Breaking the ICE
Demystifying the Insurance World
Breaking the ICE is a podcast for everyone who works in the space where insurance meets technology - whether you're steeped in underwriting and claims, building the platforms that support them, or simply curious about how one of the world's oldest industries is being reshaped by the rise of Artificial Intelligence and other complementary technologies.
Hosted by Elliott Draga, Head of Growth at ICE Tech, alongside co-hosts Lloyd Overton and Mark Colonnese (and the occasional guest), the show draws on decades of combined practical experience in the global insurance sector. Together, the three of them unpack the ideas, technologies and trends shaping the industry today - and try to make sense of them without the baffling jargon that so often gets in the way.
Insurance has a reputation for being somewhat archaic and slow to change. Breaking the ICE sets out to challenge that assumption. Each episode looks at how technology - from data analytics to customer relationship management - is streamlining operations, improving customer experience and opening up new avenues for growth. Rather than abstract theory, the hosts share first-hand experience from the front line of the industry, offering practical, actionable insights and the occasional off-topic side-quest.
Expect conversations that go beyond the obvious headlines. Alongside deep dives into specific technologies, regulatory challenges and emerging innovations, the podcast isn't afraid to draw on what's happening in the wider world - from the weather to major sporting events - and find the parallels with how businesses innovate, prepare and compete.
Get ready to start Breaking the ICE - a grounded, conversational approach that treats big industry questions with a light touch, making complex ideas accessible without oversimplifying them.
Breaking the ICE
Episode 1 - Conference Season Survival Guide
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In this first episode of Breaking the ICE, hosts Elliott Draga, Lloyd Overton and Mark Colonnese introduce themselves and explain why they started the podcast: sitting at the intersection of insurance and technology, they want to share what they're seeing from both sides with listeners on either side of that divide.
Recorded during a UK heatwave and mid-World Cup, the trio start with some light banter on the weather and the tournament's expanded format, before getting into the episode's main topic - surviving conference season. Drawing on recent trips to BIBA, Charleston and Copenhagen, they compare notes on what makes a conference worth attending versus a waste of time, from the value of face-to-face relationships and market insight over lead counts, to the practicalities of hotel gyms, travel adapters and comfortable shoes.
It's an easy-going first episode that sets the tone for what's ahead - real conversations from three people who've spent 20-plus years around insurance and tech, with more guests and topics to come in future episodes.
Breaking the ICE - Demystifying the Insurance World one episode at a time