MSA Research Inc., a provider of financial information relating to Canadian insurers, announced the launch of its new Canadian Commercial Insurance Summit (CCIS) on Dec. 3.
“The CCIS is a new event geared strictly for brokers, MGA’s and insurers that are involved in the commercial space in Canada,” MSA said in a statement. “It will be a place for executive level brokers and carriers to meet, hear expert speakers, network and have private breakout meetings in an extremely pleasant and conducive environment.”
The inaugural CCIS will take place from June 23 to 25, 2013 at The Rosseau, a JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Muskoka, Ontario. Registration for the CCIS will open early in 2013.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Robert Harrison, president of the Toronto Insurance Conference (TIC), an association of 22 major commercial brokerages across Canada, said of the event.
“It will be specific, it will be targeted to insurers and brokers, the top end of both, and it won’t shy away from topics. It will really try to provide an industry view, whether it’s talking about general economics, the economics of the industry, or specific coverage issues.”
The CCIS agenda and conference ground rules will be driven by an advisory committee consisting of commercial broker CEOs from across Canada and three carrier CEOs.
The inaugural CCIS advisory committee includes:
• Joel Baker, president and CEO of MSA Research Inc.;
• Rodney Hancock, CEO of McFarlan Rowlands;
• Andrew Kemp, president of CMW Insurance Services Ltd.;
• Stéphan Bernatchez, owner of Deslauriers & Associés inc.;
• TIC president Robert Harrison; Christine Lithgow, CEO of Aon Risk Solutions;
• Valerie Cusano, president of Iridium Risk Services;
• emcee Andy Henke, retired CEO of GCAN Insurance Company;
• Patrick Lundy, president and CEO of Zurich Canada;
• Stephen Halsall, president of Insurance Brokers Association of Canada (IBAC);
• Andrew Hollenberg, president of ACE Canada; and
• Lynn Oldfield, president and CEO of Chartis Canada.
“We are delighted to be coming out of the gate with such an outstanding advisory committee,” said Baker. “Support for this has been overwhelming as there is an obvious need for a national annual gathering for leaders in the Canadian commercial market.”
Founded in 2003, MSA is an independent, Canadian‐owned analytical research firm that is focused on the Canadian insurance industry. It currently already organizes two prominent, annual industry events: The National Insurance Conference of Canada (NICC), and the Canadian Insurance Financial Forum (CIFF).
