Shape the context
for insurance leadership.
Strategic public affairs at the nexus of risk management, policymaking, and stakeholder engagement.
Our Approach
Focus on fundamentals.
Our work is anchored in risk, underwriting, product, distribution, operations and capital realities. This in turn keeps public affairs aligned with business objectives.
See the whole picture.
Policymaking, media narratives, investor sentiment, issue advocacy, public perception, and customer behavior are interconnected. Shaping outcomes requires an integrated approach.
Strategic is proactive.
We monitor, analyze, and engage legislative, regulatory, and stakeholder dynamics before they become constraints, so clients shape the context in which they operate.
What we Deliver
Policy & Regulatory Strategy
Federal, state, NAIC and cross-border regulatory strategy and engagement, legislative monitoring, comment letters and testimony support, and relationship management.
Stakeholder Engagement & Coalitions
Engaging actors that shape outcomes — from issue, investor and consumer advocacy groups to distribution partners, trade associations, NGOs and research insititutions.
Marketing & Communications
Narrative architecture, marketing and communications strategy that align public positioning with policy goals, product positioning, and business objectives.
Executive Positioning & Thought Leadership
Board- and C-suite briefings, speeches, op-eds, bylines, talking points, and strategic visibility that builds durable authority on priority issues.
Rapid Response & Issues Management
Scenario planning, playbooks, crisis support, and real-time response when business comes under scrutiny or policy, media, or stakeholder dynamics shift quickly.
Cross-Border & International Alignment
Navigating the policy, regulatory, and reputational dimensions of cross-border operations — from capital flows and reinsurance to solvency, prudential oversight, and AI governance.
Why Bushnell Mueller
Insurance-Native
We understand insurance mechanics, risk dynamics, and how value is created in regulated markets. Bushnell Mueller was founded on 60+ years of industry experience — from product and underwriting to government and external affairs — applied across global (re)insurance groups, mid-market carriers, and intermediaries in both U.S. and European markets.
Integrated Approach
We connect government relations, stakeholder engagement, and communications so policy strategy, influence, and reputation reinforce one another rather than operate in silos. Our work aligns with enterprise workflows — from legal and compliance to product and distribution, underwriting and risk management, and finance and capital.
Data and Technology Forward, Human-Centered.
We use modern tools to surface signals early and bring structure to complexity — but we rely on judgment and trusted relationships to translate insight into action. In both insurance and public affairs, outcomes ultimately depend on credibility, experience, and human connection.
Founding Partners
Stefan Mueller has spent 20+ years advising insurers on corporate communications, government relations, and external affairs. Before founding Bushnell Mueller, he led a strategy consulting group serving financial services, real estate, energy, infrastructure, and the public sector. Stefan has served on various boards including as Chairman of a leading global environmental policy think tank. Stefan studied applied economics and management at Cornell University and the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. He is based near Munich and travels regularly to the firm's office in Washington, DC.
Steve Bushnell brings 40+ years of insurance experience to Bushnell Mueller — from underwriting to product development and marketing, in senior leadership positions at Aetna, The St. Paul Companies, and Fireman's Fund/Allianz. A recognized authority on emerging risks and resilience, Steve has delivered training for agents and brokers, sat on various boards including for the U.S. Green Building Council, and featured in prominent industry and national media. Steve studied management at Northern Illinois University and holds CPCU and ARM designations. He is based in Madison, Wisconsin.
Contact Us
Let’s discuss the issues shaping your business and market
— and how to influence them.
