Collaborating with purpose

DAY ONE: Wednesday 13 November

People: The importance of talent and leadership in navigating emerging issues and driving competitive growth as customer-centric businesses.

Moderator: Alexandra Stråberg, Chief Economist, Länsförsäkringar (Sweden)

09:00 – 10:30

Session 1

Opening ceremony and keynote session

Welcome and opening remarks, keynote presentation and discussion, highlighting the potential for mutual/cooperative insurers to lead, innovate and collaborate to create better-performing businesses for a resilient and purpose-led future.

Speakers:

  • Rob Wesseling, Chair, ICMIF, and President and CEO, Co-operators (Canada)
  • Shaun Tarbuck, Chief Executive, ICMIF
  • Isabelle Santenac, Global Insurance Leader, EY (France)
  • Alexandra Stråberg, Chief Economist, Länsförsäkringar (Sweden)
10:30 – 11:00

Coffee

11:00 – 12:15

Session 2

CEO panel: Profits for purpose

As purpose-driven, commercially-minded organisations, mutual/cooperative insurers must effectively balance a commitment to having a meaningful impact on people and society, with an imperative to maintain long-term financial stability. This CEO panel discussion will explore how ICMIF members can gain a competitive advantage by harnessing the power of purpose to drive performance and profitability.

Speakers:

  • Barry O’Dwyer, Group CEO, Royal London (UK)
  • Ylva Wessén, President and CEO, Folksam (Sweden)
  • Rosana Ibarrart, General Manager, Seguros Rivadavia (Argentina)
12:15 – 13:15

Lunch

13:15 – 14:30

Session 3

Building a people-first organisation

Today’s dynamic working environment continues to be shaped by numerous disruptive and evolving trends, underscoring the importance for leaders to prioritise a people-focused strategy. This session examines initiatives by ICMIF members to cultivate resilient and future-ready workplaces, including talent management strategies that enhance employee engagement and wellness, and the organisational and leadership traits needed to foster an inclusive, high-performing culture.

Speakers:

  • Masenyane Molefe, Group Executive: Human Resources, PPS (South Africa)
  • Donna Dizon, Vice President for Administration & Corporate Planning, CLIMBS (Philippines)
  • David Hynam, Chief Executive, LV= (UK)
  • Andrés Elola, General Manager, SURCO Seguros (Uruguay)
14:30 – 15:00

Coffee

15:00 – 16:15

Session 4

Meeting increasing customer expectations

This session explores how ICMIF members are transforming customer experience as part of their journeys to modernise and become more customer-centric. Looking at how companies are adapting to evolving customer needs and expectations, the session will feature case studies on improving and personalising customer journeys, approaches to integrating an omnichannel experience, and the importance of people and culture in creating positive outcomes for policyholders.

Speakers:

  • Hilde Vernaillen, Chair of the Management Committee, P&V Group (Belgium)
  • Jean-François Chalifoux, President and CEO, Beneva (Canada)
  • Nick Turner, Group Chief Executive, NFU Mutual (UK)
  • Glenn Croasdale, Chief Client Officer, FMG (New Zealand)
16:15 – 16:45

Concluding remarks and collaboration opportunities

Summary of today’s key themes from the day’s moderator and examples of people-focused collaboration from within the ICMIF network.

  • Alexandra Stråberg, Chief Economist, Länsförsäkringar (Sweden)
16:45 – 17:30

Networking with purpose

DAY TWO: Thursday 14 November

Performance: Balancing purpose and sustainability goals with financial success and effectively leveraging new technology trends for greater operational excellence.

Moderator: Virginia Lingiardi, Innovation Team Leader, Grupo Asegurador La Segunda (Argentina)

09:00 – 10:30

Session 1

Unlocking new opportunities in the evolving risk landscape

In today’s rapidly transforming and uncertain world, insurers are facing both challenges and unparalleled opportunities to redefine their value proposition and operational strategies. This session looks at the significant trends, such as the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies, that are poised to fundamentally alter the insurance landscape. ICMIF members share their approaches to stay ahead of these emerging risks, and how they are leveraging technological innovation to unlock new opportunities across the value chain.

Speakers:

  • Mona Kothari-Chitalia, Director, Digital Strategy & Global Financial Services, Microsoft (Canada)
  • Johan Van den Neste, CEO, Univé Schade (Netherlands)
  • Jim Islam, CEO, OneFamily (UK)
  • Matthew Cullina, Head of Global Cyber Insurance Business, Cyberscout - A TransUnion Brand (USA)
  • Andrea Keenan, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, AM Best (USA)
10:30 – 11:00

Coffee

11:00 – 12:15

Session 2

Putting a purpose-led strategy into practice

This session explores examples from ICMIF members that have effectively embraced and modernised the mutual/cooperative difference across their organisations. The discourse includes how to operationalise a purpose-led strategy that enhances performance for the business while reinforcing the authenticity of their commitment to long-term value creation for all stakeholders. It also looks at how organisations communicate their unique difference in their customer proposition in a way that builds on their historic principles and heritage, but is articulated through a modern brand experience.

Speakers:

  • Gaby Polanco-Sorto, Vice President and Head, Purpose and Sustainability, Gore Mutual (Canada)
  • Tadao Takahashi, Managing Director, Kokumin Kyosai co-op, and Toshiaki Wada, President, CO-OP Kyosai (Japan)
  • Steve Prentice, Vice President, Client Insights & Strategy, Thrivent (USA)
  • Ayanda Seboni, Group Executive: Mutuality, PPS (South Africa)
12:15 – 13:15

Lunch

13:15 – 14:30

Session 3

Sustainability for better business performance

Sustainability has become one of the strategic imperatives for the entire insurance industry, influenced by growing market expectations, investor pressures and regulatory compliance. However, for many mutual/cooperative insurers, sustainability is more than adopting sustainable practices to drive positive environmental and social change – it is also good for business. This session showcases ICMIF members that have created business value from embedding a sustainability strategy, in terms of opportunities for product innovation and optimisation, better risk management, and a more resilient operating model.

Speakers:

  • Kim Palatnick, Chief Strategy & Member Experience Officer, Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (Canada)
  • Belén Gómez, Advisor to the President and Coordinator U-RUS, Río Uruguay Seguros (Argentina)
14:30 – 15:00

Coffee

15:00 – 16:15

Session 4

Embracing transformation for operational excellence and value creation

This session delves into the strategic approach and frameworks required for mutual/cooperative insurers to effectively adapt for the future. Featuring business transformation case studies from ICMIF members, the session will look at how organisations are integrating new efficient processes and digital capabilities to optimise their operating models for improved performance. It will also explore examples of how these organisations are embracing innovation and partnerships to evolve the way they provide insurance solutions and deliver customer value.

Speakers:

  • Helton Freitas, President, Seguros Unimed (Brazil)
  • Andrew Johnston, Global Head, InsurTech, Gallagher Re (USA)
16:15 – 16:45

Concluding remarks and collaboration opportunities

Summary of today’s key themes from the day’s moderator and examples of people-focused collaboration from within the ICMIF network.

  • Virginia Lingiardi, Innovation Team Leader, Grupo Asegurador La Segunda (Argentina)
16:45 – 17:30

Networking with purpose

DAY THREE: Friday 15 November

Partnerships: Collaboration at a global scale to achieve strategic goals and enhance the resilience of the communities we serve.

Moderator: Liz Green, CEO Designate, ICMIF

09:00 – 10:30

Session 1

Partnerships to create more resilient communities

ICMIF’s Impact Strategy aims to influence industry best-practice initiatives and create business opportunities for ICMIF members in the areas of sustainability, disaster risk reduction and inclusive insurance. Through its strategic partnerships, ICMIF sets out to inspire its member organisations to take a leadership role towards creating a safer, more resilient world. This session will showcase the progress made from ambitious targets to real action, and how industry and stakeholder collaboration can help ICMIF members contribute to building more resilient communities and mitigating the global challenges we all face.

Speakers:

  • Warren Pimm, Chairperson - Investment Advisory Board (IAB), United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
10:30 – 11:00

Coffee

11:00 – 12:15

Session 2

Partnerships to create more resilient businesses

This session will focus on examples from ICMIF members that have forged partnerships to help them balance financial performance, quantifying risks and measure sustainability impact to more effectively drive long-term growth and resilience. The case studies will look at commitments and strategies that enable real action across various strategic areas, and the impact of embedding resilience in an integrated approach towards the transition to a net-zero future.

Speakers:

  • Dr Aris Alip, Founder and Chairman Emeritus, CARD MRI, and Lorenzo Chan, President and CEO, Pioneer Group (Philippines)
  • Kazunari Takahashi, Managing Director, Zenkyoren (Japan)
12:15 – 13:15

Lunch

13:15 – 15:00

Session 3

Collaborating with purpose

The final session will look at how ICMIF can inspire and promote effective collaboration amongst its membership of purpose-led insurers and partners. It will provide an opportunity for more ICMIF members to share their experiences and stories of successful collaboration within the ICMIF network.

This session will also include the 2024 ICMIF General Meeting.

Speakers:

  • Ariel Guarco, President, International Cooperative Alliance (ICA)
15:00 – 16:00

Networking with purpose

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