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The Organizer’s Perk: Being a Fly on the Wall at ICTC2016

Organizing a conference is a lot of work, but it has its perks.   One big one is sitting in on meetings with really smart people talking about present and future challenges and opportunities.  Let me share examples from panels at the 2016 Insurance-Canada.ca Technology Conference.

Hit the Road

Our friend, Catherine Kargas, from MARCON, has been following the leading edge of automotive technology for some time now.  A few years back, Catherine was shocking audiences with predictions of the advent of self-driving vehicles.

This year, Catherine has brought together an insurer, Karim Hirji, SVP at Intact, a regulator, Claudio DeRose, Director at the MTO, and a car sharing service provider, Alifya Curtin, General Counsel for car2go.

In the panel, Mobility, Technology, Regulation, and Insurance, these good folks aren’t going to talk about silos of vehicles, but a new concept that is getting the attention of municipalities around the world: Mobility as a Service (MaaS).

If you thought giving up driving was controversial, picture giving up owned vehicles entirely.  Here’s a short chat I had with Catherine on the subject.

Transformation, by the numbers …

We know how Analytics are becoming increasingly important in many areas in insurers and brokers, but what about the bigger picture; what do analytics mean for the enterprise?

Novarica’s Chuck Ruzicka will be leading a panel, Managing the Modern Hydra, to tease out some clues.  Andrew Lo from Kanetix will describe the different uses of external data in the acquisition and marketing universe.

Cindy Maike, from Hortonworks, will look at Big Data across the enterprise and the impacts that analytics can have in the various corners of the enterprise.  Last, but certainly not least, Dr. Eugene Wen, Chief Statistician at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (Ontario) will articulate the pivotal role data and analytics played in the transformation of business (read: move from deficit to surplus) at the WSIB.

Risk and Reward in the Digital Universe

Digital progress has been dramatic over the last while, and the increase in cyber attacks has followed suit (double entendre noted). It has taken some time, but there seems to be some progress in developing parameters for defining risk, establishing proactive measures for risk control, and innovative methods to underwrite and service clients proactively.

Bobbie Goldie, major accounts lead, Chubb, will moderate a panel consisting of a broker, Patrick Bourk, Integro, an underwriter, Ruby Rai from AIG, a forensic accountant, Andrew Bourne, BDO, and a technical executive, Michael Dombrowski, BDO.

This group’s objective is to show insurers how to stay one step ahead of the bad guys and help clients continue business.

Leaders gotta lead ….

The waves are breaching across the bow, and the winds have stripped the deck of any loose objects,  but the crew is well trained and the captain has clear direction:  Forward.

#ICTC2016 has brought back our friend Kimberly Harris-Ferrante, Gatner, to complete a survey of insurers in Canada and to report on the state of digital in the Canadian insurance ecosystem.  We will then organize a panel of insurance executives – David Crozier, Everest Insurance, Heather Masterson, Travelers Canada, Matt Yeshin, Marsh Canada, and Elan Satov, Aviva – to discuss implications.

I have the privilege of moderating this group and after our first coordination meeting, I am pleased to report that the panel is ready to engage each other and the attendees.  Digital is not a technology as much as a new platform for the conduct of insurance

So bring your tough questions.

We will report later, but why wait?

The #ICTC2016  will take place on 29 February 2016 and its new sister, the 2016 Insurance-Canada.ca Broker Forum will take place the following day.  We will report the results, but it will be nothing like being there live.

Plan to join us.