Thiel becomes Blink’s first US-based hire as the company accelerates its push into the largest single-country travel insurance market in the world
25 August 2026, CORK, IRELAND / WISCONSIN, USA. Blink Parametric, a leading global InsurTech specialising in parametric insurance technology, has appointed Matthew Thiel as Vice President of Business Development, North America. Based in Wisconsin, Thiel joins Blink Parametric effective 17 August 2026 and will lead the company’s business development strategy across the United States and Canada.
The appointment makes Thiel Blink’s first US-based hire, marking a significant step in the company’s commitment to the American market. As US travellers take more international trips and demand greater transparency and speed from the products that protect them, Blink’s real-time parametric triggers for flight disruption, lost luggage and travel interruption are built for exactly that scale and complexity.
Thiel’s appointment builds on a platform Blink has spent close to a decade establishing worldwide. Since its founding in 2016, Blink has grown from its Irish base into parametric insurance markets in more than 26 countries, including recent launches across Australia and New Zealand and a long-standing business in Canada, where Blink partners with a number of leading insurance businesses and was recognised with the Global Insurtech Award for Best Parametric Insurance Product in 2024.
Thiel brings nearly 20 years of business development and sales leadership experience in the travel and travel insurance sector to the role. Most recently Director of Sales Development at Travelex Insurance, he previously served as Director of Sales Enablement at World Travel, Inc. and held senior business development roles at Travel Guard (AIG) and Star Clippers Americas. At Travel Guard he signed more than 400 new agency partners and grew a $20M+ territory by 71%, building the kind of relationships and strategies across travel agencies, travel tech, TMCs and enterprise travel partners that will shape how quickly Blink’s parametric technology reaches American travellers.
Sid Mouncey, Chief Commercial Officer at Blink Parametric, said:
“Matt’s nearly 20 years in the North American travel industry, and his track record of building partnerships at scale, make him exactly the right person to lead our growth in the largest single-country travel insurance market in the world. His appointment reflects how seriously we are investing in North America as the next chapter of Blink’s global story.”
Matthew Thiel, VP Business Development, North America at Blink Parametric, said:
“Throughout my career, I’ve helped travel and insurance businesses grow through smarter, more strategic partnerships and faster ways to protect their customers. Parametric insurance represents that shift, and Blink is leading the way. I’m excited to bring this approach to the North American market at a time when travellers expect greater transparency and speed than ever before.”
