The future of work in insurance is changing. As AI, automation and digital transformation reshape the industry, the skills that create competitive advantage are evolving too. Yet opportunities to develop those capabilities have traditionally been concentrated in London.
That is set to change in October 2026, when Markel and EDII launch Digital Minds Embed North in Leeds, bringing the innovation and change capability programme to insurance professionals across the North of England for the first time. IE spoke to Caroline Bedford, CEO of EDII, and Simon Johnston, UK Marketing Director at Markel, about why the partnership matters, why Leeds is the right place to start, and what the insurance market needs next.
EDII’s Digital Minds Embed programme has helped more than 10 cohorts of insurance professionals develop the commercial thinking, practical skills and capability needed help their organisations successfully navigate change and drive innovation. Until now, that opportunity has largely been centred in London.
From October 2026, Digital Minds Embed North will launch in Leeds through a partnership with Markel. Hosted at Markel’s City Square House office, the nine-month CII-accredited programme will be open to brokers, insurers, MGAs and insurance-adjacent organisations across the North of England.
The partnership reflects a broader shift across the industry. As technology accelerates change, organisations increasingly need people who can adapt, solve complex problems and turn new ideas into better customer outcomes – wherever they are based.
Why take Digital Minds Embed outside London now?
“The insurance innovation skills gap is a country-wide issue – even more so with the acceleration of AI and digitisation,” said EDII CEO, Caroline Bedford. “We have seen the impact Digital Minds Embed can have through 10 cohorts in London, with alumni going back into their businesses and creating important capabilities across all roles. It’s that kind of benefit we are looking to bring to the North of England.”
With changes to technology, customer expectations, data, regulation and new risks, the market is moving quickly and changing how insurance businesses – and their clients and partners – operate.
“As technology accelerates change, the value of human capability only grows,” continued Bedford. “Taking the programme to the North is about ensuring more people can develop those skills, regardless of where they are based.”
Why has EDII partnered with Markel?
“Markel has supported Digital Minds for a long time and has seen the value of the programme through its own people,” commented Bedford.
The partnership is described as being “built around a shared belief in the need to invest in people, skills and market collaboration”. With Markel having a strong presence in Leeds and across the north, it was a natural fit for EDII’s ambitions outside of London.
“We have seen first hand what Digital Minds can do,” said Simon Johnston, Marketing Director at Markel UK. “Many of our people have completed the programme, and the value is clear. It gives people a structured way to think differently, challenge ideas properly and turn innovation into action.”
For Markel, this partnership fits with how they think about the market. Talent and ambition exist well beyond London, and access to high quality development should too. Hosting the programme in Leeds gives people across the North a place to come together, learn from each other and build stronger connections across the industry.
Why Leeds specifically?
“Leeds has a strong insurance market, a growing professional services community and a real sense of momentum,” said Johnston. “It’s also an important regional base for Markel, so hosting the programme at our City Square House office feels like the right thing to do.”
With the insurance market across the north having huge depth, brokers, insurers, MGAs and specialist businesses across the North must deal with complex customer needs every day. Bringing the programme to Leeds gives those professionals access to the same calibre of development that London delegates have benefited from for years.
What makes Digital Minds Embed different?
“It is practical. Delegates are not just learning about innovation as a concept. They are building the behaviours and capabilities needed to make change happen inside real insurance businesses,” commented Bedford.
The programme runs over nine months, with in-person and virtual sessions, bringing people together from across the market. Insurers, brokers, MGAs and related businesses all see challenges from different angles, which creates a more meaningful discussion and learning environment.
“Digital Minds Embed is built around what we call the EDII Digital Mindset™,” said Bedford. “It covers being collaborative and connected, empathetic and human centred, critically minded, commercially curious, digitally engaged, outside in aware and comfortable with uncertainty.”
Why does this matter for the insurance industry now?
The future of work in insurance is changing. As AI, automation and digital transformation reshape the industry, competitive advantage will increasingly come from people who can adapt, think commercially and solve complex problems.
“The market needs people who can turn change into opportunity,” said Johnston. “Success will come from understanding evolving customer needs, identifying emerging risks and delivering better outcomes.”
That could mean advising clients on new and emerging risks, improving trading, claims and service, developing new products or using data more intelligently.
The common thread is capability. As technology accelerates, human skills become even more valuable. People need the confidence to navigate change, ask better questions, challenge assumptions and bring others with them.
How does this partnership reflect Markel’s wider approach?
“Markel is a specialist insurer, so our success depends on deep expertise, strong relationships and practical support for the sectors we serve. That applies to our products, our broker partnerships and our people,” said Simon Johnston.
Markel is investing in regional relationships, digital trading and specialist propositions across areas such as care, technology, construction, professional indemnity and life sciences. Programmes like Digital Minds Embed help people develop the skills needed to both respond to and improve the market.
What do you want delegates to take away from the programme?
“The future of insurance will depend on people as much as technology. Delegates should leave with the skills, perspective and practical tools to build the capability to lead change in their own organisations,” said Bedford. “The biggest opportunities come from people who ask better questions, bring others with them and know how to turn ideas into action.”
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