In this era of remote working, the thought of having an in-person event has been a pipeline dream for many around the world. However, due to Australia’s relative success in handling COVID-19, the Underwriting Agencies Council (UAC) was recently able to host a physical exhibition in Brisbane, an event that GM William Legge described as “a resounding success.”
October 14 saw the Pullman King George Square hotel play host to the UAC Brisbane Underwriting Expo. Due to social distancing requirements, the event was scaled down in certain respects and featured 23 exhibitors and 168 brokers in attendance. Two different time frames were available in which the brokers could attend the expo, while directional decals helped to control the number of attendees within each space.
“The expo was basically a trial to see if this kind of event can work in the future,” Legge told Insurance Business. “We chose Brisbane because of how it’s currently relatively unaffected by COVID-19 numbers, but also because there were a lot of UAC members up there who could attend.”
“Overall, it was well-received by the brokers in attendance, who were delighted to be able to meet people face-to-face instead of in a virtual setting. From where I stand, it was a resounding success,” he added.
It’s not the only in-person event that the UAC has planned, either – on November 25, the Norwest Sydney Underwriting Expo is set to be held in Bankwest Stadium, home of the NRL’s Parramatta Eels. At the event, the UAC will be providing thermal imaging of all attendees to ensure their body temperatures are within a safe range, and there will be a bottle of sanitiser at each exhibitor’s desk.
“Given that it’s the first in-person event the UAC is holding in Sydney since February, we’re anticipating a fairly good turnout for the Norwest Sydney Underwriting Expo,” Legge said.
