Annual conference heading for new heights

Registrations for Airmic’s annual conference, which takes place in Harrogate from June 6-8, have got off to a flying start. Nearly 25% more people have booked their places than at the same period last year, giving hope that attendance will attract nearly half the association's 1200 members. Mark Baylis looks at some of the attractions on offer.

Organisers are naturally delighted at the prospect of breaking all previous records. “The Programme Committee have tried to put together an exceptional event, and I think they have succeeded. However, the number and quality of delegates are a vital part of the mix – and it looks as though this year is going to be better than ever,” said chief executive John Hurrell.

As a tourist destination and gateway to some of the finest countryside in the UK,  Harrogate provides a great back-drop to what promises to be an outstanding few days of discussion, debate and networking. The main attraction, though, is what happens inside the conference hall.

The Airmic conference formula has been the same since time immemorial -  a mix of plenary talks with high-profile speakers, workshops on specialist subjects, lots of social events and an exhibition at the heart of things. The topics are another matter; they change every year to reflect the priorities of the risk community. 

Professor Brian Cox OBE

One of the trends I have noticed over the past twelve years is that more and more delegates stay for the final talk. This year it will be especially worth doing so as it is given by the TV physicist Professor Brian Cox. Described as the “rock star of science”, he is known for his lively and amusing presentation of scientific subjects and his ability to explain complex subjects to people with little scientific knowledge.

I doubt whether any of those present at my first Airmic conference, in 2003, had even heard of cyber-risk. In Harrogate it forms the subject of the first keynote speech by two world experts in the subject. Professor Marco Gercke and Peter Hacker, respectively Director and Partner at the Cybercrime Research Institute, will give a talk entitled “Cyber Attack – a Scenario in real Time”.

Cyber also features in the workshops, as do several other new or newish topics: the Insurance Act, the Internet of Things, drones, telematics and whether or not recent regulatory changes render captives redundant. These are, however, just a taste of the 39 subjects covered by the workshops. It is a case of something for everybody.

Jonathan Dimbleby

The Insurance Forum has always been a highlight of the conference – or at least potentially so. Just occasionally it has been a bit woolly and fuzzy in places. Hopefully, no danger of that this year with a heavyweight in Jonathan Dimbleby to chair the discussion and keep it moving in the right direction. With an exceptional panel as well, this promises to be a lively and genuinely insightful occasion. 

The final aspect of the conference that seems to develop every year is the sheer scale of the event. This time we have, yet again, the biggest exhibition ever. The stands have become a major draw in their own right. All in all, there is more than enough in store to justify the conference position as by far the most important risk and insurance gathering in the UK calendar.

For more information, please visit the conference website - www.airmicconference2016.com