Featured Articles Blog

How purpose-driven innovation is reshaping care for Canadians: GreenShield 2025 Impact Report 0

How purpose-driven innovation is reshaping care for Canadians: GreenShield 2025 Impact Report

Toronto, ON (June 2, 2026) – As Canadians navigate rising health costs and a complex health system with persistent gaps in access to care, GreenShield is demonstrating how purpose can guide innovation at scale.  As Canada’s only national non-profit health care and insurance organization, GreenShield’s purpose shapes what it builds, invests in, and scales, ensuring that business performance directly advances its mission of Better Health for All, including communities facing the greatest barriers to care. These outcomes mark the conclusion of GreenShield’s 2025 strategic plan, which focused on diversifying the organization to become Canada’s first payer‑provider. This shift was deliberately pursued to deepen GreenShield’s social mission by bringing coverage, care, and social impact closer together. This approach is detailed in GreenShield’s newly released 2025 Impact Report, Innovating with Purpose, which shows how purpose-driven innovation connects GreenShield’s business growth with its social impact. Through its Creating Shared Value model, innovation across coverage, care, and support for underserved communities is guided first by need, strengthened through collaboration and scaled through disciplined, outcomes-focused execution. In many cases, this work positions GreenShield as a convener, bringing together partners across sectors to align capabilities to build and scale solutions around shared health goals. Between 2020...

0

Iran Cites ‘Major Progress’ After All-Night Talks With US

Article 0 Comments Iran said there had been “major progress” in all-night discussions with the US, as the warring sides try to reach a peace deal within two months.The countries began technical talks in the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock over the weekend, following their interim agreement last week that led to a ceasefire extension and Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz.Plenty of obstacles remain, however, including Israel’s war in Lebanon against Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group. At one stage on Sunday, Iran said it would suspend talks — but never actually did — after US President Donald Trump threatened military action against the Islamic Republic over its funding of proxy groups in the Middle East. On Monday morning, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the mediators, Qatar and Pakistan, had managed to ease some of the tensions over Lebanon. He added Iran was beginning to see financial benefits from last week’s memorandum of understanding, including waivers of US sanctions on its oil exports and assets in countries such as Qatar being unfrozen. “Tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end Lebanon War,” Araghchi said on X. “Oil and petrochem exports are waived, blockade lifted, some frozen assets...

0

California and US West Threatened by Wildfires Over Coming Days

Article 0 Comments The fire threat across the U.S. West will rise Friday and remain dangerous through Saturday for many areas, including Northern California, as lightning strikes risk igniting dry vegetation. Critical fire weather conditions and dry lightning will prevail across the western U.S., with the “Four Corners” region where Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona come together under the greatest threat, the Storm Prediction Center said. There are red flag fire warnings across Northern California, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Arizona, according to the National Weather Service. Related: Zurich Files Growth Plan Under California Sustainable Insurance Strategy “Abundant lightning on dry fuels will likely create new ignitions across the region,” the weather service said in an advisory issued in southern Oregon. “Any fires that develop could spread rapidly. Numerous new fire starts could overwhelm the initial attack.” Wind gusts in the western mountains are forecast to be as strong as 55 miles (89 kilometers) per hour. Related: Two California Insurance Commissioner Candidates Are Left, and Reform Is Coming The largest blaze in California is the Lost Fire in Kern County that has burned 4,324 acres and is only 5% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire...

People Moves: Arch Promotes Halgan as CEO of Global Reinsurance, Schmeiser as CEO, Global Mortgage; Sompo International Markets Names MacHale as CUO, Head of Strategy 0

People Moves: Arch Promotes Halgan as CEO of Global Reinsurance, Schmeiser as CEO, Global Mortgage; Sompo International Markets Names MacHale as CUO, Head of Strategy

Article 0 Comments This edition of International People Moves details appointments at global re/insurers Arch Capital Group and Sompo. A summary of these new hires follows here. Arch Capital Group Ltd., the Bermuda-based provider of insurance, reinsurance and mortgage insurance, announced the promotions of Jerome Halgan to CEO of Arch Global Reinsurance Group and Michael Schmeiser to CEO of Arch Global Mortgage Group. Both will continue to report to Arch President Maamoun Rajeh. Jerome Halgan Halgan joined Arch in 2009. He has served as president and chief underwriting officer of Arch Reinsurance Group since 2024, and as CEO of Arch Re Bermuda since 2018. Schmeiser joined Arch in 2017 and has served as President and CEO of Arch U.S. Mortgage since 2019. Michael Schmeiser “Jerome and Michael are experienced leaders who are deeply grounded in Arch’s underwriting culture and corporate values, and they have consistently outperformed through market cycles,” Rajeh said. These appointments follow the recent expansion of Maamoun Rajeh’s role as president of Arch. Arch Insurance North America CEO Matt Shulman and Arch Insurance International CEO Hugh Sturgess will continue to report to Rajeh. *** Sompo Names MacHale as CUO and Head of Strategy, International Markets Sompo, the global...

People Moves: Arch Promotes Halgan as CEO of Global Reinsurance, Schmeiser as CEO, Global Mortgage; Sompo International Markets Names MacHale as CUO, Head of Strategy 0

People Moves: Arch Promotes Halgan as CEO of Global Reinsurance, Schmeiser as CEO, Global Mortgage; Sompo International Markets Names MacHale as CUO, Head of Strategy

Article 0 Comments This edition of International People Moves details appointments at global re/insurers Arch Capital Group and Sompo. A summary of these new hires follows here. Arch Capital Group Ltd., the Bermuda-based provider of insurance, reinsurance and mortgage insurance, announced the promotions of Jerome Halgan to CEO of Arch Global Reinsurance Group and Michael Schmeiser to CEO of Arch Global Mortgage Group. Both will continue to report to Arch President Maamoun Rajeh. Jerome Halgan Halgan joined Arch in 2009. He has served as president and chief underwriting officer of Arch Reinsurance Group since 2024, and as CEO of Arch Re Bermuda since 2018. Schmeiser joined Arch in 2017 and has served as President and CEO of Arch U.S. Mortgage since 2019. Michael Schmeiser “Jerome and Michael are experienced leaders who are deeply grounded in Arch’s underwriting culture and corporate values, and they have consistently outperformed through market cycles,” Rajeh said. These appointments follow the recent expansion of Maamoun Rajeh’s role as president of Arch. Arch Insurance North America CEO Matt Shulman and Arch Insurance International CEO Hugh Sturgess will continue to report to Rajeh. *** Sompo Names MacHale as CUO and Head of Strategy, International Markets Sompo, the global...

From Fragmented Data to Smarter Operations: AI’s Role in Modern Asset Management 0

From Fragmented Data to Smarter Operations: AI’s Role in Modern Asset Management

Armonk, NY (May 27, 2026) – Artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful enabler of asset management but only when paired with trusted data, clear governance, and strong organizational change. That message resonated during a recent IBM-hosted discussion that brought together asset management leaders from public and private sector organizations to share practical experiences with AI‑enabled asset management. Participants emphasized that AI is not a quick fix, but a long‑term accelerator of established practices. Denzil Solomon, VP Emerging Technology, Thought Leader and Advisor at FAHM Technology, underscored the importance of patience and strategy: “AI is in it for the long term, just like asset management,” he noted. “You might see quick gains, but the real value builds over time.” For municipalities, early investments in enterprise asset management have already delivered measurable benefits. Jennifer Wrzala, Business Analyst and innovative thinker with the City of Cambridge, reflected on her organization’s journey: “Right away, we started seeing benefits,” she said. “We went from everyone speaking different languages about the same assets to having one common language and one system.” Reliable data surfaced as a consistent theme throughout the discussion. Participants repeatedly highlighted that technology alone cannot compensate for weak foundations. Without accurate, standardized...

CAA warns drivers of emerging auto theft tactics that prey on the goodwill of drivers 0

CAA warns drivers of emerging auto theft tactics that prey on the goodwill of drivers

Toronto, ON (June 2, 2026) – CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is warning that car theft is becoming more sophisticated and more personal, with criminals now targeting drivers directly using a mix of distraction tactics and high-tech tools. Police services across Canada have recently warned of an increase in “distraction thefts” occurring in parking lots, shopping centres, and other busy areas. At the same time, thieves are continuing to use relay attacks and key-fob signal-interception technology to unlock and steal vehicles without physical force. CAA cautions that these tactics are now being used together, creating new risks for drivers. A New Combination of Tactics This emerging method involves criminals engaging drivers in brief interactions near their vehicle while simultaneously using electronic devices to capture or amplify key fob signals. As a result, key fob-related auto theft is no longer limited to driveways or overnight incidents. Close physical proximity between drivers, their key fobs, and their vehicles can be exploited. These thefts can occur quickly and subtly, often without the driver immediately realizing anything has happened. In some cases, drivers may later notice an alert that their vehicle key is missing. This is an early sign that something is wrong....

Mental fatigue and burnout drive productivity losses equivalent to 46 working days per employee every year: Manulife Canada 0

Mental fatigue and burnout drive productivity losses equivalent to 46 working days per employee every year: Manulife Canada

New data reveals one-fifth of work time impacted by health challenges, putting pressure on employees and workplaces Toronto, ON (June 2, 2026) – Health challenges are significantly impacting both employee well-being and workplace productivity across Canada, according to The Wellness Report by Manulife Canada. Drawing on responses from nearly 4,700 employees across 159 organizations with a Manulife Group Benefits plan, the report reveals that while three per cent of total working time is lost to absences due to health issues, a much larger portion – 19 per cent – is affected by health-related productivity challenges. Combined, this represents the equivalent of 46 lost working days per employee each year under a standard five-day work week. Crucially, most of this lost productivity occurs while employees are still on the job. Health challenges, like mental fatigue, stress, and burnout are undermining focus, energy and the ability to perform at full capacity. “Losing the equivalent of 46 working days per employee isn’t just a productivity issue, it tells us people are struggling in ways we don’t always see,” said Ashesh Desai, Head of Group Benefits at Manulife Canada. “Employees are still showing up, but burnout and mental fatigue are limiting how they contribute and...

0

Viewpoint: Hormuz Is Reopening, but Global Shipping Won’t Return to Normal for Months

Article 0 Comments Iran and the United States are about to sign a peace deal that will reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil. Oil prices reacted quickly to the announcement of the tentative deal, dropping from highs that had pushed gasoline prices toward record levels in North America. (Editor’s note: This article was originally published on June 18 by The Conversation). The global supply chain, however, will take the better part of a year to recover, and the relief at the pumps may prove more gradual than the relief in oil markets. The strait’s closure began on Feb. 28 after the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran. Tehran responded by effectively shutting the strait to commercial traffic, attacking ships and laying sea mines. Traffic through the passage fell from about 100 vessels per day to roughly six at the height of the blockade, and more than 1,500 vessels were left waiting to pass through at one point. That backlog has caused a months-long global energy crisis. Supply chains operate on a different timeline than politics. German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd estimates it will take their firm at least six...

Why the cyber industry is talking about Mythos 0

Why the cyber industry is talking about Mythos

AI tools like Mythos are accelerating how quickly cyber vulnerabilities are being found and exploited. This explainer sets out what Mythos changes, what it doesn’t and how brokers can help clients stay focused on what matters most. — By Isabel Finn, CFC — Artificial intelligence has been influencing the mechanics of cyber security for years. But tools like Mythos mark a visible shift. Developed by Anthropic, the team behind Claude, Mythos is designed to discover vulnerabilities and support security testing at a fraction of the time, compressing work that once took days and weeks into hours. That acceleration is creating concern. While Mythos is intended as a force for good, those same capabilities could be exploited by threat actors to find viable targets and launch attacks at scale. So what does Mythos actually change, should businesses worry and will cyber security ever be the same again? What is Mythos, and how will it impact cyber threats? Mythos is an advanced AI security model. It’s designed to support defensive cyber security research, using large language models (LLMs) with strong coding and reasoning capabilities to analyze software, identify vulnerabilities and support security testing at unprecedented speed. Its capabilities have been reviewed by...