When Nick Line first joined the Lloyd’s insurance market, what stood out most to him was the lack of diversity. Both in terms of ethnicity and gender, the environment felt very uniform. Today, Line is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the global insurance world, serving as chief underwriting officer at Markel International and as a leader promoting change.
Line’s involvement with diversity and inclusion started when he became Markel’s D&I sponsor. At first, he didn’t fully grasp the topic, but he quickly realized it was important. He saw that building strong teams requires bringing together different perspectives. Diverse teams offer fresh ideas, challenge traditional ways, and improve results. Line believes that understanding and embracing differences leads to better service for clients.
Taking his commitment further, Line became chair of Inclusion@Lloyd’s, using the role to push for broader change within the industry. Mentoring has been a key part of his journey. Through programs like iCAN and Lloyd’s mentoring platforms, he has listened to people’s stories and learned about the challenges faced by newcomers. These conversations, which he calls his “micro-milestones,” have deepened his dedication to making the insurance world more inclusive.
For Line, diversity and inclusion is about more than meeting quotas. It’s about creating a place where people feel they belong, can have fun, and do their best work. He wants people to come to work happy and reach their potential, sometimes surprising themselves with what they can achieve. He also emphasizes the importance of recognizing bias, pointing out that it’s easy to hire people similar to ourselves because it feels safe. But diverse teams push boundaries and deliver better outcomes.
From September 16-18, Line will help spotlight inclusion as the Dive In Festival returns for its eleventh year. The festival brings together insurance professionals worldwide to focus on how a sense of belonging improves business, innovation, and resilience. This year’s theme, “Belonging Builds Tomorrow,” holds special meaning for Line. He says that when people from different backgrounds feel they truly belong, they contribute with more confidence and help drive progress.
Line is proud that sponsorship for this year’s festival is higher than ever but stresses that what matters most is the impact. “If people leave feeling our industry is serious about inclusion and with tools to make positive changes, then we’ve done well,” he said. One of the festival highlights will be Markel’s Women in Underwriting event, which showcases the energy and momentum that inclusion can create.
To those in the insurance world, Line has simple advice: get involved. Attend a Dive In event or sign up to mentor. He believes these experiences not only help others but also offer valuable insights and growth for leaders themselves. As the industry faces uncertain times, Line is hopeful that inclusion and belonging will be key to building a better future for everyone involved.