AGENDA

• 8:15 AM

  Registration opens

• 9:00 AM

  Opening remarks from the Chairperson

  

  Lee-Ann du Toit

  Partner, National Insurance Lead
  Deloitte

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  Lee-Ann du Toit

  Partner, National Insurance Lead
  Deloitte

  Lee-Ann is the Deloitte Insurance Sector Leader as well as the lead Partner for Actuarial Services in Deloitte New Zealand. She is a Harvard Business School Alumni with over twenty-five years of diversified experience in the financial services industry. Lee-Ann is the vice-President of the New Zealand Society of Actuaries (NZSA) and will become President in November 2024.

  Lee-Ann actively participates in the key Insurance Industry issues in New Zealand, including working with Insurers to find solutions to the challenges they face. She has previously been in executive roles including Chief Marketing Officer, Head of Direct Sales, and Chief Customer Officer for a large composite insurer in South Africa before joining Deloitte New Zealand.

• 9:10 AM

  OPENING KEYNOTE: Leading with resilience

  While we cannot control certain circumstances in our lives, we can control how we respond to these challenges. In this captivating keynote, resilience expert Dr Hone will share insights from more than a decade working with organisations globally to truly understand how to build resilience, manage burnout and practice psychological safety.

  

  Lucy Hone

  MAPP, PhD, Director
  New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing and Resilience 

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  Lucy Hone

  MAPP, PhD, Director
  New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing and Resilience 

  Dr Lucy Hone is an Adjunct Senior Professor at the University of Canterbury, a co-director of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing & Resilience, an award winning academic researcher, best-selling author and blogger for Psychology Today.

  Having been trained by the thought-leaders in resilience at the University of Pennsylvania, Lucy went on to attain her PhD at AUT. She now assists organisations globally “ from the UN and government agencies, to Fortune 100 companies and schools “ distilling the best of resilience science into actionable tools.

  Her research has been published in leading academic journals and her TED talk went viral during the Covid pandemic, putting it in the Top 20 of 2020 and the most watched by any New Zealander.

• 10:00 AM

  Speed networking

  Expand your network, make connections and meet fellow delegates in a structured networking session.

• 10:20 AM

  Morning tea and refreshment break

• 10:50 AM

  PANEL: Empowering women in insurance – achieving leadership success

  As we continue to encourage representation in leadership roles, how can we overcome common challenges hindering female leaders today? In this session, hear key lessons and strategies from industry leaders on how to thrive as a leader.

   

  • Tips on overcoming the impostor syndrome
  • Engaging internal sponsors to be your advocates
  • How to embrace your own leadership style
  • Navigating difficult environments and dynamics at work

  Moderator

  

  Richard Davis

  Strategic Partner Manager
  Rothbury Insurance Brokers

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  Richard Davis

  Strategic Partner Manager
  Rothbury Insurance Brokers

  Richard Davis is the Strategic Partner Manager at Rothbury Insurance Brokers.  With a career spanning 30+ years with both underwriters and brokers, Richard has spent the past 15 years focusing on strategic partnerships and getting the best advice driven outcomes for partners’ clients.

  Panellists

  

  Melissa Cantell

  Chief Executive Officer
  Aon NZ

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  Melissa Cantell

  Chief Executive Officer
  Aon NZ

  Melissa joined Aon as New Zealand CEO in July 2023 and is passionate about the difference insurance can make to people’s lives. Throughout her career she’s helped diverse organisations including IAG NZ, Fidelity Life, Fonterra and Coca-Cola Amatil navigate large scale transformational change, and has developed an enviable reputation for leading successful commercial operations by building high performing, client-centric cultures.

  

  Miranda Cook

  Group Head of Marketing
  Delta Insurance Group

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  Miranda Cook

  Group Head of Marketing
  Delta Insurance Group

  Meet Miranda Cook, an experienced leader whose career has seen her represent some of Aotearoa’s most well-known brands, both in and outside the insurance industry.

  With a diverse background that includes leadership roles at Spark, IAG, AA, Suncorp, Microsoft, and currently at Delta Insurance Group, Miranda has gained extensive experience in marketing, communications, and general management.

  Miranda is genuinely passionate about making a positive impact. In her current role as Group Head of Marketing for Delta, she chairs the ESG Committee, alongside channelling her commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into fundraising activities that often involve walking or running long distances for organisations such as the Mental Health Foundation, Oxfam and Greenpeace.

  

  Jo Mason

  Chief Executive Officer
  NZbrokers

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  Jo Mason

  Chief Executive Officer
  NZbrokers

  Jo has more than 35 years insurance industry experience, both in New Zealand and Australia. 

  In July 2016 Jo was appointed CEO of NZbrokers.  Prior to this she was National Manager – Underwriting Agencies and Cluster Groups at Allianz Australia, a role that had responsibility for the strategic growth and development of the Specialised Agencies, including Global Transport, Strata Community Insurance and Pet Plan. 

  Preceding this role, Jo was with IAG for30 years. Her last role was NZI’s GM Corporate and Facilities in Auckland where she helped lead the integration of the Lumley NZ business into IAG. 

  Jo attended INSEAD business school in France & Singapore completing an Advanced Management Programme, is a Senior Associate at ANZIIF an independent board member of IBANZ, and has gained her Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5). 

  

  Sharyn Reichstein

  Chief Risk Officer
  Tower Insurance

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  Sharyn Reichstein

  Chief Risk Officer
  Tower Insurance

  Sharyn joined Tower in July 2023. She is an experienced executive who brings a wealth of knowledge in enterprise risk management, corporate governance, financial regulation, financial risk, and risk management to Tower.

  Prior to taking up the Chief Risk Officer role, Sharyn held the position of General Manager, General Insurance, for the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), where she was responsible for the regulation and supervision of the general insurance industry in Australia. She was also the Chair of APRA’s General Insurance Industry Group, scanning the risk environment and setting strategic responses to industry issues.

  With extensive experience in supervision of the financial sector, spanning banking, insurance, and superannuation, Sharyn is highly skilled in stress testing, policy development, supervision frameworks, and corporate strategy.

• 11:35 AM

  CASE STUDIES: Innovation in the insurance ecosystem

  The insurance industry is navigating a complex environment where continued innovation and transformation needs to be at the forefront for companies to evolve and remain relevant as the pace of change accelerates.

   

  • Deloitte will share some early insights from their research they are undertaking on innovation in the insurance ecosystem in NZ and Australia
  • Case study and insights on implementing AI from board education and ideation labs to PoC outcomes
  • Case study with Deloitte & Ando on re-engineering their claims and renewals processes and develop a self-service digital portal for Ando’s insurance broker partners at a rapid pace

  Moderator

  

  Kylie Bryant

  Partner
  Deloitte

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  Kylie Bryant

  Partner
  Deloitte

  With more than 20 years of local and global experience in the financial services sector, Kylie brings the best of Deloitte to their clients to make an impact to people, organisations and New Zealand. Kylie is a new partner at Deloitte, with a wealth of industry knowledge across banking, insurance, investment management and technology.  

  Kylie is a progressive change leader and supports organisations across strategy, business growth, systems thinking, design and delivery. She is passionate about developing people and guiding organisations through change at the intersection of people, business and technology. 

   

  Panellists

  

  Thérèse Singleton

  Chief Operating Officer, Insurance & Risk
  Ando Insurance

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  Thérèse Singleton

  Chief Operating Officer, Insurance & Risk
  Ando Insurance

  Thérèse’s focus is to build Ando’s capacity and skill sets and help chart the course as our business grows. She has extensive leadership and operational experience and is a member of the NZ Financial Advice Code Committee, which has established the new Code of Conduct for Financial Advice for New Zealand. She has spent over 25 years in insurance and prior to joining Ando she was CEO of Resolution Life New Zealand and Chief Claims Officer of Resolution Life Australasia (formerly AMP Life). Thérèse is admitted as a solicitor and barrister of the High Courts of Ireland, England and New Zealand and is currently a member of the NZ Institute of Directors. She has also been recognised as an exceptional female leader in the industry, having received an Insurance Business NZ Elite Women 2022 award. 

  

  Dr. Amanda J. Williamson

  Generative AI Lead
  Deloitte

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  Dr. Amanda J. Williamson

  Generative AI Lead
  Deloitte

  We live in the AI era, and Amanda is passionate about supporting executives to stay informed and competitive in this revolutionary age.

  Fuelled by a passion for innovation and an insatiable curiosity, Amanda’s career in AI and data has taken them from academia to industry, where they translate technological advancements into practical solutions for New Zealand organisations. Their role in the AI & data team includes leading artificial intelligence and data projects and products across a range of industries, with a focus on understanding clients’ challenges and enabling their strategic direction through data foundations, data analytics, and technology. Amanda’s favourite part of the role is empowering and coaching junior team members to accomplish outstanding outcomes for themselves and for clients.

  Outside of work, Amanda enjoys playing guitar, spending time with her family, and practicing Spanish.

• 12:05 PM

  Networking lunch

• 1:15 PM

  FIRESIDE CHAT: The economic update and its impact on insurance

  How is the current macroeconomic outlook impacting insurance? Gain insights on the forecast for the coming year with the latest economic situation on insurance.

   

  • How is the industry dealing with extreme weather and climate risk?
  • Examining the implications of inflation, evolving consumer practices and the economic outlook
  • Exploring future business prospects

  

  Lee-Ann du Toit

  Partner, National Insurance Lead
  Deloitte

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  Lee-Ann du Toit

  Partner, National Insurance Lead
  Deloitte

  Lee-Ann is the Deloitte Insurance Sector Leader as well as the lead Partner for Actuarial Services in Deloitte New Zealand. She is a Harvard Business School Alumni with over twenty-five years of diversified experience in the financial services industry. Lee-Ann is the vice-President of the New Zealand Society of Actuaries (NZSA) and will become President in November 2024.

  Lee-Ann actively participates in the key Insurance Industry issues in New Zealand, including working with Insurers to find solutions to the challenges they face. She has previously been in executive roles including Chief Marketing Officer, Head of Direct Sales, and Chief Customer Officer for a large composite insurer in South Africa before joining Deloitte New Zealand.

  

  Jane Brown

  Head of Insurance
  Financial Markets Authority NZ

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  Jane Brown

  Head of Insurance
  Financial Markets Authority NZ

  Jane joined the FMA as Head of Insurance in October 2023. Prior to that, she spent six years as General Counsel for the Insurance Council of New Zealand. She started her insurance career with Civic Assurance, a local government insurer, where Jane was responsible for their mutual liability pool.

  Jane has a Master of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts, is an ANZIIF Senior Associate, and is a lawyer. Outside of work, Jane is a trustee of Te Whare Nukunoa/the Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust and is trying to learn Dutch.

• 1:45 PM

  PANEL: Embracing generative artificial intelligence in insurance

  Generative artificial intelligence continues to gain traction in workplaces today. How is generative AI impacting the insurance industry? What are the challenges and opportunities for insurance leaders? In this informative discussion, hear about the latest generative AI use cases and how this could affect our workplaces.

   

  • Exploring innovative and successful AI use cases across insurance disciplines to help achieve business goals
  • An overview of ethical issues with AI (and how to overcome them)
  • What are the opportunities arising and the pitfalls to avoid?

  Moderator

  

  Richard Davis

  Strategic Partner Manager
  Rothbury Insurance Brokers

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  Richard Davis

  Strategic Partner Manager
  Rothbury Insurance Brokers

  Richard Davis is the Strategic Partner Manager at Rothbury Insurance Brokers.  With a career spanning 30+ years with both underwriters and brokers, Richard has spent the past 15 years focusing on strategic partnerships and getting the best advice driven outcomes for partners’ clients.

  Panellists

  

  Mark Daniels

  General Manager Transformation
  AA Insurance

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  Mark Daniels

  General Manager Transformation
  AA Insurance

  Mark is responsible for overseeing AA Insurance’s Transformation programme that will deliver fit-for-future business and technology capabilities to enable AA Insurance to achieve its strategic goals. 

  Mark has over 14 years’ experience in the New Zealand insurance industry, holding positions across Marketing, Distribution, Operations and Transformation. Mark is an experienced executive who is passionate about translating strategy into transformative action, building customer centric organisations, and unlocking the potential of our people. 

  At an industry level, Mark spent several years as a member of multiple committees within the Financial Services Council and in 2017 won the FSC Rising Star Award. 

  

  Madeline Newman

  NZ Executive Director
  AI Forum

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  Madeline Newman

  NZ Executive Director
  AI Forum

  Madeline joined the AI Forum as Executive Director in the first half of 2022. She has extensive experience in strategy, transformational change and helping people to see the potential that innovative technologies bring.

  Originally from New Zealand, Madeline spent 20 years working with technologies including AI in the mental health, financial services and regulatory sectors in the UK. Her more recent work included helping to shape and deliver the Financial Conduct Authority’s internationally renowned RegTech innovation programme; and Head of Innovation and Product for a science based digital mental health service. She brings new thinking and experience to our AI community.

  

  Tanya Wood

  Partner
  Duncan Cotterill

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  Tanya Wood

  Partner
  Duncan Cotterill

  Tanya advises insurers, brokers and private clients on cyber and data security risks. As a dispute resolution expert, she specialises in complex civil litigation and insurance law, with a growing practice in cybersecurity and first response. Beyond cyber and data security expertise Tanya advises on a wide range of professional indemnity and insurance claims for insurers. Tanya regularly acts in defence of a range of professionals, from engineers and architects through to directors and financial advisors.

• 2:30 PM

  WORKSHOP: How to influence decision-makers

  Securing buy-in and support from senior management is critical to driving successful business strategies. This interactive workshop will discuss how managers can overcome challenges to effectively contribute and influence at a senior-level.

   

  • Assess and develop your influencing and negotiation skills
  • How to demonstrate your business, financial and strategic acumen
  • Harnessing data-driven insights for senior leadership buy-in

  

  Jacqui McIntosh

  Head of Insurance Capability Enablement
  FMG

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  Jacqui McIntosh

  Head of Insurance Capability Enablement
  FMG

  Jacqui has been working in the insurance industry for over 20 years in both NZ and Australia. Currently working at FMG she is the Head of Insurance Capability Enablement. Where she is responsible for ensuring FMG nominated representatives have the skill, capability and knowledge they need to deliver an exceptional client experience and sound advice.

  A passionate insurance “geek” and committed life – long learner, Jacqui is a Fellow with ANZIIF and is an advocate for what ANZIIF does for insurance professionals within the industry.

  Prior to joining FMG in 2019, Jacqui spent many years with IAG in various roles including; sales, underwriting and claims. She feels grateful to have made a careers in an industry that has such an impact and bring such benefits to NZ communities.

• 3:00 PM

  Afternoon tea and refreshments break

• 3:30 PM

  PANEL: Strategies to boost your career path

  Staying in your comfort zone can be the biggest obstacle to achieving success in your career path. Whether it’s a new role or getting a seat at the C-suite table, how can you embrace change, challenge yourself and take that next step in your career? Hear how industry leaders have taken on new challenges and opportunities to advance their career and skill development.

   

  • How to leverage allyship to create a support network or career advancement
  • Taking initiative on new projects or roles
  • How to find opportunities for growth

  Moderator

  

  Kerrie Lawrence

  Executive Manager, Business Operations & Governance
  NZI

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  Kerrie Lawrence

  Executive Manager, Business Operations & Governance
  NZI

  Kerrie is the current EM of Operations and Governance for NZI and also the NZI National Broker Partner for NZbrokers.

  She has had a career at NZI for over 25 years and has been fortunate to work in a number of roles ranging from Underwriting, Sales, Governance, Operational Support, Optisation and Business Change, starting her leadership journey in 2007.

  She feels very fortunate to have a career in Insurance and in particular a career with NZI.  She has worked with and alongside some great people and leaders throughout the industry and is inspired daily by the commitment, dedication and passion they have for Insurance.

  Kerrie is a big supporter of developing their people and creating opportunities to grow and learn in the hope that they can enjoy long careers with NZI or within the Insurance industry.

  It is a rapidly changing world, and she is excited to be part of an organisation and industry that is dedicated to keeping our communities safe and cares deeply about helping when customers need them the most.

  Panellists

  

  Ruth Goldwater

  Acting Chief Information Officer
  Fidelity Life

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  Ruth Goldwater

  Acting Chief Information Officer
  Fidelity Life

  Originally from Scotland, Ruth has a career spanning 20 years in financial services across the UK and New Zealand. She has accumulated a broad range of experience over her career in banking, wealth management, general insurance and life insurance.

  Ruth is passionate about strategy execution and leading transformational change. She is currently on the Executive team at New Zealand’s largest locally-owned life insurer Fidelity Life, and is responsible for leading the delivery of a significant transformation programme.

  Ruth is a mum of 2 girls and is a staunch advocate of supporting working parents to contribute in meaningful roles that also enable the flexibility required for busy families.

  

  Amehl Smith

  Head of Insurance Distribution
  ASB Bank

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  Amehl Smith

  Head of Insurance Distribution
  ASB Bank

  Amehl has over 20 years’ experience in the financial industry. Amehl is currently working at ASB as Head of Insurance Distribution where she leads the Insurance Adviser channel (Health & Life) alongside the partnership with AIA. Prior to joining ASB, Amehl was Head of the Bank Adviser channel at Cigna and various sales and strategy roles across ANZ in wealth, retail & business banking. Amehl is passionate about supporting more kiwi’s protection and wellbeing needs.

  Outside of work, Amehl is an active relaxer alongside busy mother of two children 9 &12 years old

  

  Julia Vahry

  Founder and Managing Director
  Vahry

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  Julia Vahry

  Founder and Managing Director
  Vahry

  Julia Vahry is an insurance adviser, former police officer and Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Medalist.

  Saying yes and taking risks for change opened new doors for Julia, most recently being a finalist on an unscripted tv series by Warner Brother’s Discovery ‘The Traitors NZ’.

  This television appearance led to an acceptance with one of New Zealand’s leading talent agencies where she is now learning a new creative craft amongst some of the nation and world’s greatest acting coaches.

  In 2023 she was awarded along others as one of the top female insurance leaders in New Zealand.

  

  Pamela Venu

  Chief Operations Officer
  Coversure

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  Pamela Venu

  Chief Operations Officer
  Coversure

  Pam Venu serves as the accomplished Chief Operations Officer at Coversure.  

  Her impressive career spanning more than two decades in the financial sector culminated in a pivotal decision to collaborate with her husband, Jason, just over three years ago. Since then, Pam’s unwavering commitment has been directed toward overseeing the critical domains of risk management and compliance in running a Financial Advisory Provider (FAP), all while ensuring the seamless operation of the daily administrative support functions for the company.  

  Under Pam’s guidance, the Coversure team has flourished, boasting a presence in both Auckland and Wellington, and an extended support team based in Makati, Philippines, dedicated to aiding the advisory staff. 

• 4:15 PM

  ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

  In this interactive session, delegates will reflect on key insights covered throughout the day and develop action items for development and growth.

• 4:30 PM

  Networking drinks

  Sponsored by

  

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  At nib we believe that health comes first. As your dedicated health partner, we strive to empower our members to make better decisions and improve health outcomes through greater accessibility to affordable health services and information.

  Contact details:

  Georgie Levitt | B2B & Sponsorship Marketing Lead

  0212069258

  https://www.nib.co.nz/

• 5:30 PM

  Event concludes