Francis Bouchard, Marsh
Linked in bio [1]
Was at Marsh, an insurance company now a climate leader in residence at the Nicholas Institute in at Duke on energy, environment and sustainability [2]
His talk on his appointment [3]
Insurance executive Francis Bouchard, managing director for climate at Marsh McLennan, began his one-year residency at Duke last month. Watch a talk by Bouchard on climate risk and the insurance sector. Bouchard will be among the panelists at a Duke Climate Collaboration Symposium on "Risk Science for Climate Resilience" on February 15.
Francis Bouchard is an accomplished global public affairs professional who has served as an advisor, catalyst, and contributor to a series of climate resilience and insurance initiatives. He was the inaugural resident in Duke University’s Climate Leaders in Residence program, which brings top thought leaders to campus to share insights and expertise that will spark discussion and action to advance climate solutions.
Bouchard is currently the managing director for climate at Marsh McLennan, where he works across the firm’s four businesses to drive climate-focused commercial, social and impact initiatives. He earlier served in a number of externally facing roles for Zurich Insurance Group, including most recently as Group Head of Public Affairs and Sustainability. He originally joined the insurance sector in 1989 and has since held a series of industry-focused communications, sales, citizenship, and public affairs roles, both in the United States and in Switzerland.
Bouchard also chairs the board of directors of SBP, a national nonprofit focused on disaster resilience and recovery, and serves on the boards of the climate-focused insurtech incubator InnSure and the gender-focused extreme heat resilience initiative Climate Resilience for All. In addition, he; is a member of the advisory council of Syracuse University’s Dynamic Sustainability Lab and Colorado State University’s Project IN-CORE.
Bouchard attended Syracuse University for undergraduate, earning a B.A in History from the Maxwell School and B.S.in Magazine Journalism from the Newhouse School. He also earned his law degree from the George Mason University School of Law.
A new initiative will bring top thought leaders on climate change to Duke University to share insights and expertise, sparking discussion and action. The Climate Leaders in Residence (CLIR) will enrich student learning and collaborate with Duke faculty and staff on pragmatic climate research and initiatives that could lead to significant change in the near future.
The CLIR program advances the aims of the Duke Climate Commitment, which unites the university’s education, research, operations and public service missions to address the urgent challenges posed by climate change. The program will be funded this year by the Presidential Climate Action and Innovation Fund, an endowment established by the Nicholas Family in support of the Duke Climate Commitment. The Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability is overseeing the program.
“As Duke experts pursue climate solutions, partnering with influential leaders outside the university in sustained ways will help ensure the scalability and durability of our efforts,” said Toddi Steelman, vice president and vice provost for climate and sustainability. “Climate Leaders in Residence are committing to bring their ideas, experiences and connections to our community, accelerating Duke’s impact today. By mentoring and interacting with Duke students, they will equip future leaders to influence climate decisions in their professional and personal lives.”
At the same time, decision-makers and thought leaders who serve as residents will benefit from the opportunity to forge relationships with Duke experts, take part in informative research and impact-oriented collaborative projects and have space for candid conversations. “It’s a win-win for the residents and for the Duke community,” Steelman said.
The inaugural Climate Leader in Residence is Francis Bouchard, managing director for climate at Marsh McLennan, a global professional services company specializing in risk management and insurance. Bouchard, who has more than three decades of experience in the insurance industry, is teaming up with Duke experts to develop research partnerships and networks to help the insurance sector advance climate change solutions. His Duke collaborators span finance, the environment, public policy, engineering, business and more. He will also be engaging with students across numerous degree programs.