Diane Maxwell is to succeed Julia Graham as chief executive officer of the Association of Insurance and Risk Managers in Industry and Commerce (Airmic), the organisation announces. Maxwell, currently a business and risk management consultant, takes over the role in April 2026, when Graham steps down. Graham retires from Airmic after a high-profile career, including five years as CEO. She is widely credited with elevating the profile of the risk management profession and playing an instrumental role in lobbying the government to introduce a captive-friendly regulatory regime in the UK. Graham will continue supporting HM Treasury and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) in shaping the new UK captive domicile. Airmic chairman, Richard Hoult, says that Graham’s “energy, knowledge and passion for risk management have taken the Association to new levels,” adding that the board is “delighted she will continue at Airmic during the succession process”. Hoult welcomes Maxwell, noting that her “experience working in and with governments in public policy and regulation will be a huge asset to Airmic and support the Association’s lobbying and advocacy on behalf of our members”. He adds that Maxwell's “wealth of experience in financial services and risk management makes her perfectly placed to take Airmic into its next chapter of growth”. Maxwell’s background includes an IFC regulatory role as executive director of policy and risk. She is currently a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Professional Standards Committee and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Financial Times Trust, among other roles. Commenting on her appointment, Maxwell says the current environment presents a particularly interesting time for the risk and insurance professions due to challenges and opportunities including geopolitics, climate, cyber, and artificial intelligence. “Financial resilience has been the core theme of my career, and I am excited to be working with the Airmic team, Board and our stakeholders in such a critical role,” Maxwell says. “I’m looking forward to meeting with partners and members and hearing more about what they need from us and what we can do for them”.
