach to prevent production lines grinding to a halt

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Insuring auto: It takes a partnership

When it comes to complexity of the supply chain, the car industry is in a league of its own. While Insurers can still do more to mitigate weak spots, the industry faces a rising protection gap, says Swiss Re Corporate Solutions’ Philip Brandl

Future of manufacturing

Manufacturing

Mitigating the risks of re-tooling

How HARTMANN Group’s risk profile changed when it increased sanitiser production at the start of the COVID outbreak.

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Engineering the fourth industrial revolution

The digital transformation to mechanised production is increasingly taking humans out of the equation. But effective risk prevention demands in-person site visits and in-depth dialogue

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The changing face of product recall

As both products and supply chains become more complex, is it surprising that recalls between manufacturers and their suppliers are more common?

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Do digital supply chains really bring 100% transparency?

Digital supply chains may promise much sought-after transparency, but they could bring more unknowns as they raise questions about data security and compliance

Future of construction

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    A new dawn for the construction industry

    As the world’s population continue to grow, demand for enhanced and new infrastructure has never been greater. This poses many challenges and intensifies the risks of project delays and cost overruns. But the tech revolution is bringing fresh new opportunities, albeit slowly

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    Printing grand designs

    Highly cost-effective, energy-efficient, fast – 3D printing could be the future of homebuilding. But is the technology too new for insurers?

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    Cyber protection? Still under construction

    Contractors and construction sites are becoming more digitised – leaving them exposed to cyber risks. But why would a hacker target a construction contractor?

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Can construction truly go green?

After a sustained push to improve the energy efficiency of homes and offices, the focus has now shifted to the construction companies that build them – and they are not performing well

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Expert view: A trusted partnership pays claims quicker

Construction claims can be highly intricate and, on occasion, contentious. In such situations, being able to build trust between key stakeholders within the claims process is vital if you are to achieve successful outcomes, says Jonathan Sargent, head of wholesale property & casualty claims, EMEA, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions

Future of food and drink

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Digitising your dinner

With growing awareness of what can go wrong with their food before it reaches their plate, consumers are demanding more. Tracking technology and sensors could provide the answer

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Future of food

Demand for fresh, fast, diverse food options is boosting innovation, but also unseen risks throughout the supply chain. In response comes a new age of insurance

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Can science solve starvation?

The colossal imbalance between global hunger and food waste must be addressed. But opinions vary on the controversial measures that could feed the world

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Intangible risks that break the chain

The way we get food across the globe is growing more complex, bringing unseen vulnerabilities to the supply chain, writes Swiss Re Corporate Solutions’ food and agriculture expert Oleksandr Artiushyn

Future of transportation

Rail

Fast track to rail innovation

Advancements in train travel are notoriously slow. So it is unexpected that railways could be the root of the first significant innovation in mass passenger transit in more than a century

Marine

Automating the high seas

The world’s first fully automated vessel is expected to set off on its first unmanned voyage by 2022 and that promises to be a good thing for the environment. But the innovation comes from an unlikely corner of the marine industry

Uber

Taxis: prosperity and pain

Ride-sharing apps like Uber have been both good and bad for taxi drivers. But the introduction of autonomous vehicles is likely to signal a bleak future for all professional drivers – and challenges for insurers

Airplane

One-way ticket to a green future

Climate change concerns are fuelling a change in direction as air travel industry explores environmentally friendlier alternatives. The risks of such innovation are high, but the greatest risk of all is standing still