Last month’s ICMIF Biennial Conference in Auckland (New Zealand) was attended by 50 young leaders from 13 countries who were there to participate in the second ICMIF Young Leaders Programme held during an ICMIF Conference.
The ICMIF Young Leaders Programme has been specifically designed as a unique development opportunity for younger, high potential employees at member organisations, exposing them to wider issues impacting the insurance industry and to strategic best-practice and mutuality on a global scale. The Young Leaders who joined the Programme in Auckland were able to attend the full ICMIF Conference as well as exclusive breakfast sessions and networking events; giving them the chance to learn from and collaborate with peers at other mutual and cooperative insurance companies. They also enjoyed the opportunity to network with CEOs, senior executives, industry leaders and key external influencers from around the world.
During the breakfast sessions, Young Leaders were introduced to various conceptual tools to help them derive maximum value from the ICMIF Conference: from simple brain-based techniques to help them understand complex issues; to strategic and behavioural mental models to help them better interpret the insights they hear during the Conference; and then enable them to effectively share learnings with colleagues when back at their own organisations. The sessions also enabled participants to understand the power of diversity through the similarities and differences between their organisations whilst, at the same time, forging long-lasting relationships with their fellow participants.
During the second day of the Conference, the young leaders also participated in breakfast roundtable discussions with seven invited CEOs from ICMIF member organisations around the world. All the Young Leaders reported that this was a much-valued opportunity for them to be able to speak directly with and learn from some of the most influential leaders of the mutual and cooperative insurance sector on a range of topics, including strategy, innovation, mutuality and leadership.
Speaking about the Young Leaders Programme, Ben Telfer, Vice-President, Business Intelligence and Young Leader co-ordinator, said “We were delighted that the second Young Leaders Programme surpassed our expectations and it was wonderful to see how their participation again contributed to the overall success of the ICMIF Conference. For many of the attendees, this experience provided a truly unique personal and professional development opportunity, and one they will remember for many years. The Young Leaders brought new expertise, unique insights and a different perspective to the discussions at the Conference, and it was also great to have four Young Leaders on stage as an integral part of the agenda. I am sure many of the Young Leaders will stay connected with each other as they progress to the next stages of their respective careers”.
Shaun Tarbuck, ICMIF Chief Executive, said “It is wonderful to see another Young Leaders Programme prove to be so popular with our members. The positive reaction to the first Programme in London was overwhelming and we saw the same reaction from those who took part in Auckland. The Programme allows our Young Leader attendees to be fully integrated with the rest of the ICMIF Conference and to enjoy a truly unique opportunity to learn from the vast knowledge within the ICMIF membership.
“Following the success of the Young Leaders Programme at the 2017 ICMIF Biennial Conference in London, Ben Telfer and the ICMIF Young Leaders Forum have been working on how to create long-term value for the attendees of the Programme and also other similar employees at member companies. We are very keen to that the Young Leaders Programme turns into a continual learning process for the attendees, rather than just a one-off event. We want to keep these young leaders connected and engaged so that they can continue to get value from their attendance at a face-to-face ICMIF event by ongoing engagement with ICMIF and with each other. Our Young Leader webinars are an excellent opportunity for Young Leaders from our membership to gain further knowledge about other ICMIF members’ initiatives in engaging younger generations in their innovation and transformation processes,” Tarbuck concluded.
Ben added: “We plan to continue to offer Young Leader webinars in 2020, looking at the biggest issues and challenges facing mutual and cooperative insurers, and how the millennial perspective can add value to our members’ strategic decision making, whilst also aiding the development of the next generation of talent”
In Auckland, the ICMIF Young Leaders Forum also met for their quarterly meeting. The Young Leaders Forum is a network of young professionals from ICMIF member companies who have been identified by their seniors as strong candidates to become future leaders within their organisations. The Forum focuses on the professional and personal development of its members, as well as providing added value to discussions of the ICMIF Intelligence Committee and its outputs to the wider membership of the Federation.
For more information on the Young Leaders Forum or any upcoming Young Leader activities, please contact Ben Telfer ([email protected]).
