Strengthening Regional Ties: ANZIIF Expands Partnerships Across South-East Asia

Image: (From left) Thao Tran, Rebecca Slingo, Katrina Shanks, Ms. Vasumadi Vasinondha, Mr. Atthaphon Phibunthanaphatthana and Mark Silveira 

On 20 August 2025, the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) and the National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) welcomed a high-level delegation from Thailand’s Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) to Sydney.

The meeting, held at Steadfast Head Office, marked a significant step in deepening collaboration with Thailand’s insurance regulator at a time of change and opportunity for the South-East Asian market.

The OIC’s delegation, led by Deputy Secretary-General Ms. Vasumadi Vasinondha, came to Australia as part of a study tour.

The discussion between ANZIIF and OIC underscored the importance of strong regulatory partnerships to uplift professionalism, strengthen workforce capability, and ensure resilience across the insurance sector.

For ANZIIF, this was not only a chance to showcase its expertise but also to demonstrate its commitment to long-term professional development in Thailand.

Why the OIC Partnership Matters

Thailand represents the second-largest insurance market in South-East Asia, with gross written premiums of USD 30 billion in 2024.

It is also one of the most complex environments in the region, facing headwinds such as sluggish economic growth, medical inflation, IFRS 17 implementation, and rising natural catastrophe claims.

The OIC plays a pivotal role in guiding insurers through these challenges, strengthening regulation, and ensuring that consumer protection keeps pace with industry change.

ANZIIF has been a longstanding partner to Thailand’s insurance industry, delivering qualifications and professional development programs through institutions such as the Thailand Insurance Institute (TII) and the Thai Insurance Brokers Association (TIBA).

The meeting with OIC highlighted a new phase in the partnership centred on advancing professional excellence through deeper collaboration.

“Engagements like this reaffirm our belief that sustainable insurance markets are built on professional capability,” says Mark Silveira, ANZIIF’s General Manager, Engagement.

“We see OIC as a crucial partner in Thailand, and together we can create pathways for professionals that not only meet regulatory requirements but also position the industry for the future.”

Key Themes and Discussions

The meeting addressed pressing issues affecting Thailand’s insurance landscape and explored how ANZIIF’s frameworks and programs can provide support.

• Professionalism and Standards: ANZIIF shared its experience in designing and implementing industry competency frameworks across the Asia–Pacific, covering life insurance, general insurance, claims handling, and broking. These frameworks form the foundation for qualifications and continuous professional development (CPD).
  
  
• OIC’s Strategic Priorities: The regulator highlighted its focus on strengthening personnel capacity, knowledge, and expertise across the insurance sector. A strong emphasis was placed on workforce training, licensing requirements, and the role of CPD in raising professional standards.
  
  
• Collaboration Opportunities: Both parties explored potential scholarship programs to support OIC staff development. There was also discussion about leveraging ANZIIF’s programs to provide training for intermediaries, loss adjusters, and other practitioners — critical roles in building trust and resilience in the insurance value chain.

• Thought Leadership and Knowledge Sharing: OIC expressed interest in ANZIIF’s suite of thought leadership initiatives, including webinars, seminars, and technical papers that address contemporary challenges such as climate change, mental health, and emerging risk classes.

Outcomes and Opportunities

Several tangible outcomes emerged from the discussions:

1. Shared understanding of ANZIIF’s role in supporting governments and industry to uplift professionalism through qualifications, CPD, and industry frameworks.

2. Deeper insights into OIC’s priorities, particularly in supervision, training, and workforce capability development.

3. Exploration of scholarship opportunities, creating new pathways for OIC staff and industry practitioners to access ANZIIF education.

4. Commitment to leveraging ANZIIF programs for intermediaries, loss adjusters, and other practitioners.

For ANZIIF, these outcomes reaffirm its position as the leading professional development partner in the region.

“The discussions with OIC were extremely productive,” Silveira says. “We left with a shared vision for how education and training can underpin not just compliance, but also customer trust, innovation, and market resilience.”

Addressing Market Challenges

The significance of the OIC partnership is heightened by the challenges Thailand’s insurance industry faces.

Rising claims from natural catastrophes, such as the March 2025 earthquake, have put pressure on underwriting and reinsurance frameworks.

Medical inflation is straining health insurance products, while regulatory reforms like IFRS 17 demand new approaches to reporting and capital management. Amid these pressures, professional capability and strong regulatory oversight become even more critical.

By aligning with OIC’s priorities, ANZIIF can help the Thai market address skills gaps, build resilience, and align with international standards.

ANZIIF and BITA: Expanding into Brunei

While Thailand represents a major market for ANZIIF, the Institute is also broadening its footprint across South-East Asia.

In a further milestone, ANZIIF has announced a new partnership with the Brunei Insurance and Takaful Association (BITA). This partnership is founded on a shared commitment to advancing professional recognition and development within Brunei’s insurance industry.

Under the agreement, BITA will act as ANZIIF’s authorised agent in the region, promoting and marketing ANZIIF’s skills units, education programs, and membership.

The partnership aims to ensure that Bruneian professionals have access to world-class insurance education and globally recognised qualifications. This will not only raise individual capability but also strengthen the industry’s reputation and resilience.

“Through this collaboration with BITA, we are ensuring that the next generation of insurance professionals in Brunei can access the same high standards of education and development that their peers enjoy across the Asia–Pacific,” Silveira says.

Looking Ahead

For ANZIIF, both the OIC and BITA partnerships represent more than just formal agreements.

They are part of a broader strategy to build a connected, professional insurance community across South-East Asia — one that shares common standards, embraces innovation, and is equipped to serve customers in a fast-changing risk environment.

As insurance markets across the region face pressures ranging from natural catastrophes to digital disruption, these partnerships offer a clear pathway forward. They emphasise ANZIIF’s role not only as an education provider but also as a trusted partner for regulators, associations, and insurers seeking to uplift professionalism and build sustainable markets.

With growing collaboration in Thailand, and new opportunities in Brunei, ANZIIF is well positioned to strengthen its impact across South-East Asia in the years ahead.