Concern over food safety and health risks has risen sharply among food and drink companies, with 45% of respondents to a survey conducted by Willis now identifying it as a major threat, up from 29% in 2024.

Databarracks has acquired the assets of business continuity consultancy Acumen Business Services Ltd, as it seeks to strengthen its business resilience offering. Acumen was founded by Andy Osborne, who has more than 20 years' experience in business continuity consultancy.

With Catherine Frost, COO at Hiscox UK

The 28th annual Business Continuity Awards took place last night at the London Marriott Grosvenor Square. Congratulations to all our finalists and winners, and especially to Business Continuity Resilience Manager of the Year, Erika Hanzlíková of Tesco Central Europe, and Lifetime Achievement winner, Harry Styles of Lloyds Banking Group.

With Chris Walker, head of risk management at Durham University

Millions of UK properties could face heightened flood risk unless protection products become more advanced and better aligned with regulatory and environmental demands, according to a study published this week. Produced by University of Hull and Intact Insurance, the study highlights the need for innovation in technologies for commercial buildings and public infrastructure.

Beazley has announced plans to launch a new marine war consortium, to provide up to US$1bn of Lloyd’s capacity – US$500m each for hull and cargo war – complementary to the existing capacity available in the market. The consortium will be offered to vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Financial services firms are being urged to assess whether their incident response capabilities can meet new cyber reporting requirements confirmed by the Financial Conduct Authority alongside the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Bank of England.

The 2026 Business Continuity Awards finalists have been revealed. The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony on 18 June 2026 at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square.

Geopolitical instability is creating an environment of ambiguous and strategically choreographed tactics that sit between peace and war and which pose a major threat to business operations, according to a report from the Willis Research Network.

FERMA has submitted its response to the European Commission’s consultation on the upcoming European Climate Resilience Framework, expected in Q4 2026. The Federation welcomed the Commission’s ambition to create a coordinated and forward-looking approach to climate resilience across the EU, urging the adoption of a more collaborative model spanning governments, insurers, capital markets and businesses.

The scenarios and circumstances surrounding civil unrest in the UK are evolving and require insurers and brokers to be aware of the changing risks, according to a report by Synthetik Insurance Technologies, a Lloyd’s Lab graduate.

Covéa Insurance has named Philippe Domart as its new chief executive officer, subject to regulatory approval. He will take over from Georges De Macedo on 1 April 2026.

HF, legal advisers to the insurance and commercial sectors, has acquired a significant part of the assets of Crawford and Company Legal Services Limited, with around 90 staff moving across as part of a TUPE consultation process.

Remote and hybrid working is leading to a rethink in crisis leadership, as traditional models struggle to address the risks of managing incidents across distributed teams. With 63% of staff in the UK now working remotely or in hybrid roles, crisis teams are increasingly required to manage incidents from home settings, often with limited visibility of staff well-being and fragmented communication.