Expert profile – Donal O’Hanlon, Risk Engineer, Protector Insurance

What is your role and where do you work? 

I’m a Risk Engineer working for Protector Insurance. My role is to help Protector manage the risk profile of clients by providing technical input into what our prospects and clients do, how and where they do it, and to identify what the insurable property and casualty risks are associated with this. Importantly, I then help find solutions to reduce exposure for clients, and ultimately for us. A core element of this is providing consultancy based on the evidence I find. 

I’m also involved in training for clients, graduate risk engineers, brokers and underwriters, in a way that reflects Protector’s DNA. 

What is your expertise, specialism or main area of interest? 

I’ve worked in insurance all my adult life. I've been a commercial underwriter, a surveyor, a broker risk consultant and a client (I was a risk manager for a multi-national retailer), so it has been varied. I currently specialise in waste and public sector risks, but have experience of most sectors and trades. 

Is there a particular aspect of your work you are interested in or passionate about? 

I love historical architecture, so anything old or ornate is particularly interesting. I particularly like old mills, town halls, churches and chapels. 

What are you working on currently? 

Training new colleagues while acting as a mentor, developing new training on a wide variety of topics, and problem-solving for many of our large and complex clients. Many issues arise with the push for Net Zero. 

What topics and trends are emerging? 

1. Net Zero: building sustainably but with asset protection in mind, so trying to get designers, architects and others to think beyond the regulatory low common denominator of life safety. 

2. Business continuity: getting organisations to focus on the ‘what if’ when so many of their operations are complex, and also working in tandem with outside bodies. Most organisations are so busy with the day job that thinking about potential future catastrophes can seem beyond them.