Davies Q&A – Ameet Kaushal 

Ameet Kaushal is Managing Director of Davies Audit Solutions International Limited. With 15 years’ experience across broking, delegated authority, audit and compliance, he has helped shape how the market approaches oversight. We spoke about the international launch, why consistency matters, and how technology and AI are changing audits. 

Tell us about your career journey and what brought you to Davies. 

I’ve spent the past 15 years in insurance — covering broking, delegated underwriting, , audit and governance. I started out as a junior broker/technician at Lockton in London in the Financial Risks team, which gave me a first-hand view of how the market fits together. From there I moved into delegated authority roles at The Channel Syndicate (now SCOR), Brit, and CNA Hardy, so I’ve seen the function from the managing agent perspective as well as the auditor side. Before joining Davies, I worked as an audit consultant at Grant Thornton, which rounded out the picture from an assurance perspective.

I was attracted to Davies because of its innovative reputation and the way it combines technical expertise with practical solutions. My background across various managing  agencies positioned me well to help launch an international capability. Clients were asking for one partner who could deliver the same high standards globally with local knowledge built in, and Davies had the reputation, people and platform to make that happen. 

How does Audit Solutions, International fit into the wider Davies group? 

Davies has long-standing audit practices in the US and Canada, where we are market leaders. The international division extends that capability across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and beyond — essentially everywhere outside North America. For clients, that means a single partner delivering coverholder, TPA/DCA audits to a consistent methodology, supported by the same tooling and reporting approach, but executed by deeply experienced auditors who understand local regulatory and cultural nuances. 

It’s designed to help clients manage oversight complexity across regions, meet Lloyd’s and regulatory requirements, and maintain control through consistent, high-quality reporting. As delegated authority arrangements become more global, clients want data-driven oversight that allows them to benchmark performance and spot trends. Because the team sits within Davies Insurance Solutions, we can also connect audits to adjacent services — from bordereaux/data management to actuarial support to compliance support — giving clients a joined-up view rather than a series of siloed outputs. 

What differentiates this international capability in practice? 

Consistency, local insight and breadth of expertise. First, consistency: clients get the same methodology, templates, training and reporting quality wherever the work takes place. Second, local insight: our auditors know the regulatory expectations, cultural context and business habits of the territory they’re in, which ensures engagement lands well without compromising scope. Third, breadth: we cover delegated authority, TPAs/DCAs, quality assurance reviews and reinsurance audits, and can draw on Davies colleagues when a finding touches data, compliance or claims. Clients see the full picture and clear, actionable recommendations — not just a checklist.

Client feedback has highlighted our speed, reliability and expertise. They also value that we go beyond compliance, helping them strengthen oversight, governance and performance. Behind the scenes, our leadership team has decades of combined market experience and invests heavily in training and peer review. That structure ensures quality is consistent and that lessons learned in one region inform how we approach the next. It’s a genuinely global community of auditors who share best practice and speak the same language when it comes to standards. 

How do you balance global standards with local differences? 

A good audit is built on independence, rigour and clear reporting — those principles don’t change. But how you engage does. A US assignment might be more process-driven, while in parts of Europe or the Middle East a more collaborative approach may work better. We train to a global standard and then layer on regional expertise, so the outcome is consistent even if the route reflects local norms. Our strength is balancing a consistent framework with local adaptability. That balance is what makes the model sustainable and scalable — clients know they’ll get the same standard of audit, but it will always be relevant to the market they operate in. 

What are the main challenges clients face around delegated authority audits today? 

Volume and complexity of oversight are increasing. Cycles are tighter, scopes are broader, and regulators and carriers expect deeper evidence and clearer data. At the same time, many clients face cost pressure and limited internal resource, so they need to ‘do more with less’. Our role is to deliver independent, efficient, value-added audits that stand up to scrutiny and provide useful insights.

Data is another challenge. Clients want audits that not only test compliance but also provide insight into performance trends, operational friction and potential conduct risks. That requires robust data capture and smarter analysis, which is where our tooling and reporting add real value. 

What do clients say they value most about working with Davies? 

The feedback we hear most often is practicality. An audit should never just be about pointing out issues — it should surface them and help fix them. That means clear recommendations that tie back to the binding authority or service agreement, and show what to change and why.

Clients also value our independence and clarity of reporting, which carries weight with Lloyd’s and regulators. And they appreciate our collaborative approach. We don’t just tick boxes — we partner with them to improve oversight and outcomes. Our reporting is concise, factual and solution-oriented, which helps boards and compliance teams make faster, better-informed decisions. 

How is technology changing the way audits are delivered right now? 

Technology has transformed audit. Tools like Davies’ Delegated Authority Manager (DAM) raise the bar on data capture and analysis and provide real-time visibility of progress and outcomes. Clients want dashboards and trend analysis, not just a static PDF, and DAM makes that possible. We’re also moving towards more continuous monitoring, using data to track performance between on-site reviews so issues can be addressed earlier.

DAM integrates with clients’ existing systems, improving efficiency and transparency. Secure data handling and detailed audit trails give clients confidence that every step of the process is visible and verifiable. Customised reporting is another differentiator, ensuring insights are tailored to the client’s business rather than generic outputs. It’s all part of Davies’ investment in technology that makes audits faster, smarter and more valuable. 

And looking ahead — where do automation and AI fit? 

Automation is already streamlining routine tasks like data extraction, sampling and testing, freeing up auditors to focus on analysis and recommendations. AI will add value by scanning large bordereaux sets, surfacing anomalies or risk patterns, and supporting benchmarking across portfolios.

We’re exploring how predictive analytics could flag emerging risks before they appear in audit findings, helping clients take action sooner. Pilot projects are already showing how AI can augment the auditor’s work, identifying outliers and trends across datasets too large for manual review. It’s important to stress that AI supports, not replaces, the auditor. Human judgement and context remain key, but AI will make audits smarter, faster and more valuable. 

How does the international audit team collaborate with other parts of Davies? 

We collaborate closely with colleagues from  the wider delegated authority management team, and with colleagues across claims, compliance and data. Clients don’t want hand-offs from one provider to another — they want joined-up problem-solving. If an audit uncovers a bordereaux issue, we can bring in data specialists. If there’s a governance gap, we can involve compliance experts. The advantage of being part of Davies is that clients benefit from the combined experience of multiple disciplines, which strengthens both our recommendations and their implementation. 

What have been the highlights since launching Audit Solutions, International? 

The reception from the market has been really encouraging. Lloyds has been supportive of the international build-out, which matters given the central role audits play in the delegated authority framework. We’ve already delivered complex cross-territory audits for Lloyd’s managing agents and the feedback has focused on consistency, clarity and the practical nature of our reports.

We’re now expanding into new regions and classes of business, adding specialist auditors to meet growing demand. I’m proud of the team foundations too. We’re lean but growing, with a dedicated and experienced audit coordinator and a pipeline of experienced auditors. We’ve also been able to identify operational improvements for clients, not just meet regulatory needs — and that balance is key. 

Finally, what motivates you personally in the role? 

People. I enjoy mentoring and developing teams and seeing clients turn an audit into a practical improvement in governance or performance. Delegated authority is a people business and trust is everything. What excites me is building a globally recognised team for expertise and integrity and showing that audits can add real value rather than being seen as a tick-box exercise. Strong oversight plays a vital role in maintaining Lloyd’s reputation for integrity and professionalism, and contributing to that genuinely matters to me. 

And perhaps that’s why I relate to football and family life — both demand patience, optimism and a long-term view. As an Arsenal season-ticket holder and a dad, those qualities feel just as relevant at home as they do at work! 

If you would like to continue the conversation, get in touch with Managing Director, Ameet Kaushal at ameet.kaushal@us.davies-group.com