The Isle of Man insurance sector is helping to shape the ‘One Voice’ vision of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), its vice-president Edward Grant has said.
Mr Grant was speaking at the Insurance Institute of the Isle of Man 28th annual dinner held at the Best Western Palace Hotel before an audience of some 270 guests, including the President of Tynwald, the Hon Clare Christian and the deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Douglas, Councillor and Mrs Jon Joughin.
Guests heard Mr Grant outline the CII’s commitment to deliver on its Royal Charter ‘to secure and justify the confidence of the public’ before he handed over to the president of the Insurance Institute of the Isle of Man John Hockney.
Mr Hockney referred to the ‘change and challenge’ the industry was facing against a background of increasing regulatory demands. He applauded member organisations’ dedication to CPD, explaining: ‘The priority of the Insurance Institute of the Isle of Man is the facilitation of access to a relevant, high-quality education programme which aims to support students seeking to gain their professional CII qualification as well as those qualified members requiring evidence of CPD. During the course of the last 12 months more than 40 hours of CPD have been made available locally to CII members.’
The evening was also, he said, an opportunity to celebrate and recognise four local chartered financial planners who had excelled in their professional qualifications examinations in 2014.
Tristen Bell APFS was presented with the AON award, which goes to an institute member who has achieved outstanding examination success in insurance or financial services examinations, typically at advanced diploma level or above.
Christina Skelly APFS received the Financial Planners and Insurance Brokers Association (FPIBA) prize, awarded to a member whose employer is an FPIBA member and who has achieved exceptional academic success in the area of insurance or financial planning examinations.
Natalie Bush APFS was presented with the Glyn Gilbert award. Named in memory of a past president of the institute, the award is given to a member who has achieved outstanding academic success and is the highest awarded presented by the institute.
The final award went to Laura Critchley FPFS, who received the UK national award - the Layborn award - presented by the CII nationally to a candidate achieving the highest overall examination mark across the UK, for the period covering examination sittings during 2013.
In closing Mr Hockney thanked the evening’s lead sponsor MAC Financial, also Capita, Kestrel Insurance and Marsh for their support.
Guest speaker at the dinner was Gulf War veteran John Peters, the former RAF pilot and Iraqi prisoner of war, now a best-selling author, management consultant with particular expertise in change and leadership issues, and sought after motivational speaker. Drawing on his experiences he entertained and inspired his audience with humour and insight born out of a remarkable life that had been defined by his seven-week ordeal of physical and psychological torture while in the hands of Saddam Hussein’s intelligence forces.
The evening concluded with a raffle and silent auction - the latter for a signed Martin Johnson England Rugby shirt and photo - in aid of the institute’s chosen charities for Mr Hockney’s year in office: the Insurance Charities, established in 1902 to provide financial and practical support to past and present insurance industry employees, and the Isle of Man Hyperbaric Medical Facility.
The total raised was ?3,056, to be divided equally between the two causes.
Photo- Guest speaker John Peters, centre, with Insurance Institute of the Isle of Man president John Hockney and the event’s lead sponsor, MAC Financial’s Jon McGowan. Picture Andrew Barton.
