Risk advisor wins coveted scholarship

The winner of a coveted insurance scholarship has been announced this week, following extensive deliberation by a judging panel of senior industry figures.

Yesterday, Aon Benfield and the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) confirmed risk advisor Mowen Lee as the 2018 recipient of the Aon Benfield Scholarship.

Lee, who works at Victorian Managed Insurance Authority, submitted the winning entry on this year’s topic: The non-insurance gap – a growth opportunity?

As the winner of the scholarship, Lee will attend the 53rd annual Aon Benfield Global Clients Reinsurance Seminar in London from September 10-20, 2018.

The event has been described as an “outstanding educational opportunity” and “intensive study program” where Lee will gain an understanding of the principles and practices behind arranging reinsurance on a global scale.

Speaking about the win, Lee said he was both “delighted and honoured” to be chosen as the latest scholarship recipient.

“The Global Clients Reinsurance seminar in London is an exciting opportunity for me to learn more about the insurance and reinsurance industries and to network with industry professionals from across the globe,” he said.

“I would like to thank ANZIIF and Aon for providing me with this opportunity as well as my employer, VMIA, whose continued support of my professional development is second to none,” he added.

Established to reward and recognise outstanding insurance professionals in the Australian and New Zealand insurance markets and to emphasise the importance of continuing professional development in all aspects of the industry, the scholarship, in partnership with ANZIIF, has been sponsored by Aon Benfield for the past 14 years.

“We are excited to provide an opportunity for industry professionals such as Mowen to take part in this educational opportunity where he will gain invaluable insights, professional growth and broaden his international network at our London seminar,” said Robert De Souza, CEO at Aon Benfield Australia and New Zealand.

Prue Willsford, CEO at ANZIIF, agreed that the scholarship offers insurance professionals an opportunity to learn, grow and expand their horizons within the industry.

“Given his interest in professional development, I am sure Mowen will embrace this life changing opportunity and make the most of his time at the Global Clients Reinsurance Seminar in London,” she added.

The scholarship was determined by a judging panel of industry figures, featuring Robert De Souza and Prue Willsford alongside Darren Maher, IAG’s group chief underwriting officer; Peter Cheesman, Aon Benfield’s head of analytics; and Paul Smeaton, Vero Insurance New Zealand’s chief executive.

The winner will also be recognised at the annual Australian Insurance Industry Awards to be held at Luna Park, Sydney on August 30, 2018.