This time last year I reflected that relevance and resilience were key themes for the life insurance industry with the changing market and environmental conditions – that continues to hold true for 2020 and the new decade ahead.
With Coronavirus upon us and a new world around us we are re-thinking how we engage members, support you through this and provide you with relevant content, virtually and continually. What was new yesterday is most certainly old today, so we will need to be agile, efficient and work with our members to support you in your roles and your education.
2020 will not only be a big year for our industry but also for ALUCA. I’d like to thank our sponsors for their continuing support and welcome new gold sponsor AIA, new silver sponsor, Moray and Agnew and Bronze partner QSuper. I’d also like to thank all of you, our valued members for being part of the leading life insurance industry association in Australasia run by members for members.
With so much change, both within our industry and externally, there has never been a more important time to stay connected – and this goes to the very heart of what we do – educating, developing and connecting our members. Now, more than ever we need to work together to support each other and our customers through these uncertain times. Please remember that if you do change companies you need to update your membership details so we can continue to stay connected. If you are not currently in a role, we want to continue to support you and stay connected. Contact our secretariat office and they will help you. This also applies to those on maternity or paternity leave.
ALUCA’s Board met last month for our annual strategy day. A key theme was to ensure we continue to support the industry and our new vision reflects this: Driving Professional Excellence. Education and professional development remain front and centre to our strategy. We are committed to continuing to provide a free, up to date and high value life insurance competency model specific to Life Insurance underwriters, claims and rehabilitation professionals. Our Certified Professional Life Insurance (CPLI) ALUCA membership accreditation program has been growing and recognises a wide range of qualifications and education providers to meet robust industry competencies and standards.
I’m delighted and very proud to share that we now have an Education Advisory Board that is headed up by the esteemed and globally recognized Professor: Professor Sir Mansel Aylward CB MD DSc FFOM FRCP FLSW who has spoken at a number of ALUCA conferences and events over the last few years. The Education Advisory Board will provide their input and advice around our competency framework, accreditation, education and continuous professional development program.
We have been continuing to build our relationships with key industry stakeholders locally, meeting with ASIC, APRA, ANZIIF, FASEA and the FSC and further afield with LADUCA in NZ, LUCID in UK and AHOU in USA.
Other news includes ALUCA Board’s succession plan. Later this year I will be stepping aside as ALUCA’s long-standing Chair and am delighted to welcome as the new ALUCA Board Deputy Chair, Mark Raberger who is Head of Health, Customer & Marketing at Metlife Australia who will transition to the role of Chair later this year. Mary Sinclair-Porter, Head of Underwriting at Zurich is the new ALUCA Board Secretary as well as jointly heading up the conference committee. Congratulations to them both.
You will by now have seen that we have proactively postponed to March next year ALUCA’s biennial conference, “customeyes”, which will still be held on the Gold Coast and ALUCA’s Awards night has been moved to later in the year. The safety, health and well being of all our members, volunteers and partners are paramount and we are here for you during these challenging times. We hope you enjoy the additional complimentary webinars and content we have been providing for members.
Stay well and safe and as always, I welcome your feedback and comments chair@aluca.com
Best regards,
Jim Welsh
ALUCA Board Chair
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