UK Broker Summit

The UK Broker Summit is the must-attend event for the most influential players in the insurance broking community, with only 60 invitation-only places available for top CEOs, MDs and chairmen from the UK's leading general insurance brokers.

2023 Agenda

10:0010:30

Registration

10:00 - 10:30

10:3010:35

Group Photo

09:45 - 10:00

10:3510:40

Editor’s Welcome

10:35 - 10:40

Moderator: Jonathan Swift

Director of Content

Insurance Age, Insurance Post

10:4011:10

Opening Keynote Address: 2024 Economic Outlook: the last mile to price stability may be the most challenging

10:40 - 11:10

Charlotte Mueller

European Chief Economist

Swiss Re

Charlotte Mueller is the European Chief Economist at Swiss Re, based in Zurich, Switzerland. Her current responsibilities involve driving macroeconomic analysis and forecasting, covering topics like the inflation, GDP growth and the interest rate outlook for Europe. She is also supporting the Swiss Re Institute in broader thought leadership research. Before her current role, Charlotte was working in the macro investment strategy team within the Asset Management division of Swiss Re. Charlotte has been working at Swiss Re for 8 years. Charlotte has an international background, of dual Swiss-Swedish nationality, grew up in Asia and completed her university studies in the UK.

11:1011:50

Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics in insurance: building trust and brokering new opportunities

11:10 - 11:50

One year ago, the term ChatGPT would’ve meant nothing to most of us, but it is now spearheading one of the fastest and most radical technological shifts in recent memory. The impact and opportunities of AI are still being assessed but will at the very least influence the way we work and how services and goods are delivered and created. And that’s without taking into consideration the ethical and regulatory challenges ahead.
This session brings together experts in the field of AI and technology to share their insights, predictions and assessments on what this could mean for the insurance sector, and how as leaders, you can prepare for this shift.

Ed Gaze

CEO and co-founder

IRL (Innovative Risk Labs)

11:5012:10

Coffee and networking

15:10 - 15:30

12:1013:10

Stream

First Interactive Focus Group

A) Where is the insurance market going?

12:10 - 13:10

This session is for brokers to explore how the insurance market is evolving. What will the marketplace look like in 5, 10 or 20 years’ time? How do you expect customers to behave and what will their buying habits be when it comes to insurance? What do brokers need from insurers, MGAs in the years to come?

Discussion points include:

  • In 10 or more years’ time, what will customers want from their insurance covers?
  • In 10 or more years’ time, how will brokers trade with MGAs and insurers?
  • What shape will insurance companies take in the future and how will customers access them?
Nick Wright

Chief development officer

Pen Underwriting

Nick joined Pen at its launch in 2014 and headed up its Commercial division until July 2020 when he became Chief Development Officer.

He now drives business development across Pen, with responsibility for mergers and acquisitions, talent acquisition, new product launches, innovation sales and distribution.

Prior to Pen, Nick held various senior positions in the insurance industry including Managing Director of Fusion, the specialist risk managed property and liability MGA.

Nick is married with 2 older children. He is a keen skier, likes a round of golf and for his sins supports Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club.

Richard Webb

Director

Manchester Underwriting Management

Richard has over 37 years’ insurance experience and started his career with General Accident. In 2000, Richard moved to Hiscox Insurance Company where he took on responsibility for establishing the London Branch. During 2004, Richard moved to HCC International as a Director of the Professional Indemnity Division. In 2008, he took on the role of Head of Marketing & Broker Development working with all underwriting divisions of HCC International.

In 2010 Richard joined Manchester Underwriting Management (MUM) as a Director working across the business. In 2021 Pen Underwriting Limited acquired MUM and following the integration Richard has now taken on the role of Managing Director for UK Financial Lines & Specialist Liability. This includes the UK Professional Indemnity, MUM Casualty and UK Solicitors PI businesses.

 

 

Stream

First Interactive Focus Group

B) Charitable Giving in Business

12:10 - 13:10

 

The pace of change in the last 20 years hasn’t been limited to technology; social conscience, the desire to feel part of something and make a difference is now more important to society than ever before. In this session we’ll explore what part charitable giving plays in this and means to both customers and businesses in 2023. We’ll look at the different types of giving, how businesses are embracing this and why with evolving buying behaviours it’s increasingly seen as an important part of a business’s proposition to deliver growth through greater employee and customer engagement.

Discussion points in the session will include:

  • What role do you think charitable giving has in your business over the next 5 years?
  • What are the barriers to communicating your charitable giving to your customers both B2C and B2B, are there any?
  • How is it right and correct to promote your charitable giving activities
  • How do you introduce charitable giving into the sales process
  • Where’s the starting point for adding charitable giving to your business proposition?
Richard Coleman

Managing director - UK general insurance

Ecclesiastical

Richard started his career as a graduate trainee and spent nearly 20 years at Zurich. He held a variety of roles including leadership of the Personal Lines Broker and SME businesses, and was latterly MD of Zurich’s UK Commercial Broker business.  Following 2 years as European Director at Collinson he joined as MD of Ecclesiastical UK in 2020. On a personal note, Richard lives in West Sussex, is a father of two, and enjoys travel, running, skiing and golf. 

Geoff Turner

Broker Distribution Director

Ecclesiastical

Geoff joined Ecclesiastical in April 2018 and he now leads the Broker Distribution team and more widely the distribution strategy for Ecclesiastical Intermediary business in the UK, prior to Ecclesiastical he was at LV for 5 years where he held similar Distribution roles. .

Geoff was late to GI joining the industry in 2010 having previously worked in financial services and retail management, he’s always felt the transferable skills gained here have been fundamental to his contribution to date.

Away from work he has a young family and has a keen interest in DIY, gardening and generally the outdoors. He’s also passionate about supporting the local community where he serves as a parish councillor.

Stream

First Interactive Focus Group

C) Technology and the Evolution of Insurance

12:10 - 13:10

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Technological advancements have significantly impacted the insurance industry, particularly insurance brokers. With the emergence of new technologies such as AI, machine learning, and big data, the insurance industry needs to keep up. In addition, the world of insurance is being forever transformed by the rapid advancement of technology, posing challenges for brokers and their growth ambitions. Throughout this session, we will discuss how can we overcome the current challenges, streamline operations, and share thinking on shaping the future of the industry.

Discussion points include:

  • Exploring technology’s impact on reduction of costs, improving efficiency and creating differentiation
  • Examine the aspect of integrating new technologies  
  • Discuss the ways insurance brokers can streamline their operations and avoid the pitfalls of disconnected technology solutions
Jeff McCracken

Chief Customer Officer

Acturis

Jeff joined Acturis in 2012 with 20 years of industry experience with Close Premium Finance where he specialised in business development and e-commerce. He has a vast experience of managing strategic business relationships and heads up the Acturis sales and marketing function as well as managing a number of key broker, insurer and partner relationships.

Tony Goddard

Chief Executive Officer

Acturis

Tony joined the company in 2001 shortly after graduating from Durham University with a 1st class Masters of Engineering. After 20 years of leading the development of the platform Tony stepped up to the CEO role in early 2023

Stream

First Interactive Focus Group

D) The evolution of e-trading

12:10 - 13:10

 

As the insurance industry continues to evolve, e-trade has become an increasingly popular option for customers seeking convenient and affordable insurance solutions. However, this trend has also raised concerns among traditional insurance brokers who may feel threatened by the rise of online insurance. In this session, we will explore the impact of e-trade on insurance brokers and discuss strategies for adapting to this changing landscape.

Discussion points include:

  • Exploring the current state of e-trade in the insurance industry and the preferred purchasing methods and channels  
  • Examining the current key challenges facing SMEs, and how the insurance industry can support with these
  • Discussing the essential need for insurers and brokers to clearly communicate their value proposition
  • Maintaining customer relationships: strategies to enhance customer experiences
  • How the industry will need to evolve and adapt to keep pace with changing customer requirements and expectations.
Helen Bryant

Managing director - digital & legal protection

Allianz

Helen has over 20 years’ experience within Allianz having joined as a management trainee. She has held a variety of positions during her tenure including as a senior manager within the Bancassurance, Premierline and broker markets businesses. In her current role as managing director, digital trading and legal protection Helen is responsible for Allianz’s digital trading accounts and capabilities as well as the Allianz Legal Protection business. Helen also acts as a
director for Polaris, the industry body designed to improve the digital trading of insurance.

Rob Gowers

Distribution manager, digital trading

Allianz

Rob started his career with Allianz as a senior motor underwriter in the London market. In his current role as distribution manager for digital trading, Rob brings the best of Allianz to our brokers to support growth opportunities across all digitally traded lines of business.

13:1014:10

Lunch

13:10 - 14:10

14:1015:10

Second Interactive Focus Group

14:10 - 15:10

Each expert-led boardroom will give attendees the opportunity to discuss and debate key themes and challenges dominating the insurance broking industry. The aim of the boardrooms is to address pressing industry topics in more detail and off-the-record. This session will be held under the Chatham House Rule. 

Delegates will have the opportunity to attend the following sessions, which will run three times over the day: 

A) Where is the insurance market going?
B) Charitable Giving in Business   
C) Technology and the evolution of insurance
D) The evolution of e-trading

15:1015:30

Coffee and networking

15:10 - 15:30

15:3016:30

Third Interactive Focus Group

15:30 - 16:30

Each expert-led boardroom will give attendees the opportunity to discuss and debate key themes and challenges dominating the insurance broking industry. The aim of the boardrooms is to address pressing industry topics in more detail and off-the-record. This session will be held under the Chatham House Rule. 

Delegates will have the opportunity to attend the following sessions, which will run three times over the day: 

A) Where is the insurance market going?
B) Charitable Giving in Business
C) Technology and the evolution of insurance 
D) The evolution of e-trading

16:3018:30

Room check-in

16:30 - 18:30

18:3019:00

Drinks reception

18:30 - 19:00

19:0021:00

Dinner and after dinner speaker

19:30 - 23:00

Martin Sixsmith

Writer, presenter, journalist and broadcaster

Martin Sixsmith was born in Cheshire and educated at Manchester Grammar School followed by Oxford, Harvard, the Sorbonne and in St. Petersburg, Russia. He was a Slavics Tutor at Harvard and wrote his postgraduate thesis about Russian poetry.

From 1980 to 1997 he worked for the BBC, including postings as BBC correspondent in Moscow (for five years), Washington (four years), Brussels (four years) and Warsaw (two years). He covered the end of the Cold War and also reported from Poland during the Solidarity uprising and was the BBC's Washington correspondent during the election and first presidency of Bill Clinton.

From 1997 to 2002 he worked for Tony Blair's Labour Government as Director of Communications (a civil service post), first with Harriet Harman and Frank Field, then with Alistair Darling and finally with Stephen Byers. He left after raising concerns about the Government's laissez-faire attitude to telling the truth.

He is a writer, presenter and journalist, broadcasting on literature and music on BBC Radio Four and working on the political sitcom series, 'The Thick of It', on BBC TV.

His first book was a novel about near-future politics called Spin published in 2004. His second novel, a political satire entitled I Heard Lenin Laugh, was published in 2005. In 2006 he was commissioned by BBC Radio 4 to present a series of programmes on Russian poetry, literature and art.

In 2008 he worked on two TV documentaries for the BBC exploring the legacy of the KGB in today's Russia and he also presented a BBC radio programme, The Snowy Streets of St. Petersburg, about artists and writers who fled the former Eastern bloc.

In 2009 Martin wrote 'The Lost Child of Philomena Lee' about the separation of a mother from her child by the nuns of an Irish convent during the 1950s, and the subsequent attempts of the mother and child to contact one another. The book was adapted into the film Philomena, directed by Stephen Frears, starring Dame Judi Dench and Steve Coogan (as Sixsmith) for release in November 2013.

In February 2010 he published Putin's Oil, about Russia's energy wars and their consequences for Moscow and the world.

07:0009:00

Breakfast

09:00 - 10:00

09:1510:00

Travel to Broker Expo NEC Birmingham

10:0017:00

Broker Expo

10:00 - 17:00

18:3023:59

UK Broker Awards

18:30 - 23:59