Nairobi, March 1 -- Ashok Shah says risk behaves a lot like chemistry, where variables interact, reactions follow patterns, and results reward patience. It is a lesson he first learned at Kingston University and one he applied over a 50-year run in an insurance career that he is preparing to bring to a close.

As he prepares to step down from his role as the Group CEO of APA Apollo Group, the veteran executive credits an unlikely foundation-an applied chemistry degree-for shaping the analytical mindset that defined his career. Applied chemistry, which he doubled with electronics, taught him to see risk as something to measure, test and understand rather than fear.

"Chemistry is about creating new substances. It forces you to think about ...