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Source: | A.M. Best Company, Inc. |
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After two years in the financial-crisis wilderness, insurance leaders are beginning to think more positively about their markets and future growth, according to the
Society President and Chief Executive
“The last two years, the seminars have been dominated by the financial crisis,” he said. “For the 2009 seminar, the smoke had not even cleared from the worst of the crisis, and that issue was on everyone’s mind.”
At last year’s seminar in
“The real difference about this year’s seminar is a turn to looking forward,” he said. “Over the last couple of years I don’t think opportunity was on delegates’ minds so much as just coping.”
Scheduled panel discussions will include regulatory and financial reporting developments, said Morrissey. A more topical subject is the
Morrissey noted that, with 50 speakers lined up from 26 countries, the IIS generally has its seminar agenda set by about February. The
“This has been an extraordinary period for natural catastrophes, and we’re right on top of that with a great panel,” he said.
Another critical, and developing, issue is the pension market, which in many parts of the world is undergoing profound changes. “You can’t pick up the paper anymore without reading about under-funded public or corporate pensions,” he said. “In markets in
Also part of the agenda mix are panels on developing markets, featuring speakers from
The top executives slated for the seminar’s keystone “global leadership panel” reflects a balance of life and nonlife views in addition to regional spread:
Morrissey said he expects about 450 delegates to attend this year’s seminar — about the average for recent years. He noted the composition of the delegate body has been changing. “About 20 years ago, it would have been heavily North American and European. Now we get a large number of nations represented, and a significant growth from the
This shift reflects a growing interest in the best practices of the developed markets on the part of executives and regulators in growth markets, said Morrissey. Managers from
“There are many perspectives represented at our seminars,” said Morrissey. “That is one of our strengths.”
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