Annual Conference 2025

Breakout A

Growing pains – how regulators and industry can work together to address the challenges to growth and competitiveness

This session will explore the fiscal situation needed in the UK to remain internationally competitive and support growth. It will look at how the UK financial services regulators are meeting their secondary objectives on competitiveness and growth and how the insurance sector can work with
the regulators to do more. We will also look at what the FCA and PRA is doing to support incumbent firms to help them innovation, such as with their sandboxes, and the review of the FCA handbook. Finally, we will discuss how the Investment Delivery Forum and announcements made at the UK’s recent International Investment Summit will further support growth in the UK.

Speakers:

• Chair: Charlotte Wightwick, Assistant Director, Head of Conduct Regulation, ABI
• Matt Brewis – Director of Insurance, FCA
• Philippa Herz, CFO, OneFamily
• Shoib Khan, Director of Insurance Supervision, Bank of England
• Dan Scholey, CCO, Moneyhub

Breakout B

A game of health – how insurers are using technology to help consumers lead healthier lives

Panellists would be invited to discuss the increasing use of technology to deliver health promotion, prevention and care as part of insurance health benefits. The number of wellbeing Apps, virtual GPs, fitness trackers are every increasing and evolving.

Speakers:

• Chair: Rebecca Ward, Assistant Director, Head of Health and Protection, ABI
• Chris Carroll, CEO, BUPA Insurance
• Jeremy Chadwick, Client Lead Partner, KPMG
• Sarah Hughes, CEO, Mind
• Rhiannon Lambert – Registered Nutritionist, Rhitrition
• Dr Katie Tyron, Commercial Director for Health, Vitality

Breakout C

Securing financial futures: Enhancing retirement incomes through innovative risk-sharing products

Enhancing the retirement incomes of savers is a crucial challenge for the long-term savings industry. This breakout session will delve into the current landscape and future of savings products that incorporate risk-sharing mechanisms. The panel will explain and contrast how these innovative
products function, highlight the benefits they offer to savers, and share views on the market’s future prospects.

Speakers confirmed so far include:

• Chair: Hetty Ahern, Head of Long-Term Savings Policy, ABI
• Claire Altman, MD Individual Retirement, The Phoenix Group
• John Canavan, Head of DC Later Life Policy, Department for Work and Pensions
• Kavi Myladoor, Retirement Income Director – Retail, Just Group
• Will Pritchett, Managing Director - Global Retirement Services Lead, Accenture
• Paul Waters, Head of DC Markets, Hymans Robertson

Breakout D 
Chasing the algorithm – harnessing the power of social media

The session brings together four social media experts to help delegates understand how to harness the power of social media; what the different channels have to offer, how they can use their own platforms to highlight their work, and how they can work with influencers.

Speakers confirmed so far:

• Chair: Rosie Trousdell, Digital Campaigns Manager, ABI
• Claer Barrett, Consumer Editor, Financial Times
• Simmy Kaur, Senior Social Media Manager, PensionBee
• Rotimi Merriman-Johnson, DipFA and Online Financial Educator, Mr MoneyJar
• Oliver Mott, Head of Social Media, Starling Bank

Breakout E 

Risky business - how is insurance supporting business to grow from SME to mid-corporate?

This panel session will delve into the essential risk management support and services that the insurance industry provides for SMEs and mid-corporate businesses. It will explore how risk transfer needs evolve into comprehensive risk management capabilities as businesses grow and the critical role insurers play in assisting business to manage a wide range of business risks and enhance governance and compliance frameworks. It will also look at the evolving landscape of risk management in the context of increased geopolitical risks, climate change considerations and the adoption of new technologies.

Speakers include:

• Chair: Nick Hankin, CUO, QBE
• Adam Ball, Head of Loss Control UK, Zurich Resilience Solutions
• Neil Galjaard, Managing Director UK, Markel
• Julia Graham, CEO, Airmic
• Sarah Stanford, CEO, Aspen UK

Breakout F 

Driving customer value, experience and trust through AI

This session will explore how AI is changing the dynamic of customer engagement between general insurers, broker and intermediaries and the insured - the end customer. This will cover how intelligent and generative capabilities are being applied to provide systemic empathy to acquisition
and servicing across the lifecycle of the insured, strong support and management of customer vulnerability, and rapid and preventive complaints handling, turning detractors into advocates. It will centre on trust - in capability and data, colleagues, and, ultimately, customers.

Speakers include:

• Dr Leanne Allen, Partner, UK Head of AI, KPMG
• John Middlemiss, Head of Customer Strategy, Financial Services, KPMG
• Katie Sullivan, Customer Strategy, Insurance, KPMG

Breakout G

Mind the (talent) gap - How to make our industry a better place to work and attract talent

The current geopolitical unrest, growing cost of living, and the increasing need to prioritise sustainability in the supply chain all have an impact on jobs, according to research from the World Economic Forum. And to stay competitive, workers need to be vigilant about upskilling and adapting
to shifting job responsibilities all in the context of the reputational hurdles our sector and wider financial services face. This panel will explore how creating an inclusive environment, where individuals feel safe to voice ideas and challenge existing views, can drive innovation and attract top talent.

Speakers confirmed so far:

• Chair: Deepak Jobanputra, ABI DEI Board sub-group Chair and Vitality CSO
• Craig Dickson, CEO, DAC Beachcroft Claims Solutions Group
• Sharon Hunt, Head of HR, Customer Success Unit, Microsoft
• Claire Tunley, Chief Executive, Financial Services Skills Commission
• Nick Turner, Group Chief Executive, NFU Mutual

Breakout H

Open for business - Unlocking pension investment in UK plc

This year marks the first year of Solvency UK, with much discussion around how the prudential regulation reforms can unlock UK pension investment in the UK – with the insurance sector pledging to invest £100bn in UK productive assets over the course of 10 years. The Investment Delivery Forum has been set up to help meet this pledge. At the same time, the Pension Investment Review aims to create megafunds in DC pensions, with the scale and capability to invest in a wide range of asset classes that can deliver better long-term returns for savers, including investment in the UK.

This panel will explore how insurers and pension providers are investing in the UK, what barriers they face, and how we can work with the new government to catalyse investment, with initiatives such as the National Wealth Fund, GB Energy, LIFTS and the British Growth Partnership.

Speakers confirmed so far:

• Chair: David Otudeko, Interim Director of Regulation, ABI
• Kevin Doran, Chief Investment Officer, Scottish Widows / Lloyds Banking Group Plc
• Steve Penketh, Advisor to the CEO, Green Finance Institute
• Shelley de Souza, Director, Banking and Investments, National Wealth Fund