Own your professional development – A mentee’s guide to successful mentorship
Following its success in Melbourne and Sydney, for the first time the Rising Stars in Insurance Seminar will be in Auckland.
In this interactive seminar and workshop, we provide early career insurance professionals with the industry knowledge and practical skills to thrive in the workplace.
We believe anyone can reach their peak potential and be a rising star in the industry.
Have you just found your dream job? Are you exploring new opportunities? Or do you want to give someone a foot up in their career? This seminar presents tools, tips and tricks to help anyone new to the industry succeed.
During this seminar, a panel of insurance mentors and leaders will share the lessons they have learnt along their own career journeys. They will also provide practical advice to help early career insurance professionals reach their potential.
The panel discussion will explore:
- The importance of professionalism and ongoing professional development
- How to achieve consistent personal and professional growth
- Key leadership skills to enhance and develop your career
- Strategies to be confident in your role
- And much more!
The event also features an interactive workshop session, and plenty opportunities to connect with industry peers.
For any queries about this event, please contact Melanie Hansen, Event Manager.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this event, attendees will be able to:
- Identify opportunities to optimise mentorship relationships by defining the roles and expectations of both mentors and mentees
- Develop effective strategies for identifying and approaching mentorship relationships based on individual goals and needs
- Recognise and understand the significance of actively owning and investing in one's professional development, along with the importance of professional development and setting clear short-term and long-term goals
- Discuss potential roadblocks to professional development and outline strategies to overcome them.
Acknowledgements
ANZIIF gratefully acknowledges the generous assistance and support of the event content committee.
- Marianne Li – Principal, Risk Management NSW, Marsh
- Kara McInnes – National Claims Service Manager, CHU
- Linh Nguyen – Chief Client Officer, Insightus
- Alec Nikolic – Senior Underwriter, CGU
In 2024, the Rising Stars in Insurance Seminar will be held in Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland.
Kara McInnes (Workshop Facilitator)
Kara McInnes (Workshop Facilitator)
National Claims Service Manager
CHU Underwriting Agencies Pty Ltd
Kara joined the insurance industry in 2011 and is the National Claims Service Manager at CHU Underwriting Agencies. She is a leader who is passionate about the growth and development of professionals within the industry and is currently completing her MBA with the Australian Institute of Business.
In 2020 Kara was named by Insurance Business as a young gun and in 2021 Kara participated in the NIBA mentoring program as a mentor. She enjoys giving back to the industry serving on ANZIIF boards and committees.
Denise Bourdôt (Moderator)
Denise Bourdôt (Moderator)
Compliance Manager New Zealand
PSC Connect
After working in the General Insurance broking industry for 30+ years, including as a Branch Director at Crombie Lockwood, Denise joined PSC Connect in August 2019 as their first NZ Compliance Manager. Since then she has successfully attained three FAP Licences for each of the PSC businesses and recently won their High Achiever Award.
Denise is a Chartered Qualified Insurance Broker and an ANZIIF Senior Associate. In her spare time Denise and her husband like to socialise with friends, go to a concert, or unwind with a good meal and a nice bottle of Pinot Noir.
Isabelle Kwek
Isabelle Kwek
Associate
Wotton + Kearney
Isabelle is an associate with specialist insurance litigation firm, Wotton+Kearney. She has experience in handling a wide range of liability claims and particularly focuses on the areas of public liability, professional liability, and statutory liability.
Isabelle has a strong focus on dispute resolution, having assisted with defending insureds in court and tribunal proceedings, and other appropriate dispute resolution approaches, including mediation and judicial settlement conferences. She is an accredited mediator.
Isabelle also assists with advising insurers on indemnity disputes and the impact of evolving regulatory frameworks for financial services in New Zealand. She has subject expertise in medico-legal law and life sciences, drawing on her experience and studies in population health and health systems.
Isabelle began her career with a major New Zealand life insurer in 2016 and has since worked with law firms specialising in insurance law, joining Wotton+Kearney in 2022.
Isabelle was named the 2023 Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand Consensual Scholar and the Young Insurance Professional of the Year at the 2023 Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance awards.
Monica Maharaj
Monica Maharaj
Liability Claims Manager
NZI
Monica Maharaj is a Liability Claims Manager at NZI. She had worked in the insurance industry for 18 years.
Prior to working in the insurance industry, Monica worked in private practice and in-house specialising in employment law and civil litigation.
Monica has been a previous director of Board of Dress for Success Auckland, is Co-President of the Insurance Network, sits on the NZILA Committee and the ANZIFF Liability Committee and has been a recipient of the Insurance Business Elite Woman award in 2023 and 2024.
Daniel Palmer
Daniel Palmer
Specialist Liability and Cyber Chartered Loss Adjuster
Sedgwick
Daniel is a Chartered Loss Adjuster (AICLA) who has over 10 years’ experience in the insurance industry, becoming a Loss Adjuster in 2017.
Daniel specialises as a cyber incident response manager, working closely with industry leading experts to provide rapid responses, producing high quality outcomes and solutions.
Daniel also has experience in handling general and public liability claims, including damage to third party property, defective workmanship and contract works claims.
View the seminar program below
| Time | Session |
| 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM | Registration |
| 1:30 PM - 1:45 PM | Welcome address from ANZIIF |
| 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM | Panel discussion + Q&A |
| 2:45 PM - 3:05 PM | Afternoon Tea Break |
| 3:05 PM - 4:25 PM | Workshop |
| 4:25 PM - 4:30 PM | ANZIIF close |
| 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM | Networking Drinks |
Award Categories & Criteria
Sponsorship
Are you interested in sponsorship opportunities for this event? For more information on how your organisation can benefit as a sponsor of this leading professional development program, please contact Barbara Maruno, Partnerships Manager.
