Exploring innovative ideas to sustain the relevance of the insurance industry will be the focal point when industry leaders gather at this year’s Dive In Festival.
Dive In, a festival dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the insurance industry would take place in September on a global scale. This year’s theme of the festival is ‘Unlocking innovation: The power of inclusion’.
A statement said that in Nigeria, the event themed, ‘Driving innovation in insurance’, would aim to inspire operators across the commercial and operational sectors of the insurance industry to catalyse change, fostering greater inclusivity and innovation.
For the first time, the festival would offer a reverse mentoring programme to promote cross-level diversity, equity and inclusion engagement following the close of the three-day festival, a statement by the organisers said.
The statement said the novel programme aimed to bridge connections between leaders from diverse segments of the Lloyd’s market and individuals at all organisational levels. It was expected to foster the sharing of experiences, perspectives, and learning well beyond the three-day festival.
The Chief Strategy Officer at AON Reinsurance Solutions, Mary Alade, said that given the unprecedented changes in the global economy, the insurance industry must adapt to remain relevant.
She described the festival as an opportunity for employers to harness diverse perspectives, drive innovation, provide comprehensive coverage, ensure equitable access to insurance, and stimulate sector growth.
Alade said, “The Dive In Festival has made a noticeable impact on the Nigerian insurance sector. Local leaders are not just advocating for change but embodying it.
“By engaging insurance leaders in critical discussions on cultural diversity and inclusion, we’ve seen tangible improvements year after year. Dive In’s dedication, from research to advocacy campaigns, is evident, and the response from corporate leaders indicates that they are listening.”
According to the organisers of the event, this year, the festival would once again combine virtual and physical events, transcending geographical barriers and enabling a robust global dialogue centred on diversity, equity, inclusion, and innovation.
Last year’s Dive In Festival featured over 500 speakers who explored a wide array of topics, ranging from mental well-being to disabilities, it said.
The Head of Culture at Lloyd’s, Mark Lomas said, “We are proud to witness the continuous progress of inclusive cultures in our industry.
