Spotlight on Taha Ahmad two years on: Accelerating pricing maturity through platform, models, data and delivery

Two years after joining Verisk Specialty Business Solutions, Taha Ahmad, Director of Pricing Solutions, reflects on a period marked by rapid innovation and a clear push toward scalable, modern pricing capabilities. What began as an ambition to give pricing and underwriting teams more flexibility, automation and better data has evolved into a set of tangible, client ready advancements. The market has also reached a point where technology, adoption and governance are aligning to make pricing transformation not just possible but essential.

When Taha looks back, he describes the past two years as a transition from possibility to proof. “Our biggest achievement has been expanding Rulebook into Python models, testing it with real clients, and releasing a fully client ready version,” he explains. This gives teams the freedom to use modern modelling techniques while maintaining Rulebook’s trusted governance. “It opens the door for teams to build what they want, how they want, without losing oversight.”

A focus on deployment speed has also shaped the roadmap. Accelerators for experience rating, cyber and treaty pricing help clients get live faster while retaining flexibility to tailor and expand.

Alongside this, the seamless integration between KYND and Rulebook has enhanced cyber underwriting by bringing assessments, pricing and insights into a unified journey. Taha also highlights strategic collaborations in international markets, helping broaden reach and ensure relevance in diverse pricing environments.

The pricing and actuarial landscape has shifted significantly since 2024. Taha notes that AI and GenAI are now moving from discussion to practical use. “These technologies are starting to move from conversations to use cases, and they could significantly change how quickly models get built,” he says. Actuaries, he adds, are “well placed to leverage them” as they become part of everyday workflows.

Better data ingestion technologies are having an equally important impact. “The effect on usable data for pricing teams has been a great boost,” Taha notes. Underwriters are also using pricing models more extensively, which is informing the roadmap. “We’re seeing greater use of pricing models by underwriting teams. It’s fantastic, and it highlights where we need to go next, visualisation, accessibility and insights are clear table stakes.”

Together, these shifts are reshaping expectations of pricing platforms, with demand growing for more automation, interoperability and clarity.

With the underwriting cycle softening, delivering measurable value is becoming more critical. Taha is particularly energised by progress in agent based automation. “I’m excited about applying agents to build models, automate workflows and reduce touch points,” he explains. After years of investment across the market, the next phase is about impact, accelerating decision making and connecting pricing sophistication to business outcomes.

Governance is also rising in importance. “Integration is a hot topic,” Taha says. “We’re continuing to integrate pricing with our wider ecosystem, and governance pressures will only increase. We’re confident our customers will have the tools they need to meet those challenges.”

Growing adoption is shaping development priorities. Underwriters want clarity and transparency when interacting with pricing models, so the roadmap increasingly focuses on:

• Better data and insights visualisation
• Greater accessibility and transparency across pricing journeys

Delivery remains another area of strength for Verisk SBS. “We’re proud of our track record of delivering on our promises,” Taha says. The launch of Acrisure Connect is a recent example, demonstrating the team’s ability to deliver at scale. “We’re strengthening our teams with industry experience,” he adds, “so we continue to deliver great solutions for our clients.”

The past two years have delivered more than new features. Python enabled modelling, accelerators that shorten deployment, improved cyber workflows and stronger adoption across pricing and underwriting teams all reflect a meaningful step forward. These developments sit within a market increasingly shaped by AI, data readiness and the need for integrated governance.

For Taha, the path ahead is clear. “We’ve moved from strategy to shipped capability,” he reflects. “Now it’s about scaling adoption, automation and transparency, so pricing decisions become faster, clearer and more connected to outcomes.”