Update from ICMIF Americas Board meeting on member events in 2012

ICMIF’s Regional Association for the Americas (ICMIF/Americas) will celebrate its 20th Annual Conference at the NH City and Tower Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina from November 14-16, 2012. Hosted by the Argentine Association of Cooperative and Mutual Insurers, this two and a half day event will bring together over 150 delegates from ICMIF members from over 20 countries throughout the Americas as well as around the globe.

Among preliminary highlights include confirmation of the keynote speaker, Reverend Paul Flowers, Chairman of Board of The Co-operative Banking Group in Manchester, United Kingdom. The Co-operative Banking Group is part of The Co-operative Group, the UK’s largest consumer co-operative with over 6.5 million customers, and their businesses include The Co-operative Insurance, The Co-operative Bank, smile (the first cooperative internet bank) and Britannia.

In addition to highlighting the successes and further possible opportunities associated with the U.N. International Year of Cooperatives, a series of conference sessions are being planned with themes including branding and reputation, digital marketing, long term insurance industry trends, managing locally in the global economic crisis, and working with rating agencies, with other topics still to be confirmed. Details will be available soon at www.icmifamericas.org

ICMIF/North America Opportunities

For ICMIF members in Canada and the United States, ICMIF/Americas will be focusing on several new opportunities:

• A half day ICMIF Global Forum for CEOs/Senior Executives is being planned in conjunction with the International Summit of Cooperatives in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada on October 8, 2012. Senior ICMIF leaders from around the world will gather for an intensive networking opportunity focusing on high level strategic issues which affect our sector. Details to be announced.
• With the recent addition of ICMIF members who represent fraternal benefit societies in North America, ICMIF/Americas will be collaborating closely with new member the American Fraternal Alliance on a number of events to share industry best practice and build relationships with other member-owned insurers globally. We will also be exploring how we can facilitate greater networking opportunities within the life insurance sector for fraternal, mutual and cooperative insurers.
• ICMIF/Americas will be engaging in greater industry representation and monitoring of issues affecting our members through our relationships with insurance regulators such as the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the Latin American Association of Insurance Supervisors (ASSAL).