Alissa is a Managing Director in KPMG’s Customer and Operations practice with almost 20 years of consulting and insurance industry experience across the value chain including Claims, Underwriting, Insurance Product and Broking with an extensive background in serving in senior leadership roles within Insurtechs. She has worked in both the US and UK insurance markets driving digital transformation, enhancing carrier speed to market across multichannel distribution models and customer and operational excellence. She currently leads KPMG’s Digital Insurance practice where her focus is providing insurance clients with more personalized, convenient and cost-effective services by using digital technologies to make improvements to process, products, and services.

Alissa has a Master’s in Risk Management and Insurance, is a Chartered Insurance Broker, and an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute (ACII). She was recognized as a Top 25 Insurance Consultant and Leader in 2023 as well as Top 50 Women Leader of Boston. Alissa is a member of Chief, the largest network of senior women executives, takes part in the KPMG Executive Leadership Institute for Women, and provides mentorship to female talent developing their careers.

Dr. Christian Kinder leads the insurance practice group in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region at Bain & Company.

He has more than 25 years of experience in management consulting and advises clients on all aspects of their business. His consulting focus includes strategies at group and business unit level as well as digitalization and artificial intelligence, customer, distribution and growth strategies. He also supports his clients in organizational, claims and performance improvement projects.

Christian Kinder joined Bain in 1999.

He studied business mathematics at the University of Augsburg and holds a doctorate in finance and banking.

Chris is a Principal in the Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) Insurance Consulting practice leading EY’s Americas Life & Group Transformation solution. He advises clients in the areas of business growth strategies, operating model design, customer experience design and platform implementations. His clients include many of the leading life, annuity and group benefits carriers.

In this role, Chris has served his clients in executing successful end-to-end, digital transformations in the life, annuities and employee benefits businesses focused on new business, administration and claims. Each of these programs have resulted in a differentiated customer experience and business growth, while also driving sustainable operational expense reductions.

Prior to joining EY, Chris spent 20 years in the insurance industry, most recently serving as the vice president of strategy and operations transformation for a leading global life insurance company.

Chris holds a BA in Mathematics from SUNY Binghamton and an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University.

Sivakumar Deivacikamani (Siva) is a Delivery, Technology and Innovation Head of Insurance, Cognizant, which has over 30,500+ Technologists, Engineers, Architects, Consultant and Innovation evangelists globally. Siva brings over 24+ years of experience in Insurance industry supporting 100+ Insurance clients to address significant business and technology challenges; new Risk & Regulatory Compliance, Products & Portfolio rationalization, Underwriting & Claims modernization and agent & customer experience programs.

Siva began his career at TCS, where he specialized in Systems, Business Operations, Infrastructure and outsourced R&D services globally. Siva has held various roles in Sales, Delivery and Solution, also worked closely with the Silicon Valley start up eco-system.

Siva has earned “Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering” at Annamalai University, “Innovation of Products and Services - Design Thinking” at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA and “Executive Presence and Influence” at Wharton’s School, USA. Siva is a recipient of, Man of Excellence Award 2022-23 from the Indian Achievers Forum, ET Inspiring Leaders Award 2023 in the field of Information Technology (Insurance) and The most admired Global Indians 2024 by Passion Vista.

Siva maintains active involvement in several community service organizations and love to play Hockey. Siva is based out of India (Coimbatore), lives with his wife, Dr. Praba, daughter Chandini and parents.

Martin Spit is a Principal at EY-Parthenon, a global firm that leverages data and technology to support clients in over 150 countries. As the Americas Insurance Sector Leader for EY’s Strategy and Transactions practice, Spit advises clients on all issues relating to organic growth strategy and inorganic acquisitions and divestitures. He also has deep experience in organizational structuring and operational integration and separation.

Previously, Spit was a Managing Director at Accenture and before that a Principal at The Boston Consulting Group. Earlier in his career he worked with Ernst and Young Consulting as a Manager. Spit holds an MBA from INSEAD and a master’s degree in computer science from Twente University in the Netherlands.

Throughout his time at Slalom, Matt Edwards helped to establish and grow Slalom's Global Insurance Industry practice which focuses on assisting clients define and execute on strategic transformation and modernization, including designing modern insurance products, defining and proving business value of AI in underwriting and claims, creating modern, integrated technology ecosystems and transforming data infrastructure to provide greater insights to make business decisions.

In addition to helping Slalom's global insurance clients transform, Matt has been involved in crafting a number of thought articles on insurance topics which include hurdles facing the reinsurance industry, cloud migration, predictive modeling in specialty insurance, and digital transformation and has participated in panel discussions on emerging topics impacting the industry. Matt also works closely with Slalom's large partner network on co-developing industry focused solutions leveraging the partner platforms that can create speed to value for Slalom's clients.

Prior to Slalom, Matt spent more than a decade with Safeco and Liberty Mutual in a number of different rules within claims, service, FP&A, P&C Operations, Finance and Product Management.

Mathew Tierney is the Global Insurance Practice leader for Grant Thornton. Tierney maintains offices in both New York City and Philadelphia and also serves on Grant Thornton’s Partnership Board as well as on the Global Business Consulting Leadership team for Grant Thornton International Ltd. Tierney oversees the firm’s go-to-market strategy for the insurance industry, which includes creating industry-centric solutions, establishing service delivery teams, and ensuring quality execution for the firm’s global accounts.

Previously, Tierney was a Senior Manager at Smart Business Advisory and Consulting. Earlier in his career he worked with Sungard Data Systems as a Staff Tax Accountant. Tierney holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Widener University and completed Harvard Business School’s Executive Leadership Program.

Chris is a partner in the Ernst & Young LLP Insurance sector and currently serves as the Americas Insurance Consulting Leader. In his role, he leads the overall portfolio of solutions and capabilities EY provides to its Insurance clients, consisting of business, technology, risk and actuarial, and people consulting. He has more than 20 years of global experience in the insurance industry with a focus on transforming core business operations through the implementation of technology. Chris has a strong track record of building high-performing, diverse teams and delivering complex transformation programs at major domestic and international property and casualty and life and annuity insurance carriers.

Prior to this role, Chris led Technology Consulting for the EY Insurance sector. He was also a founding member of the EY Guidewire Alliance practice and served in leadership roles in the EY finance and property and casualty businesses in the insurance sector.

Chris is a CPA with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the Miami University of Ohio and a master’s degree in Accounting from DePaul University.

Ram Menon is a Partner at KPMG LLP, the U.S. member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited. Menon serves as a global advisor to C-level executives and senior management teams in the global Insurance industry - providing M&A, Strategy, Corporate Development, & Divestiture related advisory services from strategy through to execution for global insurance industry clients. With over 30+ years of global experience at KPMG’s financial services industry practices in leading financial centers worldwide, including New York, London, Singapore, Dubai; Menon serves as the Head of KPMG’s Global Insurance Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures practice, where he built a global franchise, leading cross-functional teams of industry professionals across North America, Europe & Middle East, Latin America, and Asia.

Menon is focused on KPMG’s priority clients in the Global Insurance Sector - to drive sustainable profitable growth as part of KPMG's global growth strategy. His responsibilities span across KPMG’s cross-functional Advisory, Tax and Audit businesses, with a focus on expanding KPMG’s industry-wide network of relationships and enhancing overall client experience and brand awareness. Menon is a Business Advisory Board member for St. John’s University - Board of Overseers: Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science (GSRM) and a frequent speaker at KPMG sponsored industry events & conferences on insurance M&A, strategy, and cross-border investment topics, including global / regional economic & strategic themes and trends. Menon is a Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Global Management Accountant, Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Chartered Accountant, and graduated from the University of Bombay with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance & Accounting.

Robert Glasser is a Managing Director in BRG Consulting’s Business Insurance Claims practice and is based in New York and Denver. He is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified in Financial Forensics, a Certified Insolvency and Reorganization Accountant, and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. With over 40 years of diverse experience, he has specialized in economic management, insurance claims, accounting, and forensic fraud investigation experience at public and private companies.

Mr. Glasser helps insured businesses prepare and substantiate business interruption and property damage claims resulting from physical damage due to hurricanes and other perils. His experience spans a range of industries, including hospitality, real estate, manufacturing, retail, and service organizations. He has led several product recall claims involving domestic and international operations and leads domestic and international forensic fraud investigations involving alleged acts of employee dishonesty, embezzlement, and corruption involving the preparation of claims with insurance coverage.

Previously, Mr. Glasser was a Managing Director at FTI Consulting in the Business Insurance Claims practice, helping clients with insurance claims, litigation support, and various loss quantification matters. He was also previously East Coast Regional Director of Aon Risk Solutions’ Property Claims Preparation, Advocacy, and Valuation Group, where he led the firm’s US East Coast Insurance Claims practice. Prior to Aon, Mr. Glasser was a Partner in Dempsey Partners’ New York office, where he led the firm’s US East Coast Property and Business Interruption Claims practice.

Prior to Dempsey Partners, Mr. Glasser was with BDO Consulting, where he led the firm’s Insurance Claim Services practice and performed numerous forensic fraud investigations. He also served as the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of an international telecommunications firm, as well as Chief Financial Officer of a product manufacturer and distribution company. He holds an MBA in finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut.

Sarat Varanasi is the Insurance Americas Business Unit Leader at Cognizant. Varanasi is a results-driven and visionary senior executive leader with over 25 years of progressive experience in the financial services industry. Adept at driving strategic business growth, executing digital transformation, and delivering exceptional results, he has a proven track record of building high-performance teams, turning around struggling units, and adapting to dynamic business environments.

Before joining Cognizant, Varanasi was a Chief Solutions Delivery Officer at Drivestream and before that a Program Manager at Oracle. Earlier in his career he worked with Sathguru Management Consultants as a Senior Consultant. Varanasi graduated from Osmania University with an undergraduate degree in accounting and finance.