Cyberwrite & Howden: Interview with Shay Simkin on the Future of Cyber Insurance

Interview with Shay Simkin, Chair of Howden Cyber

Shay Simkin is one of the most influential figures in global cyber insurance. With more than thirty-five years of experience in the insurance broking market, Shay has been at the center of the evolution of cyber underwriting, product innovation, and education for brokers and clients worldwide. As Chair of Howden Cyber, he leads strategy across multiple regions and helps shape the development of modern cyber insurance as a discipline.

In this interview, Shay shares insights about the maturity of the cyber market, the challenges facing brokers and insurers, and the opportunities created by new technologies, data, and analytics. He also discusses the need for better alignment between underwriters and insureds, the importance of education, and the rising exposure created by cloud, software, and global supply chain dependencies.

Cyber insurance continues to grow rapidly as businesses, governments, and critical infrastructure operators become more dependent on digital systems. Shay explains how brokers and carriers must adapt to a threat landscape that changes quickly and requires fast, evidence-based decision-making. The conversation also highlights the importance of transparency, continuous learning, and smarter risk selection at a time when cyber is one of the most dynamic and complex lines of insurance.

Shay has been a long-time customer since our early days. His guidance, industry perspective, and commitment to innovation have helped the market adopt stronger data practices and better support SMBs and mid-market clients. The interview also reflects on how advanced analytics are allowing the industry to reduce blind spots, price risk more accurately, and grow cyber portfolios with greater confidence.

Cyberwrite continues to support carriers, reinsurers, and brokers with AI-driven underwriting analytics, global company data, and next-generation catastrophe modeling. These capabilities help teams bring clarity to cyber exposure, improve their understanding of inherent and residual risk, and operate with consistency across underwriting, broking, and portfolio management. Cyberwrite enables teams to scale cyber insurance responsibly while staying aligned with regulatory expectations, capacity providers, and client needs.

If you would like to learn how Cyberwrite supports Howden and many other leading organizations, or if you want to explore how our model can help you grow cyber portfolios sustainably and profitably, our team will be happy to speak with you.

Watch the full interview here: