Sound Policy
Sound Policy is a podcast from FM that features candid conversations with engineers, researchers, and partners about risk management. Guests share real stories and challenges, revealing how they break down today's most complex risks and develop strategies to keep businesses resilient. The show highlights practical insights and demonstrates how a sound policy can make a difference in protecting what matters most.
Episodes
Designing resilience into digital infrastructure
On this episode of Sound Policy, we explore how organizations across the digital infrastructure ecosystem are thinking about resilience. As investment in data centers accelerates to support AI, cloud computing, and digital services, stakeholders are navigating a growing web of dependencies that extends far beyond any single facility. Host Brian Amaral speaks with Jonathan Birdwell, global head of
How power markets are evolving, with Marsh's Mike Kolodner
On this episode of Sound Policy, we explore how growing energy needs are reshaping the industry. From data centers and AI to manufacturing and electrification, organizations across the energy ecosystem are facing new challenges as infrastructure, investment, and technology continue to evolve.Host Brian Amaral speaks with Michael Kolodner, leader of Marsh's U.S. Energy and Power Practice, about
Risk, resilience, and the hidden cost of disruption
On this episode of Sound Policy, we explore how organizations are building resilience in an increasingly interconnected business environment. As companies face operational disruptions and evolving risks, many are looking for better ways to understand their exposures and make more informed decisions. Guest host Lew Abramson speaks with Jessica Mizenko, Global Manager of Business Risk Consulting at
Four qualities of a well-protected data center
On this episode of Sound Policy, we explore one of the biggest infrastructure stories of recent years: the data center boom. As demand grows to support AI, cloud computing, and digital services, data center operators are working to build facilities that can scale quickly while maintaining resilience and reliability. Host Brian Amaral speaks with Paul Heisel, chief underwriter for FM Intellium, abo
Digging into losses in the mining industry
On this episode of Sound Policy, we take a closer look at the mining industry and the challenges of operating in an increasingly complex world. As demand grows for critical minerals used in AI, electrification, and digital infrastructure, mining companies are managing increasing complexity while working to keep operations running reliably.Host Brian Amaral speaks with FM’s Michael Beaumont about f
Why FM's chief investment officer calls the market this year 'anti-fragile'
On this episode of Sound Policy, we explore how FM approaches investing in a rapidly changing market environment. From AI and data centers to private credit and inflation, investors are navigating a wide range of opportunities while balancing long-term resilience.Host Brian Amaral speaks with Sanjay Chawla, chief investment officer at FM, about the forces shaping financial markets in 2026. They di
Inside FM's new report on power generation losses
On this episode of Sound Policy, we dive into FM's new report on losses in the power generation industry. From electrification and AI infrastructure to aging equipment and evolving supply chains, power generation companies are balancing increasing complexity while delivering consistent electricity.Host Brian Amaral speaks with FM's Brian Palmer and Austin Larkin about recent loss trends ac
The growing cost of hail
On this episode of Sound Policy, we take a closer look at hail, one of the fastest growing weather-related loss drivers, and a new global hail map developed by FM to better understand where the risk is most severe. While hail often draws less attention than other natural hazards, its frequency, severity, and cost have increased significantly in recent years.Host Brian Amaral speaks with Andreas Mu
Risk, resilience, and salty snacks with Utz Quality Foods' Staci Smith
On this episode of Sound Policy, we take a closer look at risk management through the lens of food manufacturing and the complex journey required to get products from the factory floor to store shelves. From automation and cyber risk to supply chain visibility and business interruption, food manufacturers are operating in an environment where disruption has become the norm.Recorded at RISKWORLD 20
Manufacturing resilience in a changing global landscape
On this episode of Sound Policy, we explore the forces reshaping manufacturing and what resilience means in an increasingly uncertain environment. from natural catastrophes and secondary perils to supply chain disruption, automation, artificial intelligence, and energy volatility, manufacturers are navigating a period of rapid change that is redefining risk worldwide.Recorded at RISKWORLD 2026 in
What manufacturers need now to build resilience
On this episode of Sound Policy, we explore the evolving risks and challenges facing manufacturers today and discuss what resilience looks like in a rapidly changing environment. From supply chain disruptions and aging infrastructure to automation, workforce shifts, and fire risk, manufacturers are navigating increasing complexity while remaining essential to the global economy.To understand what
How AI and technology could transform insurance claims
On this episode of Sound Policy, we take a closer look athow AI and automation are transforming the insurance claims experience.Claims are one of the most critical moments in an insurance relationship, andnew technologies are reshaping how quickly, fairly, and efficiently insurerscan help clients recover after a loss.To explore what’s changing and what still matters most, wespoke with Jeremy Galla
How resilient is your country? Breaking down the 2026 data
On the latest episode of Sound Policy, FM’s podcast about risk and resilience, we’re taking a global view: Every year, we release the FM Resilience Index, a ranking of the business environments of 130 countries and territories. The 2026 ranking had Denmark on top, Venezuela at the bottom, and plenty of insights in between. To help break it all down, we spoke with Simon Barsoum, an FM engineer who
‘The age-old fire problem’
The world faces plenty of challenges right now. New geopolitical tensions. Climate change. Technology that will unlock innovation but also new threats.But what about the oldest risk? Fire is still the No. 1 cause for all claims FM manages globally. Why is that? What new technologies are driving the risk? And what new technologies are helping address it?On this episode of Sound Policy, we spoke wit
Inside the next industrial revolution
The way our industries work is changing quickly. Really quickly. So quickly that some people have declared that we are in a new industrial revolution, called Industry 4.0. Here at FM, part of our job is preparing our clients for this changing landscape. As new technologies arrive, we research the steps industries can take to reduce the risks these systems might bring.So on this episode of Sound Po
Building a better data center
With the rise of artificial intelligence and the cloud computing boom, it's hard to think of an industry that is growing faster than the data center industry. In response, FM has been researching how to help protect and insure data center infrastructure--along with everything that goes with it, like power generation. On this episode of Sound Policy, we spoke to two experts to learn more about
Extreme weather risk is changing—are businesses ready?
If your business is seeing the impacts of extreme weather, you’re not alone: 62% of risk decision-makers report they’ve suffered at least one severe disruption due to natural hazards in the past three years. That’s according to FM’s survey of nearly 1,000 risk decision makers and insurance brokers across the world.On this episode of Sound Policy, we’ll get into the results of the survey, what’s dr
Lithium-ion batteries: How research is confronting the risks
Lithium-ion batteries have become commonplace in our lives. They’re in things as small as a smartwatch to as large as an electric car. And they're quickly becoming a crucial part of our businesses, too, from data centers to renewable energy to robotics.But as many benefits as these batteries have, they have a pretty big drawback: They sometimes catch fire or explode. When lithium batteries get dam
