Join the Centre for Sustainable Business for our ‘Big’ Salon of the year - with hybrid option!

• When: Monday 3rd March, 10.30am-12.30pm
• Where: Council Room, Strand Campus or online
• Book: Register your place on Eventbrite

We’re thrilled to welcome Paula Jarzabkowski, Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Queensland Business School and Bayes Business School at the University of London, to give a talk on ‘Disaster Insurance Reimagined: Protection in a Time of Increasing Risk’.

As we have witnessed in the devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires, the world is increasingly ravaged by disasters. From floods and earthquakes to terrorist attacks, hurricanes and pandemics, these crises cause catastrophic losses to human lives, homes and livelihoods.

Drawing on insights from her recent book; ‘Disaster Insurance Reimagined’ (co-authored with Konstantinos Chalkias, Eugenia Cacciatori, and Rebecca Bednarek), Professor Jarzabkowski will be discussing why the insurance system is in crisis, and how not-for-profit insurers are trying to address these gaps in protection.

What is this talk about?

In this talk, Professor Jarzabkowski will share insights from five years of research on Protection Gap Entities (PGEs), and how they collaborate with markets to rebalance the tensions (paradoxes) at the heart of insurance, specifically:

• who controls the insurance market (the private sector or government)
• how much is known about the risk (too little or too much)
• who should pay (individuals or society).

After the talk, there will be an open discussion and Q&A, so bring your questions! Pre-reading materials have been provided below.

Tea, coffee and light refreshments will be provided.

About Professor Paula Jarzabkowski

Paula Jarzabkowski is Professor of Strategic Management at University of Queensland, Australia and City, University of London, UK.

Paula’s research takes a qualitative, practice theory lens to understanding how people in organizations address the complex problems or ‘grand challenges’ affecting society.

A Fellow of the Academy of Management, the Academy of the Social Science of Australia, and the British Academy, Paula publishes this work in leading journals and has also co-authored several books. Her current research examines how Governments and Markets around the world can collaborate to address the growing threat of disaster, and to increase the links between insurance and disaster resilience.

Paula is also passionate about impactful research, with her industry and policy expertise widely recognised as a member of the OECD High-Level Advisory Board for the Financial Management of Catastrophic Risks; the Lloyd’s of London Futureset Technical Advisory Group; and the Pool Reinsurance Company Advisory Council.

Pre-reading and resources

• Download an abstract 
• Download a free e-copy of the book ‘Disaster Insurance Reimagined: Protection in a Time of Increasing Risk’ by Paula Jarzabkowski, Konstantinos Chalkias, Eugenia Cacciatori and Rebecca Bednarek: Download here
• Read Paula’s latest article in The Conversation on the LA fires: The LA fires have prompted a reckoning for the insurance industry – Australian premiums could soar as a result

Who is this event for?

Our in-person Salons are for King’s staff, researchers and PhD students who are passionate about sustainability and keen to be part of a leading thinktank of innovative solutions.

However, for this Big Salon, we welcome non-King’s personnel to join us online via Zoom.

For any event queries, or if you’d like to attend in-person but are not from King’s, please contact: sustainablebusiness@kcl.ac.uk

About the Salon Series

Launching in September 2024, our Sustainable Business Salon series provides an informal space for colleagues and postgraduate students to gather and exchange new ideas around a central topic within sustainable business.

We’re inviting experts from both our internal and external networks to lead each salon, sharing their latest research to catalyse discussion and spark creative thinking.

Please note: our usual salons are in Room MH1.06, but this event will be held in The Council Room.

Discover other salons in our series here.