Shining a spotlight on best practice

Gone are the days when Airmic changed direction with each new chairman. Its business planning process ensures continuity of policy; the current ten-year plan was agreed in 2011. In normal times, therefore, the Board’s main role is one of oversight rather than seeking dramatic new initiatives.

Looking back at his first six months in post, Chris McGloin is proud of the way that Airmic has steadily continued to grow its role and believes that there is lots more to come between now and June, when he hands over the reins to Helen Pope (formerly Hayden).

In addition to the continued success in expanding training and education support for members he identifies three priority areas  this year which have all seen good progress. These are to spotlight best practice, help the market in its quest for new innovative products and to influence the regulatory environment.

The record annual dinner turnout last month demonstrated “the strength of the London market as a whole and Airmic in particular. It was a great networking event that brought people together who maybe had different perspectives but were keen to take matters forward.”

Of all the new developments to bear fruit he singled out fastTrack as very important. “It enables Airmic to reach out to a new group of relatively inexperienced risk managers and gives them a platform. When we look back at 2013 in the future, I expect us to see this as a truly game-changing development.”

Later this month, Airmic will be publishing Roads to Resilience, the long-awaited sequel to Roads to Ruin. McGloin sees this as a potentially highly influential piece of work. It has been researched by Cranfield Business School and supported by a wide range of members, partners and other stakeholders – a great illustration, he says, of how Airmic is uniquely able to bring together different interest groups for the common good.

He also welcomes the research being undertaken by technical director Paul Hopkin into insurance efficacy. McGloin has repeatedly voiced frustration at what he sees as the failure of some insurers and brokers to deliver the results that buyers have a right to expect.

“Paul’s report is going to take the form of a guide to help risk managers develop truly effective and dependable insurance programmes. It goes to the very heart of what most Airmic members require,” he says.

The publication is scheduled to coincide with the annual conference in June, which takes place in Birmingham this year. “I am really looking forward to welcoming people to what should be the biggest, best attended conference we have ever held. It should be a great occasion.”

So a great year so far with much more to come. However, he is the first to acknowledge that it is a collaborative effort. “The Airmic executive are doing many great things, working with the whole board and our partners. That’s the Airmic way of getting things done,” he says.