Lloyd's is opening its building to staff across the market for a week-long exhibition marking 40 years since the landmark home of the Lloyd's market opened.
Looking Inside Out: Explore the Architecture of Risk runs from November 18 to 25 and is open to all employees of managing agencies and Lloyd’s broking houses. That includes non-underwriting staff who may have worked in insurance for years without access to the Underwriting Room.
The exhibition has been curated with RSHP, formerly Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners, the practice behind the building’s design. Visitors will move through a series of immersive zones using sound, film, photography and storytelling to explore the building’s history, its role in the market, and how the industry is responding to new risks.
“Those of us lucky enough to work here every day know that what makes it special isn’t just the architecture, but the people, energy and ideas it brings together under one roof,” said Patrick Tiernan, chief executive of Lloyd’s.
Designed by Richard Rogers, the building opened in 1986, with its services on the outside, from lifts to pipework, leaving a large open atrium for the Underwriting Room. It became one of the City of London’s most recognisable buildings, and in 2011 was given Grade I listed status.
Lloyd’s said the exhibition would recognise the building’s role in connecting people, capital and expertise from around the world.
That role is visible in this month’s market news. Generali has won approval for Syndicate 2031 Red Bridge, and credit specialist Credeq for Syndicate 1998, both due to start underwriting in 2027. OAK Global has launched a new partnerships unit, and Zurich’s acquisition of Beazley has given it a Lloyd’s presence for the first time.
Lloyd’s said the exhibition also aims to inspire the next generation of the market. That fits a wider push by market bodies to attract talent. The Lloyd’s Market Association and the International Underwriting Association recently launched online job simulations in underwriting and operations to draw students into the London market.
For managing agents and brokers, the week is a low-cost opportunity to show younger and non-underwriting staff the heart of the market they work in. That can help with engagement and retention at a time when firms are competing hard for talent.
