FAQ

We're operators, not career consultants. We've run insurance businesses, held CEO and CUO roles with regulatory approval from the FCA, GFSC, and MFSA, managed P&Ls through growth and crisis, and lived with the consequences of our decisions.

This means we understand what's genuinely difficult versus what's an excuse. We recognize patterns from having solved similar problems in our own businesses, not just advised others on how to do it. We focus on execution and outcomes, not impressive presentations.

We've worn trainers to regulator meetings and still secured approval. We understand that regulatory credibility doesn't require corporate conformity—it requires substance, preparation, and knowing what regulators actually care about.

Most consultants have moved from project to project without operational accountability. We've been accountable for results and built businesses that had to work, not just look good in strategy documents.

We've secured regulatory approvals and operated regulated businesses in:

United Kingdom – FCA authorisation, SMF19 approval, ongoing regulatory supervision

Gibraltar – GFSC authorisation as CEO and CUO, Section 83a applications

Malta – MFSA authorisation as General Representative of an Overseas Branch

Other European jurisdictions – Passporting, regulatory relationship management, technical submissions

We've held regulated senior management roles requiring personal regulatory approval. We've navigated Solvency II frameworks, capital adequacy requirements, and thematic reviews.

The difference: We've been accountable to regulators for business performance and compliance, not just prepared applications on behalf of clients. We've managed regulatory relationships during crises and business changes, not just during the easy parts.

We know what regulators actually care about because we've had to satisfy them ourselves.

We've operated across:

UK & Gibraltar – FCA, PRA, and GFSC regulated entities

European Union – Malta, Germany, Netherlands, cross-border operations

Asia-Pacific – Singapore, Hong Kong, and other markets

Americas – US, Brazil, Argentina market experience

This geographic breadth means we understand that regulatory frameworks, market dynamics, distribution models, and operational requirements differ significantly across regions.

What works in London won't work in Singapore. What satisfies the FCA might not satisfy the MFSA. We've learned this through experience, not theoretical study.

We've operated across:

Personal lines – Motor/auto, home, ancillary products

Commercial lines – Fleet, commercial motor / auto, global OEM motor programmess

Niche lines – HNW, non-standard, specialty motor , micromobility

Reinsurance – Treaty and facultative structures

This breadth means we recognise patterns across different products and understand which challenges are product-specific versus universal.

We've also learned what doesn't work - sometimes the hard way.

We know which ideas sound good but fail in practice because we've tried them ourselves.

We work in several ways depending on what you need:

Fixed-Scope Projects (2-4 months) Defined deliverables with clear timelines - ideal for market assessments, product development, or regulatory submissions. You get our experience applied to a specific problem with a clear outcome.

Retained Advisory (6-12 months) Ongoing strategic counsel for 1-3 days per month - suitable for board-level guidance or oversight of complex initiatives. Think of it as having an experienced operator on call.

Interim Executive Roles (6-18 months) We step in as CEO, CUO, or other key function holder—fully embedded, making decisions, accountable for outcomes. Not advising from the sidelines, actually running the business.

Non-Executive Director Appointments (36+ months, renewable) Board-level oversight and governance support, typically 1-2 days per month plus committee responsibilities. We bring operational insurance expertise, not generic board experience.

No. We work with everything from early-stage insurtechs planning their first market entry to established carriers entering new jurisdictions.

Project scope and engagement model depend on your specific needs, not arbitrary size thresholds. We've done strategic assessments that took 4 weeks and full carrier buildouts that took 18 months.

What matters is whether our experience aligns with your challenges, not the size of your organization or budget.

If you're an insurtech with 10 people trying to get GFSC approval, that's as legitimate a use of our experience as a 500-person carrier restructuring their underwriting.

It depends on the engagement type and scope. We structure fees based on:

• Type of engagement (project, retained, interim executive, NED)

• Time commitment required

• Complexity and risk of the work

• Your organization's stage and scale

We're transparent about costs and discuss fees during our conversations once we understand your needs.

For early-stage companies, we can sometimes structure fees to balance cash and equity where appropriate. We're willing to have skin in the game if we believe in what you're building.

Bottom line: Our fees reflect the value of having someone who's actually done what you're trying to do, not just advised on it.

We work globally but have particular depth of experience in the UK, Europe, and Asia-Pacific markets.

We're based in Europe but work with clients anywhere their needs align with our experience. What matters is whether we've solved similar problems in similar regulatory environments, not where you're geographically located.

We've learned: What works in one market often doesn't translate directly to another. We bring experience across multiple jurisdictions, which means we know when to apply lessons from elsewhere and when to start fresh.

Hire us when:

• You lack specific experience internally (e.g. market entry in a new jurisdiction)

• You need experienced leadership during a transition or crisis

• You're executing a complex initiative and need pattern recognition from someone who's done it before

• You need board-level operational expertise which your current board lacks

• Time is critical and you can't afford the learning curve

• You're tired of consultants who advise but don't deliver

Build internally when:

• You already have experienced people who've done what you're attempting

• You need ongoing capacity rather than specific expertise

• You have time to learn through trial and error

• The work is ongoing rather than a defined initiative

• You want to develop internal capability through experience

The honest answer: Sometimes you need both. Hire us to execute now while building your internal team for the future.

That's often better. Companies without prior consulting experience sometimes have more realistic expectations.

We're different from traditional consultants in that we:

• Embed ourselves in your business rather than advising from a distance

• Take accountability for outcomes rather than just providing recommendations

• Work as practitioners rather than applying generic frameworks

• Stay as long as needed to deliver results rather than leaving after the report is done

• Make decisions when in interim roles, not just advise

If you've worked with Big 4 consultancies before and been frustrated by presentations without execution, you'll appreciate the difference.

The best way is to have a conversation. We'll ask about:

• What you're trying to achieve

• What you've already tried

• Where you're stuck or what's missing

• What constraints you're operating under

Based on that, we can tell you honestly whether our experience aligns with your needs.

If we're not the right fit, we'll say so. We'd rather be honest early than waste your time pursuing something that doesn't make sense.

Sometimes the best outcome from an initial conversation is us telling you we're not the right solution and suggesting what would actually help.

That's common and fine. Many of our best engagements start with ambiguity about the right solution.

We typically start with a diagnostic phase to understand your situation—what's working, what's not, and what would actually help. Sometimes what you think you need isn't what would solve the problem.

Example: You might think you need a pricing model, when actually you need underwriting discipline. Or you might think you need a new market strategy, when actually you need to fix operations in your existing market first.

Our initial conversation will help clarify whether we can add value and what type of engagement would make sense.

Yes. We've secured licenses and established operations in the UK, Gibraltar, Malta, and other jurisdictions. We've also advised on market entry strategies for jurisdictions where we haven't personally secured licenses but understand the regulatory landscape.

The key question: Does the jurisdiction you're targeting have similarities to ones we've worked in - regulatory approach, capital requirements, operational expectations, political environment?

What we bring:

• Experience navigating regulatory approval processes ourselves

• Understanding of what regulators actually care about versus what's in the rulebook

• Pattern recognition from multiple jurisdictions

• Realistic timelines (not optimistic fantasies)

• Knowledge of what can go wrong and how to avoid it

During our initial conversation, we can discuss whether our experience is relevant to your specific target market

Potentially. Our availability depends on:

• Current commitments

• Duration you need coverage (typically 6-18 months)

• Whether the role requires being on-site full-time versus can be hybrid

• Whether we're the right fit for your specific situation and culture

• Whether we have a conflict with existing clients

We've held interim CEO and CUO roles for insurtechs securing regulatory approval, carriers in crisis, and MGAs undergoing transformation.

What we bring: We can support you immediately because we've been regulatory-approved and have done the role before. No learning curve on what a CEO or CUO actually does.

We can discuss availability and fit during our initial conversation.

Potentially. We serve on a maximum of 3 boards at any time, which allows us to maintain appropriate time commitments and actually add value.

Key considerations:

• Whether our operational insurance experience fills a genuine gap on your board

• Time commitment required (typically 1-2 days per month plus committee work)

• Whether we meet independence requirements if you need an independent NED

• Whether we have conflicts of interest with other board positions

• Whether your culture fits with our approach (direct, operational, challenging)

What we won't do: Serve as a token "insurance expert" who rubber-stamps management decisions. If you want genuine challenge and oversight from someone who's run insurance businesses, we can help. If you want a name on letterhead, we're not interested.

We can discuss this during an initial conversation.

Yes, though we should be clear about what you're actually looking for.

If you want genuine strategic review and challenge, we can provide that. We'll tell you honestly what we think will work and what won't, based on our experience running similar businesses.

If you want validation of a strategy you've already decided on, we're probably not the right fit. We provide informed, independent judgment, not rubber stamps.

What we bring: We've built strategies that worked and strategies that failed. We know the difference between what sounds good in a board presentation and what actually works in practice.

We've also sat on both sides—as executives presenting to boards and as board members challenging executives—so we understand the dynamics.

Potentially. It depends on whether the issue is something where our experience is relevant.

Many operational issues in insurance - underwriting performance, distribution effectiveness, regulatory relationships, and technology delivery- have common patterns. If we've seen and solved similar problems before, we can likely help.

The question is whether the issue is primarily about:

Execution capability (where we can help) – You know what needs to be done, but lack experience executing it

Other constraints (where we might help less directly) – Capital limitations, market conditions, strategic misalignment, internal politics

Example: If your underwriting is poor because you don't have experienced underwriters or proper frameworks, we can fix that. If your underwriting is poor because your pricing is uncompetitive due to capital structure issues, that's a different problem requiring a different solution.

During our conversation, we can diagnose which type of problem you have.

We're based in Europe but work with clients globally. Most of our work is in the UK, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, though we've also worked in the Americas.

We work remotely, on-site, or hybrid, depending on what the engagement requires:

• Interim executive roles: Typically on-site 2-3 days per week

• Advisory or NED roles: Mix of remote work and periodic in-person sessions

• Project work: Flexible based on needs

The reality: Modern insurance operations don't require everyone in the same office every day. What matters is being present when it matters and delivering outcomes.

It depends on our current commitments and the type of engagement.

For advisory or project work: Often 2-4 weeks For interim executive roles: Potentially longer (4-8 weeks) depending on availability and any regulatory approvals required

If you have a genuine crisis: We'll find a way to start faster.

We'll discuss timing during our initial conversation and be honest about what's realistic.

Both, depending on the engagement:

For strategic advisory, diagnostic work, or NED roles: Typically one person working directly with you. You get senior-level attention, not junior consultants supervised by someone senior.

For larger implementation projects or interim executive roles: We can bring in additional resources where needed - other experienced practitioners, technical specialists, or delivery support.

What we don't do: Arrive with large teams of junior consultants doing the work while partners play golf. When we bring others in, they're experienced practitioners who add specific value, not training for their next role.

We build appropriate exit provisions into our engagements:

Advisory or project work: Typically 30-60 day notice periods

Interim executive roles: Longer transitions as we help recruit permanent replacements or hand over to existing team members

NED appointments: Notice periods aligned with board governance requirements

That said: It's rare for engagements to end poorly. We're transparent about what's working and what's not throughout, and we adjust our approach if something isn't delivering value.

If we're not adding value, we'd rather stop and say so than continue collecting fees for work that isn't helping.

Yes. Many of our best client relationships started with a small project - a strategic assessment, regulatory roadmap, or operational diagnostic, before expanding to larger or ongoing engagements.

This lets both parties test the fit before committing to something larger.

Small projects might include:

• Market entry feasibility assessment (3-4 weeks)

• Regulatory roadmap for new jurisdiction (4-6 weeks)

• Portfolio diagnostic (2-4 weeks)

• Underwriting framework review (4-6 weeks)

These give you a sense of how we work and whether our experience translates to value for you.

How do we start a conversation?

Schedule a call or email us at hello@resnova.io

There's no cost for the initial conversation and no obligation to proceed. We use it to understand your situation and whether our experience aligns with your needs.

What to expect:

• 30-45 minute conversation

• We'll ask questions to understand your situation

• We'll be honest about whether we can help

• No sales pitch, no pressure

We'll ask about:

• What you're trying to achieve

• What challenges you're facing

• What you've already tried

• What capabilities exist internally versus what's missing

• Timeline and any urgency

• What constraints you're operating under

Based on that, we can tell you whether we think we can help and what type of engagement might make sense.

You'll leave the conversation with:

• Honest assessment of whether we're a good fit

• Initial thoughts on your situation (even if we don't work together)

• Clear next steps if there's potential to work together

• No feeling of being "sold to"

If there's no fit: We'll tell you and suggest alternatives where possible.

We'll tell you honestly. We'd rather be straightforward early than waste your time (or ours) pursuing something that doesn't make sense.

Where possible, we'll suggest alternatives:

• Building internal capability

• Working with someone else whose experience is more relevant

• Taking a different approach to the problem

• Waiting until the timing is better

We're not trying to win every engagement. We're trying to work on problems where our experience genuinely helps and where we can deliver outcomes. Everything else is a waste of everyone's time.