Airmic prepares for leadership transition as Diane Maxwell is appointed CEO after Julia Graham’s retirement in 2026
Julia Graham is set to retire as CEO of Airmic, the UK’s leading association for risk and insurance professionals, in April 2026 after a notable decade-long leadership tenure. She will be succeeded by Diane Maxwell, a business and risk management consultant with an extensive international background in financial services. Maxwell is scheduled to join the association in November 2025 as CEO Designate, ensuring a carefully managed transition that maintains Airmic’s momentum and strategic direction.
Graham’s leadership at Airmic has been marked by significant achievements, including elevating the professional stature of risk management within the corporate governance landscape. Her tenure saw her championing the profession’s profile and playing a pivotal role in advocating for regulatory frameworks favourable to UK captive insurance companies. Notably, her influence contributed to the announcement by HM Treasury in July 2025 of a new UK captive regulatory regime, an effort Graham will continue to support alongside the Treasury and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) as they shape the future of the UK captive domicile.
Diane Maxwell brings a wealth of experience to her upcoming role at Airmic. She has held prominent positions in both public policy and financial services, including six years as chief executive of the New Zealand Retirement Commission, where she worked closely with financial services sectors, governments, and regulators on pensions, savings, insurance products, and public policy. Her international experience extends to membership on OECD steering groups supporting financial resilience initiatives in G7 and G20 countries. Maxwell’s regulatory expertise was further enhanced by her tenure as executive director of policy and risk at the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Currently, she serves on professional and governance boards such as the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Professional Standards Committee and the Financial Times Trust Board of Trustees, alongside her roles as a non-executive director and consultant.
The appointment of Maxwell was warmly welcomed by Airmic’s chairman, Richard Hoult, who underscored her strong background in public policy and regulation as key attributes that would benefit the association and its members. Hoult acknowledged Graham’s outstanding contributions over her years with Airmic, highlighting the robust foundation she has laid for the association’s continued influence in the risk management sector.
Since taking on the CEO role in April 2021, Graham has focused on steering Airmic through transformative challenges and opportunities, including the accelerated evolution of risk management practices amid digital disruption. Her experience as a former director of risk management and insurance at a global law firm uniquely positioned her to advise on adapting to the rapidly changing business environment, particularly within legal professions adjusting to new technological demands.
As Graham prepares to step down, her ongoing advisory role promises to sustain her influence on UK risk management policy, particularly around the captive insurance market that is increasingly seen as a strategic pillar for corporate risk financing. Meanwhile, Maxwell’s international perspective and regulatory acumen are expected to invigorate Airmic’s future growth, helping the association continue to provide valuable support and advocacy for its members across the evolving landscape of risk and insurance management.