Q&A with Joanna Smart, Head of Compliance, , What’s one opportunity that helped shape your career path?, Within a year or two of graduating I was mentored by a leader who specialised in Compliance. We only worked together for a year or so, but she instilled in me a passion for regulation, which 25 years later has proven to be the foundation of my career., , , What’s the best professional risk you’ve ever taken? , Changing roles. Those changes in role and the people I surround myself with have provided me with the most professional and personal growth. I’m excited to have joined Berkley Specialty London at the end of 2025 and to be working with inspirational women such as Natasha Grasso and Jacqui Hedges., , , What’s a book, podcast or film by a woman you’d recommend? , Women & Power by Mary Beard. It's a short introductory text, but also thought-provoking. Beard is a classist and examines the historical roots of women's role in society and how these connect to the climate we see today.
Q&A with Joanna Smart, Head of Compliance
Type: Blog post
Berkley Specialty London were recently awarded the Gracechurch Service Quality Marque (SQM) for the second year running. Read our Q&A with Chief Claims Officer, Elliott Goss, on how our Claims team continues to deliver a top-quartile service., , What does the Gracechurch Service Quality Marque (SQM) mean to you as a Claims leader?, The Gracechurch SQM is one of the clearest, most objective indicators of service excellence in the London Market. For me, as a claims leader, it validates the consistency, professionalism, and empathy with which the team supports brokers and clients. What makes the SQM so meaningful is that it’s based on independent data and broker feedback - not our own narrative - so it demonstrates that our…, What is it about Berkley Specialty London’s Claims culture that you think sets you apart from others in the London Market?, Our culture is anchored in being approachable, commercial, and highly responsive - traits consistently highlighted in the Gracechurch feedback. We empower our adjusters and leaders to act decisively, focus on solutions, and bring clarity to our brokers, which creates trust and speeds up outcomes. There’s also a real sense of ownership; everyone understands that service quality is not a slogan but…, Your team achieved the highest NPS when acting as Lead in the end of year 2025 Gracechurch report— why do you think Berkley Specialty London performs particularly well in that role?, When we Lead, we lean in. Acting as Lead is not just administrative, it’s about setting the tone for communication, coordination, and decision‑making. Our brokers have told us we’re swift to respond, clear in our reasoning, and proactive in moving a claim forward. That’s why the data shows BSL Berkley Specialty London ranked 1st as Lead and in the top quartile for NPS. Ultimately, we take…, Were there any challenges in 2025 that, in hindsight, actually helped your team become stronger?, Absolutely. 2025 presented a mix of volume pressures, increasing complexity, and evolving broker expectations. Rather than react to these challenges in isolation, the team used them to refine processes, improve communication flows, and push for greater cross‑team consistency. These moments forced us to elevate our operating discipline and reinforced the resilience and adaptability needed for…, What does “commerciality” in claims really mean in practice from your perspective?, Commerciality is often misunderstood. It isn’t about paying less or more - it’s about fairness, clarity, and decision‑making that recognises the broader relationship and market dynamics. In practice, commerciality means dealing with facts swiftly, removing friction, addressing broker concerns proactively, and presenting solutions that are both technically sound and pragmatically balanced. It’s…, Now that you’ve achieved the SQM two years in a row, what’s next for Berkley Specialty London’s Claims function?, Maintaining the SQM is not the goal, it’s an outcome of a team that seeks to continuously raise its standards. Our next step is doubling down on the consistency of our service across every line and every interaction. We want to ensure that top‑quartile performance becomes remains our baseline, not our aspiration. We will continue harnessing broker insights, refining our operating model, and…, Are there any areas of Claims service you’re particularly focused on developing further?, Yes - three in particular:, Insight‑driven improvement:, Using the depth of Gracechurch data to pinpoint friction points and systematically address them., Broker engagement:, Strengthening our claims value proposition and ensuring our communication is even more proactive and tailored., Consistency across teams:, Continuing to build shared standards, best‑practice guides, and training, especially in areas where brokers have highlighted variability.
Read our Q&A with Chief Claims Officer, Elliott Goss, on how Berkley Specialty London continues to deliver a top-quartile Claims service
Type: Blog post
