As the construction industry navigates emerging risks and evolving opportunities, this episode explores how these dynamics are reshaping insurance and surety strategies worldwide. Hosts Tariq Tahrirbhai and James McNeil unpack the latest insights from Aon’s 2025 Global Construction Insurance and Surety Market Report, offering expert perspectives on market trends, regional dynamics and strategic recommendations for navigating today’s complex risk environment.

Key takeaways:

• North America remains the strongest surety market, driven by public infrastructure and inflation-driven growth.
• High-tech manufacturing projects, such as data centers, are a major global growth driver for construction insurance and surety markets.
• APAC markets, especially India and China, are rapidly maturing, with increased use of commercial and construction guarantees.
• Construction companies are advised to start early in the insurance placement process and carefully evaluate contract structures to avoid coverage gaps and delays.

Experts in this episode:

Tariq Taherbhai — Chief Commercial Officer, Construction and Infrastructure, Aon

James MacNeal — Global Industry Specialty Leader, Construction and Infrastructure, Aon

Key Moments:

[1:38] Three key trends driving insurance and surety markets for the construction industry

[2:58] What’s driving construction trends around the world?

[5:17] Technological innovation is at the forefront of everything.

[7:58] How the market is shaping up for construction liability.

[10:09] The global surety market is projected to grow at about 5 percent annually for the next few years

Additional Resources:

2025 Global Construction Insurance and Surety Market Report

Soundbites:

“There seems to be an insatiable build going on in infrastructure, energy, high-tech manufacturing projects – for example, data centers that are just expanding rapidly globally.” — James MacNeal

“Start early. Begin any insurance placement process as early as possible, especially if you have a complex, high-risk project. Underwriting timelines are lengthening due to increased scrutiny and demand.”
— James McNeil

How is the Life Sciences industry evolving? Aon’s Meaghan Piscitelli and Tanaz Moazami discuss the future of the industry, focusing on the transformative impact of AI and human capital management. They highlight the challenges of talent acquisition and retention and emphasize the importance of digital skills for the future life sciences workforce.

Key Takeaways:

• Life sciences companies face increased competition for talent, particularly in digital roles.
• AI is transforming the sector through medical breakthroughs, improved patient care and operational efficiencies.
• This transformation also presents risks related to data privacy, cyber security and potential misuse of new technologies.
• HR is a critical strategic partner in helping life sciences leaders properly recruit and retain talent, navigate the changes brought by AI and maintain a competitive edge.

Experts in this episode:

• Meaghan Piscitelli, Partner, Global Life Sciences Leader at Aon
• Tanaz Moazami, Human Capital Rewards Solutions Partner, Life Sciences Data at Aon North America

Additional Resources:

• 2025 Life Sciences Outlook: Building Preparedness to Mitigate Risks and Capture Human Capital Opportunities

Soundbites from Guest Tanaz Moazami:

• It's a challenging time in the talent space, and you need to ensure that employee value proposition is articulated. When it comes to your AI strategy, are you building it or are you buying it? What kind of talent are you bringing in? And when you're bringing in the talent, are you looking at your cyber security? Are you looking at your data privacy? What kind of measurements are you putting in place?
• AI is already transforming the sector. So from medical breakthrough and patient care to the analytical efficiencies that can be realized through automation. But automation and process improvement has always been part of life sciences. I don't think that is new. But artificial intelligence is more about creating the efficiencies that comes with getting the product faster to the market.
• HR leaders should look at the impact of artificial intelligence in their own department. Research suggests that 24 % of roles are at risk of significant disruption due to artificial intelligence integration.
• When we look at the industry currently, it lags behind others when it comes to communicating and publishing salary ranges. So to gain a little bit of a ground, organizations should probably start offering training to their management, which probably will lead to more effective conversation about pay and also educating the employees about pay decisions and also career development.

What makes Gen Z different from other generations in the workplace? How can an organization help all generations work their best? And what can senior leaders do to foster trust in a multi-generational workplace? In this episode of the On Aon podcast, Helen Payne and Anna Hislop discuss generational dynamics in the workforce.

Experts in this episode:

Helen Payne, Global Director of Human Sustainability, Aon

Anna Hislop, Leadership Coach and Author, You Only Have to Ask, How to Realize the Full Potential of Gen Z at Work

Key Moments:

[1:37] What makes Gen Z different from other generations in the workforce

[3:36] How senior leaders can build trust in the workplace

[7:19] Other generations in the workforce

[9:06] Examples of companies fostering high-performance across generations

Additional Resources:

2025 Employee Sentiment Study

Anna Hislop, Leadership Coach

You Only Have to Ask, How to Realize the Full Potential of Gen Z at Work

Soundbites:

“Understanding and appreciating what all generations bring to the workplace is key to have a thriving team or a thriving company.” Anna Hislop

“This generation (Gen Z) was shaped by quite an unstable world during their formative years. We had the economic instability during the Great Recession and what that did to their parents and other adults in their life. This is when conversations were had around the table of, I don't want to be just a number or I've dedicated so much time and so many years to this company and now I'm being laid off. There's no loyalty there to be had. So this is what shaped the younger employees and they're really working hard not to make the same mistakes as their older siblings or parents did.” — Anna Hislop

“They're looking for a caring leader and they're looking for a leader who will give them clarity and direction. And they will work hard if they feel that they have the support, they know who cares about them and they know what they are expecting to achieve and do in their role.” — Anna Hislop