Pull up a chair and join Rokstone Chairman James Potter and Global CEO Ian Anson for lunch with some of the biggest and boldest minds in and beyond (re)insurance. From athletes and entrepreneurs to underwriters and industry challengers, you’ll hear candid conversations about what it really takes to lead with confidence, overcome challenges, and drive change. These aren’t boardroom soundbites - they’re real stories of risk, conviction, and the mindset behind bold decisions. New episodes every week. Same time, same table. This is Virtual Lunch. Available on all podcast platforms.
Virtual Lunch
Claim This Podcastby Rokstone
11 episodes
Updated Daily
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇬🇧
Podcast Overview
Pull up a chair and join Rokstone Chairman James Potter and Global CEO Ian Anson for lunch with some of the biggest and boldest minds in and beyond (re)insurance. From athletes and entrepreneurs to underwriters and industry challengers, you’ll hear candid conversations about what it really takes to lead with confidence, overcome challenges, and drive change. These aren’t boardroom soundbites - they’re real stories of risk, conviction, and the mindset behind bold decisions. New episodes every week. Same time, same table. This is Virtual Lunch. Available on all podcast platforms.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
10/16/2025
4 verified contact emails on file for Virtual Lunch
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
Recent Episodes
April 2, 2026
How to Grow Fast Without Losing Control with Nadine Kearney
<p>Rokstone’s Chief Underwriting & Risk Officer, Nadine Kearney, joins James and Ian to talk about underwriting, governance and what it really takes to build a business that can grow quickly without losing control.</p><p>From starting out in claims in Canada to leading underwriting and risk at Rokstone, Nadine reflects on the career path that shaped her, the lessons she took from great leaders, and why no decision in insurance ever sits in isolation.</p><p>She talks through the difference between big corporate insurance and Rokstone’s more entrepreneurial model, how strong frameworks can empower underwriters rather than restrict them, and why Rokstone now looks more like a virtual insurer than a traditional MGA.</p><p>This is a conversation about portfolio thinking, technology, accountability, and modern leadership inside a fast-moving underwriting business.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Listen as we discuss…</strong> </p><p>(01:00) Why Nadine deliberately chose insurance </p><p>(02:00) Starting out in claims in Canada and the early career path that shaped her </p><p>(04:30) The leaders she learned from and what she chose to take forward </p><p>(06:00) What her role at Rokstone actually is and how she thinks about sustainable, profitable results </p><p>(07:30) Why no underwriting decision sits in isolation </p><p>(08:30) The difference between big corporate insurance and Rokstone’s entrepreneurial model </p><p>(10:00) How governance should enable growth rather than block it </p><p>(12:00) The healthy tension between central oversight and empowered underwriters </p><p>(15:00) Why Rokstone now looks more like a virtual insurer than a traditional MGA </p><p>(16:30) How portfolio optimisation builds confidence with capital providers </p><p>(18:00) Atomx, dynamic portfolio management and real-time decision-making </p><p>(20:00) What should and shouldn’t be automated in underwriting </p><p>(22:00) What the next generation of underwriters will need to thrive </p><p>(25:00) Winning trust and respect in a leadership role </p><p>(29:00) Ownership, accountability and what happens when portfolios go wrong </p><p>(33:00) Why Rokstone’s ownership model creates real alignment </p><p>(35:00) Returning from maternity leave into a bigger leadership role </p><p>(39:00) What changes when your time becomes your scarcest resource </p><p>(43:00) What she’d tell herself on day one </p><p>(45:00) Who she’d take to lunch, and where they’d go</p><p><br></p><p><strong>KEY INSIGHTS</strong></p><p>Great underwriting needs frameworks that empower people, not block them</p><p>No underwriting decision sits in isolation - every call affects the wider portfolio</p><p>Technology should remove noise, not replace judgement</p><p>Healthy tension creates better decisions when trust and accountability are in place</p><p>Leadership is often about listening, creating clarity and helping others perform at their best</p><p><br></p><p><strong>GUEST</strong></p><p>Nadine Kearney- Chief Underwriting and Risk Officer, Rokstone</p>
March 5, 2026
Composure at 200mph - Leadership, Focus and Life in Formula One with Ollie Bearman
<p>Ollie Bearman joins James and Ian to talk about pressure, performance and growing up fast inside one of the most demanding environments in sport.</p><p>From karting at Rye House with his dad to stepping into a Ferrari Formula One car, Ollie reflects on the moments that shifted racing from passion to profession, the reality of being signed to the Ferrari Driver Academy, and what it actually feels like to make your F1 debut under global scrutiny.</p><p>He opens up about leadership inside the garage, emotional control at 200mph, the mental load of modern Formula One, and why fear isn’t something he feels in the car but something he’s deeply motivated by outside it.</p><p>This is a thoughtful, grounded look at elite performance, maturity under pressure, and what it takes to keep improving when the margins are measured in tenths.</p><p>Listen as we discuss…</p><p>(01:00) When racing stopped being a hobby and became a career</p><p>(02:45) The Ferrari Driver Academy moment that changed everything</p><p>(04:40) Confidence, belief and questioning yourself as a young driver</p><p>(05:55) Role models, work ethic and lessons learned from his father</p><p>(07:10) Leadership in Formula One and setting the tone inside the garage</p><p>(09:25) Becoming the “best sensor in the car” and earning engineering trust</p><p>(11:00) Getting the call from Ferrari and the reality of academy life</p><p>(16:25) Driving a Ferrari F1 car for the first time at Fiorano</p><p>(18:50) Composure, emotion and decision-making at extreme speed</p><p>(24:50) The Jeddah call-up and making an F1 debut with no preparation</p><p>(28:20) Media pressure, attention and staying mentally clear</p><p>(33:00) Finding flow, rhythm and peak performance in the car</p><p>(38:00) Rookie mistakes and learning fast</p><p>(45:00) Fear, failure and the motivation to avoid regret</p><p>(59:20) What great looks like five years from now</p><p>(01:07:20) Advice to his younger self and learning to savour the moment</p><p><br></p><p><strong>KEY INSIGHTS</strong></p><p>Pressure sharpens performance when you learn to manage capacity</p><p>Leadership starts with respect for the whole team, especially those behind the scenes</p><p>Confidence grows through preparation, not ego</p><p>Fear isn’t always danger but the risk of wasted potential</p><p>Elite performance is built on small, repeatable decisions</p><p><br></p><p><strong>GUEST</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/olliebearman/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Ollie Bearman</a></p><p>Formula One Driver</p>
December 18, 2025
How Rokstone Won - the Work Behind Achieving $1bn with James, Ian, and Sophie Roberts
<p>In this special episode, James Potter and Ian Anson swap seats and become the guests. </p><p>Expertly hosted by Sophie Roberts (The Insurer TV), they unpack how Rokstone grew from a feral startup vibe to a professional, high-performance business breaking $1bn GWP — without losing the underdog edge. </p><p>It’s a transparent look at conviction, ownership, and building teams that say “yes” and figure out the how. Expect stories from the early days, lessons learned scaling fast, why culture is a living thing, and what the industry needs to let go of to move faster.</p><p>Listen as we discuss… </p><p>(00:02:44) The “Virtual Lunch” idea </p><p>(00:05:30) Why bring in voices beyond insurance (and making it interesting) </p><p>(00:06:25) Ownership as a theme: partnering with founders to build businesses </p><p>(00:08:17) Behind the scenes: chaos, first-episode nerves, and studio setup </p><p>(00:10:36) How they got here: Ian’s path from sports dreams to insurance </p><p>(00:14:03) James’s entry into underwriting </p><p>(00:15:54) Founding Rokstone: frustration, market gap, and betting on underwriting </p><p>(00:20:09) Risk appetite: mortgage worries, hustle mindset, and underdog fuel </p><p>(00:26:00) Less than 10 years to $1bn GWP - what big, hairy, audacious goals look like </p><p>(00:26:42) Why Ian joined: energy, scrappy culture, and fighting the MGA bias </p><p>(00:36:40) Rapid growth consequences: from feral to professional (with data) </p><p>(00:39:08) Fail fast, improve daily - the momentum of marginal gains </p><p>(00:43:13) Keeping culture at scale: ownership, no passengers, say “yes” first </p><p>(00:46:18) Hiring, failing fast, and building culture </p><p>(00:56:39) Leadership lessons: hold on too long / surround yourself with challengers </p><p>(00:59:47) What to drop and what to build: inertia out; clarity, talent, and tech in </p><p>(01:05:49) Advice to younger selves: don’t wait for perfect; confidence + instinct </p><p>(01:08:50) The lunch question…</p><p><br></p><p><strong>KEY INSIGHTS</strong></p><p>Ownership isn’t a slogan - it’s a behaviour: fix the roof, then optimise it.</p><p>Speed scales when paired with structure: say “yes,” then build the how.</p><p>Culture is living: protect the underdog mindset as you professionalize.</p><p>Fail fast, learn faster: momentum compounds when you improve daily.</p><p>The industry’s drag factor is inertia; clarity (wordings), talent, and tech win next.</p><p><br><strong>GUESTS</strong></p><p>James Potter, Chairman, Rokstone</p><p>Ian Anson, Global CEO, Rokstone</p><p>Guest interviewer: Sophie Roberts, The Insurer TV</p>
11 total episodes available
Deep-dive analytics for Virtual Lunch
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
- What is Virtual Lunch?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
Legal Disclaimer
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.