Page 8 - 2025 INA Program Book JAN 2025

Presenters

Shailesh Chris Cline
Kumar Executive

Head of Director,
the Global Agents Council
Insights for Technology
Center, Through Chris Cline’s
The Hartford 25+ years in the

Shailesh Kumar insurance industry, he
is the Head has established himself
of the Global as an industry resource
Insights Center. In this capacity he oversees economic for topics such as perpetuation, M&A, culture, agency
and geopolitical research to provide insights and risk operations, marketing and sales, data and analytics, DE&I,
advisory services to the firm’s leadership, underwriting and technology and is consistently asked to speak or write
departments, and its clients, brokers, and agents. The about these topics at industry events around the country.
Insights Center is the Hartford’s centralized research hub, In spring of 2022, Chris assumed leadership of the Agents
think tank, and consulting unit that helps establish the Council for Technology as ACT’s Executive Director.
firm’s view of the economic and geopolitical landscape for In his prior carrier roles, Chris led teams focused on
the insurance lines to support risk decisions. the entire agency/carrier life cycle with a focus on

Before joining The Hartford, Shailesh was at the Eurasia appointments, M&A, emerging models, producer
Group, a geopolitical risk consulting firm, where he led agreements, contractual complexities, licensing. He has
the Asia practice and was concurrently the lead India additional experiences across diverse disciplines ranging
analyst. Prior to that, Shailesh served as an economist from graphic design, marketing, sales, employee training,
at the US Department of Treasury in various capacities compliance, and personal lines underwriting.
including as a debt manager overseeing the issuance of He was also host of the award-winning podcast, Closing the
Treasury securities, he helped manage the Department Gap, the 2021 recipient of the Independence Bell Award,
of Treasury’s “Markets Room,” a unit that provided presented by the Ohio Insurance Agents for contribution to
global financial market intelligence and it implications for the industry, is a board member of Insure Equality and the
national security to the US President, National Security Knox/Licking Ohio Goodwill, and published his first book,
Advisor, Secretary of Treasury, and others, and was “Inertia of Legacy”, in October 2023.
also the India economist overseeing US-India economic Chris earned his degree in Graphic Design from the
policy. Earlier in this career Shailesh worked at various University of Akron. Away from work, Chris and his
investment banks as a global macro investment specialist.
family spend as much time as possible camping, playing
guitar, and cruising the family hot rod, racing BMX, and
beginning work on his second book.

6 | INSURANCE NETWORKS ALLIANCE