NAME: Vikram Sidhu
NEW JOB TITLE: New York-based partner, Mayer Brown LLP
PREVIOUS POSITION: New York-based partner and office managing partner, Clyde & Co.
INDUSTRY OUTLOOK: For such a mature industry, the insurance industry continues to evolve, grow and develop impressively to meet the needs of individuals, businesses and other insureds, including to address emerging and growing risks such as cyber and climate change and demand for new types of coverages such as periodic/episodic coverages for the gig economy. Innovation in the insurance industry is happening at a rapid clip, including with the energy brought by newcomer insurtechs. As a result, the outlook for the insurance industry remains exciting. Of course, the insurance industry is subject to the same global and economic/financial strains as other industries, including due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine war, inflation, turmoil in the financial markets, etc. However, the insurance industry has weathered such storms before and is well-placed to do so now.
GOALS FOR NEW POSITION: I am very excited to have rejoined Mayer Browns top-notch insurance group, where my insurance transactional and regulatory practice fits in very well. My goal is to draw upon the rich offering at Mayer Brown both specifically in insurance as well as generally to assist clients as they evaluate and deploy their strategies for growing their businesses in the U.S. and globally. My goal is to be the go-to trusted adviser to my clients over years and decades, because I truly value those long-term relationships.
CHALLENGES FACING THE INDUSTRY: The insurance industry is certainly subject to the same headwinds as faced by financial services and other industries, including due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine war, and economic and financial troubles facing the global economy. Despite these challenges, given the highly regulated nature of the business and the prudent way in which most insurance businesses are managed, the industry should come through strongly.
FIRST EXPERIENCE IN THE INDUSTRY JOB MARKET: My first experiences with insurance were working on insurance arbitrations involving political risk policies under which claims were brought due to the Argentine financial crisis of 2001-02 as well as regulatory investigations into reinsurance and broker practices in the industry in the early 2000s.
ADVICE: Insurance has its own language. It takes time to master it. But dont be discouraged as you are starting out in the industry as the days and years go by, you will see how fluent you become in the business and industry.
OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRY, A DREAM JOB: I would love to be a history professor at a college/university.
COLLEGE MAJOR: Economics and international relations
LOOKING FORWARD TO: Rebuilding my relationships with old friends and colleagues with whom I had worked for many years before leaving Mayer Brown in 2014 as well as forming connections with new colleagues.
FAVOURITE MEAL: Pizza or North Indian food or a simple Mediterranean platter such as with olives, hummus, cheese and bread.
BOOK: E.M. Forsters Maurice
HOBBIES: I love to go hiking often in the Berkshires and Hudson Valley or just taking long walks in the countryside. I also enjoy baking especially sourdough breads. I started before the pandemic but definitely joined the bread-baking bandwagon fully during the pandemic.
TV SHOW: After a hard days work, I usually prefer to watch easygoing series on one of the streaming services. One of the series that I enjoyed the most recently was Money Heist from Spain.
ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON: Take a good, long nap if I can get away with it, which is rare.
