By Emma Montalbani 
David Lane is a graduate of University College Dublin and a Certified Insurance Director with over 35 years’ experience in the insurance/financial services area. He was appointed Managing Director of Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland in January 2012. Ecclesiastical Insurance is a specialist insurer that is proudly part of the Benefact Group.
What are your main priorities and goals in your role?
Ecclesiastical Insurance is a specialist insurer providing tailor-made propositions across the charity, faith, heritage and education sectors. We are proudly part of the Benefact Group, which gives all its distributable profits to good causes.
We have more than doubled the size of our Irish business in recent years. During 2025, Benefact Group reached a significant milestone of giving over £250M to good causes over the last ten years.
My main priorities and goals as Managing Director of Ecclesiastical Ireland are to continue to develop our specialist insurance proposition in Ireland, provide life-changing career opportunities to my colleagues, increase our levels of giving and to be “louder and prouder” around telling our story.
What are your biggest challenges as CEO?
There are many challenges as a CEO, but most of them come back to managing my time to ensure that I can balance the governance requirements of running a business, alongside spending time with customers, colleagues, business partners and prospects, to develop and grow our business.
How do you keep your team/staff motivated?
Our unique purpose is a key motivation for all of our staff.
What are the challenges facing the industry going forward?
Sourcing suitably qualified, experienced people to support our growth.
Additionally, while technology provides lots of exciting opportunities, cybersecurity is a growing threat. Climate change and the impact of geopolitical instability on the cost claims are also challenges.
What new trends are emerging in your industry?
Advances in technology and, not surprisingly, AI dominate emerging trends across the insurance sector.
Are there any major changes you would like to see in your sector?
The insurance sector offers a wide variety of interesting opportunities for people to develop interesting and rewarding careers. I would like to see us selling the sector better!
As an employer, are you finding any skill gaps in the market?
Yes, as above, there is a skills gap for suitably qualified and experienced people.
How do you define success, and what drives you to succeed?
While I lead a specialist insurance business and we target profitable returns, our key metric of success is how much we give to good causes.
Delivering profit, and by extension contributing to giving to good causes, is a strong motivation. I am also personally driven by the impact that we have in supporting some of the most vulnerable people across our society.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given in business?
Where possible, work for a business and people that align with your personal values.
What advice would you give to others starting in business?
Be ambitious, set a clear vision and build the best possible team around you.
What have been your highlights in business over the past year?
Exceeding our giving target of £250M over the last ten years.
What’s next for your company?
We will be launching the Benefact Group 2030 strategy in June, which will primarily focus on building on the good work we have done over the last number of years and, importantly, we will set a revised giving target for the next five years.
Where do you want your business/brand to be this time next year?
I would like Ecclesiastical Ireland to continue to grow in the region of 10/15% as we deliver our specialist insurance proposition to more organisations across the charity, faith, heritage and education sectors.
We rebranded to Benefact Group four years ago so that we could tell the story of our unique purpose better, and while we have made good progress, I would like us to increase our profile by this time next year significantly.
What is the best book you’ve ever read (non-business) and why?
Legacy by James Kerr, it brings together one of my favourite sports, rugby, and an insight into the successful culture of the New Zealand rugby team.
What is your favourite hobby and why?
I have played a lot of sports over the years, and, at this stage, golf is my focus. I enjoy the combination of competition and spending quality time with friends.
What is your mantra for life?
Be true to myself and my values.
Read more CEO Q&As:
Darren Cran, CEO of AccountsIQ
