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Summary

Dr Samuell is a behavioural economis and medical specialist with expertise and experience in using quantitative and qualitative evidence to identify and develop strategy to resolve complex behavioural problems. The problems range from micro and macro economics drivers of poor productivity and performance to research on the social and medical impacts of medical conditions. 

With leadership experience across Asia-Pacific, India and North America, Dr Samuell brings a breadth of skill and experience, combined with a nous for innovation, working at the forefront of emerging intersections of knowledge. He applies evidence-based approaches to deeply understand and solve problems that have a meaningful commercial and social impact in the manufacturing, health and financial sectors.

Winner of the 2024 award for outstanding public policy research by the American Academy of Actuaries. 

Education

University of Canberra
2024present

Research affiliate

School of Economics

University of Sydney Business School
20172023

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

  • Quantitative research examining and resolving data information asymmetries in life insurance contracts
  • Conducted a randomised controlled trial with customers of life insurers to test behavioural primes on smoking disclosures
  • Undertaken observational research in Oceania and North America using primary customer health data to establish contextual factors relevant to personal disclosure
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
20152017

Masters (M.Sc.), Behavioural Economics

  • Graduated with merit
  • Dissertation on data asymmetries in personal disclosures
Harvard Business School
20072010

OPM

  • Finalist in negotiation and strategy competitions
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
1997present

F.R.A.N.Z.C.P.

  • Fellowship of the RANZCP
The University of Western Australia
1982 1988

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (M.B., B.S.)

  • Completed undergraduate medical training

Career Summary

Australian Insured Lives Project
2023Present

Chief Investigator

  • Longitudinal research to better understand the factors affecting the customer journey in life insurance. 
Industry Innovation Science Australia
2022Present

Board Member

  • Collaborative decision making, guidance and governance to the Department of Industry
  • Participation in grant applications
  • Provide feedback and guidance on RDTI, resource allocation and new program development
  • Board lead on CRC program
  • Board lead on commercialisation and collaboration
Behaviour, Sydney, Australia
2017 Present

Founder, Owner and Practice Lead

  • Manages a team of senior behavioural economists, from diverse backgrounds, who work with corporate and government clients to solve complex behavioural problems
  • Conducts randomised and observational experiments to solve problems with pecuniary impacts
  • Provides advanced behavioural solutions to improve productivity and profitability
  • Designs programs to improve customer honesty in financial services applications
  • Develops behavioural finance training curricula for RTOs training financial advisors
Clanwilliam Health (Asia-Pacific), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
2021present

Chief Medical Advisor (AU)

  • Subject matter and market expert for Ireland-based insuretech
  • Guides product development
  • Focuses on secure medical data management and behavioural change between doctors and third parties
Insurance Council of Australia
20162018

Strategic Advisor

  • Resolved a long-standing problem of general insurers not providing travel insurance to customers with a history of mental difficulty
Allianz Life, Sydney
20152022

Chief Medical Officer

  • Interprets medical data and provides technical assistance.
  • Participates in product development
  • Develops and trains staff
Zurich Life Insurance
20142021

Chief Medical Officer

  • Improved access to insurance offerings for customers with a history of mental health difficulty
  • Support for claims and underwriting
  • Staff training
AMP, Sydney, Melbourne
20132017

Strategic Advisor

  • Advised on product development, underwriting and claims
  • Developed an evidence-based approach on mental health underwriting, improving customer access to insurance products
Viraj, Mumbai
20112020

Strategic Advisor

  • Corporate restructure of a stainless steel manufacturing company
  • Applied behavioural processes to improve communication and profitability
  • Applied behavioural principles to improve staff retention and productivity

Professional Opinions
2002Present

Founder, Owner and Practice Lead

  • Director of professional services company
  • Quality control for 400+ senior medical specialists providing risk management services and litigation support
  • Develop and guide policy for the financial service sector
  • Provides alternative dispute resolution support for sensitive interpersonal matters

Skills

Behavioural Economics
  • Improves client profitability and productivity by iterative experimentation and implementation 
  • Manages a team of senior academic researchers
  • Supervises both qualitative and quantitative research
  • Provides behavioural insights and interventions to large companies and government departments
  • Models economic impacts of behavioural change
Publications
  • Samuell, D., &  Christodoulou, D. (2023). Lower disclosures from customers screened by financial advisors. Journal of Risk and Insurance, 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1111/jori.12453
  • Christodoulou, D., Samuell, D., Slonim, R., & Tausch, F. (2023). Counteracting dishonesty strategies: A field experiment in life insurance underwriting. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 36(2), e2302. https://doi.org/10.1002/bdm.2302
  • Demetris Christodoulou & Doron Samuell (2020) The adviser effect on insurance disclosures, Applied Economics, 52:5, 519-527, DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2019.1646883
Banking and Insurance
  • Contributor to the Actuaries Institute Green Paper on Mental Health
  • Collaborator with Deloitte Data Analytics to provide evidence-based solutions to customers
  • Senior Associate, ANZIIF
  • Held appointments with several life insurers as chief medical officer

Appointments

  • 2012-Workcover NSW Advisory Board
  • 2019- present Inaugural Chair, a collaboration between Deloitte and Sydney University in behavioural field research
  • 2020-present NSW Faculty of Adult Psychiatry
  • 2021-present Medical Assessor, Personal Injury Commission
  • 2022-present Board Member, Industry Innovation Science Australia