Markel International, the international insurance business of Markel Group Inc., has appointed Maureen Tomlinson as Head of Artificial Intelligence and announced the creation of an AI Centre of Enablement.
Markel International forms part of Markel Group’s global insurance operations and provides specialist insurance solutions across a range of sectors and regions. The new role and organisational initiative reflect the company’s ongoing focus on strengthening internal capabilities and establishing a more structured approach to the use of artificial intelligence.
The AI Centre of Enablement will support the development and responsible use of AI across Markel International’s five business divisions. Positioned within the International Portfolio Analytics team, the centre will combine strategic guidance with technical expertise.
It will provide advisory support, training, governance and coordination while also developing AI applications designed to address specific operational needs. The team is led by Managing Director Simon Cooper-Williams.
Tomlinson will take on the new Head of AI position in addition to her current role as Senior Vice President of Operations for Markel in Canada. In this capacity, she will help guide the organisation’s AI strategy, work with senior leadership to identify areas where AI can add value, and oversee the implementation of related initiatives.
Based in Toronto, she will collaborate with the International Portfolio Analytics team, as well as colleagues in IT and Change Delivery, to support operational improvements and digital development across the division, with the aim of introducing tools that enhance services for brokers and clients.
Carys Lawton-Bryce, Chief Operations Officer, Markel International, commented: “At Markel, we see AI as a step‑change technology with the potential to support our ambitious profitable growth targets. We also recognise that this potential is only realised when AI is governed well, understood across the business and deployed responsibly. Our newly-launched Centre of Enablement will be central to how we leverage AI in a way that makes adoption safe, scalable and business-led, while ensuring responsible governance that stays ahead of regulatory expectations.”
Cooper-Williams added: “As an organisation, we’ve made significant progress with the adoption of AI. The new AI Centre of Enablement is a huge step in strengthening our operational foundations and continuing on our path of success. I’m delighted to have Maureen at the helm of this team as Head of AI, with her leadership and extensive knowledge of the business, having served as Senior Vice President, Operations in Canada since 2023.
“Operating from Toronto, Maureen’s appointment will also strengthen collaboration between all five international businesses as we look to bring greater consistency and clarity to how AI is developed and deployed, empowering teams with the tools and knowledge to deliver stronger outcomes.”
Maureen Tomlinson brings extensive experience in operations, technology and organisational change to her new position as Head of AI at Markel International.
She has served as Senior Vice President of Operations for Markel Canada since 2023, where she oversees the company’s technology strategy and the implementation of digital tools supporting policy administration and claims services. Her responsibilities include the management of technology platforms, data capabilities, pricing systems, operational processes and facilities that support service delivery.
Before joining Markel, Tomlinson spent more than a decade with Verisk, including its Canadian business formerly known as Opta Information Intelligence. From 2017 she held the role of Senior Vice President of Sales and Professional Services, leading teams responsible for delivering advanced analytics solutions to actuarial and underwriting departments across Canada.
Earlier in her career at Verisk, she held several senior leadership positions, including Vice President of Analytics and Research & Development and Vice President of Production Solutions and Operations.
Prior to that, Tomlinson held leadership roles at Economical Insurance Group, where she served as Director of Personal Lines Systems and Director of Business Services and Architecture.
