Steven Bowen

Meteorologist and Head of Catastrophe Insight at Aon

Steve has had a lifelong fascination with the weather. After starting his professional career as a meteorologist in television, he shifted into the insurance industry when joining Aon in 2007. His current role is focused on helping to communicate the growing risks of natural perils and climate change around the world. He serves as Director, Meteorologist, and the Global Head of Catastrophe Insight, and is based in the Impact Forecasting division.

A key motivation of his work features the emerging and evolving trends associated with increasing weather volatility, climate change, population and exposure patterns, and natural hazard-related financial losses. His team utilizes data analytics to help clearly communicate evolving hazard risks and associated loss trends to clients across the insurance industry and beyond. An increasingly important part of his work includes providing expertise to new strategies focused on combating the growing hazard, physical, societal, and financial challenges posed by climate change. He also leads post-event damage surveys that seek to help identify ways for Aon clients to better mitigate risk ahead of future events.

He is a frequent collaborator with governmental agencies, academia, and industry groups, and has co-authored several published peer-reviewed scientific studies (including in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Nature Climate Change, and the Journal of Insurance Regulation). He was previously invited to participate in a White House initiative that sought to better prepare various sectors for emerging risks associated with climate change and extreme weather. His work has been cited in U.S. Congressional Committee Reports, by the United Nations, and in numerous international media outlets.

A few professional speaking highlights include at events for various branches of NOAA; the United Nations; National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR); National Safety Council (NSC); at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington D.C.; and appeared as a featured guest for programs on the BBC, The Weather Channel, PBS, and other multimedia outlets.

Steve earned his Master of Science in Business Analytics degree from the University of Notre Dame, and his Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology from Florida State University. He is a member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the National Weather Association (NWA), Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS), and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross of Illinois. He also sits on the Society of Actuary’s Research Executive Committee.

View profile on