Chris Lay, CEO of Marsh McLennan UK, has been appointed as campaign chairman for Insurance United Against Dementia (IUAD).
His appointment comes at an important time for dementia research, following the approval by the MHRA in late 2024 of two drugs shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
At a function at Lloyds of London yesterday, Richard Dudley, the outgoing chairman, introduced Lay to fellow insurers.
Lay (pictured) has held a variety of senior leadership positions in the UK and globally during his career.
He currently serves on The Leadership Council of The CityUK, and The President’s Committee of The Confederation of British Business (CBI), as well as being a former president of The Insurance Institute of London.
Dementia is actually the biggest killer in the UK, ahead of cancer and cardiovascular disease, according to Dudley.
“One in three people born today will develop some form of dementia, and just about one million people in the UK today are suffering some sort of dementia.
“Its the UK’s biggest killer.
“But the situation is changing and hope is increasing.”
Paradigm shift
Fiona Carragher, chief policy and research officer at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “I am often called the director of hope, and I can tell you that hope is absolutely coming.
“We now have the first two drugs that have been approved to look at Alzheimer’s disease that have been shown to work in clinical trials and slow progression of this devastating disease.
“We are absolutely stepping into a new era.
“I have had a long career in health, and I’ve seen these breakthroughs in cancer and Covid. – and I can’t stress enough how we are absolutely at a paradigm shift in the field of dementia research.
“We’re accelerating towards a future where we can diagnose it, the treatments are becoming more effective and support is personalised and exactly waht the individual needs.
“By 2050 – just one generation away – we believe that Alzheimer’s disease will be a manageable condition, just like diabetes and cardiovascular disease – you’ll live well, you’ll do the things that bring joy and you’ll have your independence supported by the care and treatments that will get you there.”
She said: “I saw the first lady in Oxford have a blood test just two months ago – that was science fiction. The treatments slow the disease.”
The IUAD campaign has worked with more 140 organisations across the industry with phase two of the campaign seeking to maintain these relationships and inspire more to get involved.
It has also helped the Alzheimer’s Society to support 158 researchers to develop innovative methods of diagnosis and better solutions for dementia care and the creation of the organisations’ Companion Calls service, offering critical comfort and friendship through 140,000 calls to more than 5,000 people affected by dementia.
Pivotal moment
Lay said: “When I was asked to take on this role, I felt a deep sense of pride, having seen first hand what the campaign has already achieved across the industry.
“I want to congratulate and thank Richard Dudley, Chris Wallace, the IUAD board members, and all the supporters to date for their terrific achievements.
“We’re at a truly pivotal moment, not just for IUAD, but for the wider dementia landscape. In the past year, we’ve seen ground breaking developments, including the approval of two drugs that can successfully slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
“These breakthroughs bring real hope.
“Now is the time for our industry to double down, building on this momentum and continuing to drive meaningful change for the nearly one million people living with dementia in the UK. I’m excited and honoured to be part of the IUAD mission.”
Richard Dudley, group chief broking officer at BMS Group and outgoing chairman of the IUAD board, said: “IUAD is a wonderful example of how the insurance industry can come together to drive real change for people living with dementia – both now and in the future.
“Reaching the £10m milestone is a hugely proud moment, and being part of this campaign has brought me great personal reward.
“It’s been an honour to chair such a passionate and committed board over the past three and a half years.
“I want to sincerely thank them and the fantastic team at Alzheimer’s Society – as well as the many colleagues across the industry who’ve united with us.
“Their passion for building a future free from the devastation of dementia is truly inspiring.
“I look forward to seeing IUAD reach new heights under Chris’s leadership and will remain a proud supporter of the campaign.”
Chris Wallace, executive director, UK Insurance at QBE and founding member and past chairman of IUAD, said: “On behalf of the board, I want to thank Richard for his outstanding leadership, and warmly welcome Chris Lay as he takes the campaign into its next exciting phase. I look forward to seeing his vision come to life.”