Lloyd’s is bringing the Dive In Festival to an end after more than a decade, drawing a line under one of the insurance industry’s most visible diversity initiatives as it pivots to a new approach to talent, skills and culture.
The final event will take place in 2026, marking a clear shift away from the annual global festival model that has, since 2015, expanded from a London-based initiative into a programme spanning dozens of countries and hundreds of thousands of participants.
Rather than continuing the format, Lloyd’s will now consult the market on what replaces it. A process running from May to July will bring together brokers, managing agents, sponsors, market bodies and early-career professionals, with input gathered through surveys and roundtables.
The aim is to move towards a more continuous structure, embedding activity such as mentoring, learning, networks and early-career support across the year, rather than concentrating it into a single high-profile event.
The shift signals a change in how the market approaches culture and talent, moving away from a flagship moment towards a more decentralised model, one that may prove harder to replicate in terms of visibility and collective momentum.
Nathan Adams, chief people officer at Lloyd’s, said: “Dive In has been a hugely successful initiative and has provided the springboard to further evolve the market-led drive to improve the approach to talent, skills and culture. The new, broader approach will be developed with the market, for the market.”
He said the shift reflects growing pressure on the market to address skills shortages and technological change through a more sustained approach.
Nick Line, chief underwriting officer at CFC and chair of Inclusion@Lloyd’s and Dive In, said: “Having been involved in Dive In for a number of years, I’ve seen first-hand the role the festival has played in opening up important conversations and helping drive cultural change across the industry.”
He added: “As Chair, I look forward to the market engaging in the consultation to develop the new broader approach. Continued collaboration between Lloyd’s and the market is vital to ensure that the industry is doing all it can to remain open, inclusive and accessible to the broadest possible range of global talent.”
The final festival will take place in September under the theme The human gAIn: Powering Culture & Connection, focusing on the role of human judgement, trust and creativity as technological change continues to reshape the workforce.
In a LinkedIn post, Jason Groves, international director of external affairs and media relations at Marsh and a former long-standing chair of Dive In, reflected on the decision.
“As someone involved since Day 1, and as its Chair for most of the last eight years, I’m saddened that Lloyd’s has announced that the Dive In Festival will cease to exist after this year,” he wrote.
He described Dive In as a “grassroots movement” with global reach and highlighted its role in opening up conversations around issues such as mental health, social mobility and neurodiversity.
Groves also pointed to the scale of engagement, with nearly 200,000 people participating in more than 1,000 events worldwide, and noted that sponsorship reached a record level last year.
He said maintaining momentum would be key as the market develops its next approach. “I would encourage all those who were involved in Dive In to take part in the consultation and help to ensure that we truly do build on the momentum so that we truly can improve the industry’s approach to talent, skills and culture.”
Dive In has grown far beyond its origins, evolving into a global platform aimed at promoting inclusive workplace cultures and positioning insurance as an industry capable of attracting talent from a wide range of backgrounds.
With the festival set to end after 2026, attention now turns to whether a year-round model can deliver the same level of engagement and visibility.
