Léonard Named VP & Senior Economist At The Insurance Information Institute

For immediate release
Kim Kirchner, Coburn Communication: (212) 536-9837; Kim.Kirchner@coburnww.com
New York Press Office, Insurance Information Institute: (212) 346-5500; media@iii.org  

NEW YORK, December 18, 2018—Dr. Michel Léonard, CBE, has been appointed Vice President & Senior Economist at the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), with a portfolio which will include responsibilities for research, communications, and education outreach.

Dr. Léonard is an economist and data scientist who has worked for 20 years in senior-level insurance and finance positions. He has hands-on experience across the insurance value-chain, from generating risk analytics to communicating risk outlooks. A thought leader in applied risk quantification, a subject on which he has been published widely, Dr. Léonard also is a frequent media commentator and speaker at insurance industry events. 

“Throughout his career, Dr. Léonard has worked closely with underwriters, brokers, and insurance industry executives at the C-Suite level to align coverage more effectively with exposures. His insights and analysis have enabled insurers to expand and to prosper,” said Sean Kevelighan, chief executive officer, I.I.I. “Dr. Léonard will be an enormous asset to the Insurance Information Institute and its audiences.”

Prior to joining the I.I.I., he was Partner & Chief Data Scientist at MaKro LLC, a Fintech risk advisor. Earlier in his career, Dr. Léonard was the Senior Vice President & Chief Economist at Aon and the Chief Economist & Data Scientist at Alliant, the insurance broker owned by Blackstone and Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts (KKR). 

Dr. Léonard holds a B.A. from McGill University, an MTS from Harvard University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Economy from the University of Virginia, focusing on qualitative and quantitative risk modeling. His certification stands for Chartered Business Economist (CBE). 

In addition, Dr. Léonard is an adjunct faculty member in New York University’s (NYU) Economics Department and at Columbia University’s Department of Statistics and Data Science Institute, where he focuses on Applied Economics, Fintech, and Insurtech.

Based in the I.I.I.’s New York City office, Dr. Léonard will report into Dr. Steven Weisbart, the I.I.I.’s Senior Vice President & Chief Economist. A photo of Dr. Léonard is available online.