The Risk Exchange: Robert Kosova on Leading with Purpose and Embracing Endless Growth

(Credit: QBE)

Introduction of Profile: For Robert (Rob) Kosova, the journey into risk and insurance began with a simple but thought-provoking question: What if, instead of helping people recover from accidents, he could help prevent them in the first place?

Trained in exercise physiology, Rob’s interest in accident prevention took him from remote mining sites in Western Australia to a 25-year career spanning broking, corporate risk management and insurance.

Today, as Chief Executive Officer, Asia at QBE Insurance, Rob leads a business operating across 14 markets, driven by a commitment to protecting people and creating positive change.

Where His Journey in Risk Began

While studying at university, Rob worked with individuals undergoing rehabilitation following sporting and workplace accidents. Some were recovering from serious spinal injuries, while others, including former police officers, were using exercise to cope with the psychological effects of traumatic experiences.

Witnessing their struggles led him to question whether he could make a greater difference by preventing such incidents altogether.

“Organisations, especially, must try to not injure people in the first place,” he recalls.

A turning point came during his final year of university, when a former student who had become Head of Risk at an Australian mining company shared his career experiences.

The opportunity to influence workplace safety before accidents occurred resonated with Rob.

He subsequently completed postgraduate studies in health and safety and began working with a safety advisory business on remote mining sites in Western Australia.

“My risk career started on the people side, and it was linked to my love and passion about physiology, anatomy, human biology and psychology,” he reflects.

Three Sides of the Industry, Three Different Lessons

Throughout his career, Rob has worked across broking, corporate risk management and insurance, gaining valuable perspectives that have shaped his understanding of the industry.

Being in broking taught him that understanding customers and their risks is essential, as is the ability to communicate effectively and deliver on commitments.

“It’s easy to say you know something, and it’s easy to convince someone once. But to front up and do that year after year is all about service,” he explains.

Moving to the customer side as an in-house risk manager, Rob faced the challenge of influencing organisational change while balancing operational and commercial priorities.

He learnt that strengthening risk culture required patience, accountability and an understanding of how people make decisions.

It was also during this chapter that Rob encountered some of the most difficult moments of his career.

Working in an organisation with extensive oil, gas and construction operations in Australia and the North Sea, he experienced the devastating consequences of workplace fatalities.

He recalls the impact of losing colleagues who had been carrying out their responsibilities but never returned home to their families.

“Those incidents stay with you for life,” he shares.

The experience reinforced his belief that risk management carries a responsibility extending far beyond organisational performance.

“To do your job properly, you need to care really deeply about the risk your organisation faces and take it personally,” he asserts.

On the insurer side, he sees an opportunity to apply these lessons on a broader scale. Rather than simply responding to losses or adjusting premiums, Rob believes insurers can support customers in strengthening their risk maturity, helping them make better decisions and build long-term resilience.

Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable

(Credit: Singapore International Reinsurance Conference 2025)

After spending much of his career in Australia, Rob’s move to Singapore marked another opportunity to challenge himself.

“I feel comfortable now when I’m uncomfortable,” he says.

Having a new role and moving to Singapore has offered that opportunity, giving him new perspectives on leadership.

One aspect of Singapore’s working culture that Rob appreciates is its collaborative nature. However, he believes employees should feel empowered to voice their opinions and take ownership, regardless of hierarchy.

“We want people to feel a sense of ownership, accountability and interest in the business, and be able to challenge me or anyone else, regardless of title,” he explains.

Doing What’s Right, Building Outcome Trust

(Credit: QBE)

One principle Rob consistently emphasises to his team is the importance of transparency in insurance pricing and articulating the principal risk factors and rationale behind this pricing.

“If we can’t explain the price, it can’t be right,” he says.

For Rob, insurers must be able to clearly explain their pricing decisions, even when it involves difficult conversations. He believes transparency and accountability are essential to maintaining customer confidence.

This philosophy extends to what Rob calls “outcome trust”, the belief that trust is built not simply through strong relationships, but through consistently delivering on promises.

Rob believes insurers will demonstrate outcome trust to customers when pricing decisions are clear and explained, policy coverage and claims experiences are aligned and consistently show up in the moments that matter, with risk prevention insights shared to reduce underlying risk, not just to price it.

Risk Leaders of Tomorrow

As market uncertainty becomes more frequent and complex, Rob believes risk professionals have an increasingly important role to play in business strategy and leadership.

“Executives are no longer waiting until the next quarterly risk committee meeting to hear from their internal risk professionals,” he observes, so the opportunity now for the profession is to be indispensable in everyday decisions, reducing the impact of uncertainty on achieving the goals and objectives of the organisation. Not just advising on risk.

For aspiring risk leaders, technical expertise alone is no longer enough. Rob emphasises the importance of communication, storytelling and the ability to influence others, particularly as artificial intelligence continues to reshape the profession.

Never-Ending Growth

After 25 years in the industry, Rob’s motivation remains rooted in a desire to keep learning, evolving and making a difference.

Rather than measuring success solely through titles or professional achievements, Rob values the process of continually challenging himself.

“I’m more focused on the process of growing, and believe growth is never-ending, rather than on achieving a fixed outcome, level or station in life,” he says.

With ambitions to help more organisations recognise the value of effective risk management, Rob remains equally committed to developing his own leadership capabilities.

Moreover, for Rob, professional growth is not defined by reaching a particular position, but by remaining curious, embracing new challenges, and continuously finding ways to create a positive impact.

“Ultimately, I want to see visible change in myself and my leadership style every year,” he concludes.