GWII: Mix n Mingle - Game show

The way of the game

GameShow Live is a versatile activity that engages and energises, guaranteeing a memorable experience filled with fun and energy.

Choosing from a vast array of rounds, including Let's Go to the Movies, Deal or No Deal, Under Pressure, 50-50, Sport, Music Mix, a quick-fire buzzer round and a special Who Wants to be a Millionaire section, in a virtual setup, all the teams used their mobile phones to enter their answers.

The Dream Team quiz masters kept the pace, energy and laughter at the highest level from start to finish.

Congratulations to all our prize winners who walked away with amazing prizes:

• Two R1000 Takealot vouchers, sponsored by CIA; and

• Three Bluetooth headsets (valued at R300 each) and two R500 Sandton City vouchers, sponsored by Chubb.

Thank you

GWII would like to thank the sponsors, Chubb and Discovery for their sponsorship and support for this event.

Thank you to all the members that took part in the live game show. Getting together was a great way to mix fun, laughter and some friendly competition.

We hope that you and yours had a ton of fun!

GWII: CPD event 23 June 2021

Speaker Karen Naidoo, who has more than 20 years' experience in the short term insurance sector, the corporate insurance field and risk management, and is currently the Managing Director of Mutual & Federal Risk Finance (MFRF), discussed disruptors in business and agile insurance for the future.

What is agility

“As the environment changes, we have to ask ourselves if we are ready and set up for success. We are encouraged to be disruptive, to be innovative and to be future ready. But we need to set up to respond swiftly. We need to be agile,” said Naidoo.

“Agility is the ability to move quickly and easily, and to think and understand quickly. Agility is the innovation of doing things differently, it is about abandoning your comfort zone and embracing the unknown,” she added.

“Agile organisations are able to quickly reconfigure strategies and operating models to respond to volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous conditions (VUCA). Organisations that can do this efficiently achieve competitive advantage. Agility leads to stability,” emphasised Naidoo.

There are six behavior traits, according to Naidoo, that define an agile brand. These are:

• Being adaptive;

• Principled;

• Open;

• Responsible;

• Global; and

• Multichannelled.

Four ingredients for agile transformation

What do AGILE organisations have in common? Naidoo said there are four ingredients for a successful agile transformation:

1. Ensure the top team gets it;

2. Be intentional – chase value;

3. Build connective tissue – strategy, structure, process, people and technology; and

4. Maintain high speed and use front runners.

New world, new customers, new solutions

So, what does the future of insurance look like? “The future is history waiting to happen! Experts estimate that there will be up to one trillion connected devices by 2025, IoT, changes to underwriting, pricing, distribution and claims. The question is, are we as insurers agile enough to respond to our customer and their changing needs?

If we look at the year 2036, there are three scenarios, for example, that could play out, said Naidoo.

“In scenario one – the industry is completely disrupted, there are few traditional insurers and insurers are technology companies. In scenario two - traditional insurers fend off the disruptors and hold their position, startups crash and burn, traditional insurers make use of experience, financial stability to evolve, become more efficient and build ecosystems. And lastly, scenario three looks a lot like our world now. Change is already happening and there is too much emphasis on data.”

“But let's do things as we've always done them. Embrace change and be agile. New customers and a new world mean there are new opportunities and new solutions,” she concluded.

GWII Leaderwalk Invitation June 2021

The Leaderwalk concept nurtures the advancement of senior management and aspiring leaders by providing a platform to share expertise, master skillsets and cement networks.

Unstuck leadership as a practice

Themed “Unstucking for Post Pandemic Success”- the topic focused on leaders being unstuck.

Guest speaker Zipho Sikhakhane, a global speaker, thought leader, writer, business strategist, and CEO of EMZ Advisory, advised delegates on how she became an unstuck leader, since March 2020, and provided insightful guidelines on saying yes and being committed to “Unstuck Leadership” as a practice.

“A leader who senses and enables emergence is more competitive, faster moving, and experiences heightened creativity. In other words, they are decidedly unstuck. Being a great leader is a constant journey that requires discipline and determination,” said Zipho.

“The environment today is full of uncertainty and disruption. In all of this change, how do organisations optimise and also ensure they do not get left behind?” Questioned Zipho.

“There needs to be authentic leadership in uncertain times, agility, a digital strategy framework and the use of opportunities presented by the crisis,” she added.

“In terms of leadership be truly present, listen and engage… reaching into the lives of your teams. Collaborate, include and consciously ask for team input. Leaders need to remain credible, trusted agents. Show vulnerability and maintain transparency to build loyalty.

Focus on purpose and culture. Nourish yourself… great leaders operate from the best version of themselves. Lastly, pause and celebrate successes,” emphasised Zipho.

A discussion

We thank our table hosts (below) for accepting our challenge to facilitate discussions:

1. Andre Pienaar (F&I Group)

2. Audrey Husayihwevu (Aon South Africa)

3. Golden Mbhalati (Guy Carpenter)

4. Liza Morris (Bryte Insurance Company)

5. Makolo Kalambaie (Willis Towers Watson)

6. Peter Links (Marsh)

7. Steve Von Roretz (Leppard Underwriting)

8. Thabo Twalo (Santam Insurance)

In some of the feedback, table host Peter Links said, “Having a point of view is what challenges us. Personal commitment is what holds us accountable. Be confident, have a point of view and know that you are enough. If we believe this, we can change our industry.”

Audrey Husayihwevu said, “Different organisations have evolved since the pandemic and a lot of things have changed. We saw positives and there has been a lot of knowledge sharing, helping ourselves and others.”

On behalf of Steve Von Roretz, Jackie Baatjes said, “trust is a critical element… that makes the engagements more fruitful and more meaningful.”

In concluding, post pandemic, Andre Pienaar mentioned that the one thing is that we just have to get on with it and proceed… “Having a vision and seeing how others approach things will help us a lot.”

“In all the situations we face… we need to be able to grow out of them. Use the situations you are in now, and take those lessons to move on,” concluded Golden Mbhalati.

“Each one of us has value… there's value in diverse authenticity. Be present and do not draw so much on the past, to get a clear idea of future possible outcomes, so you can plan,” concluded Liza Morris.

Thank you

Thank you to all the delegates who attended this event, we hope that the session provided insightful guidelines on saying yes and being committed to “Unstuck Leadership” as a practice.

Thank you to our main sponsor, main sponsor, Marsh, and co-sponsors Camargue, F&I Insurance, F&I Reinsurance and Genasys for making this event possible!

Gauteng Women In Insurance: Masterclass Mindful Resilience

Themed Mindful Resilience, guest speaker Helen Nicholson, from The Networking Company, spoke to the ladies about mindful resilience in the new normal.

Mindful Resilience Training was introduced for the first time at Davos in 2013. World leaders and some of the world's best minds realised even pre-Covid that becoming more mindful impacts resilience and achieves neuro-science results (innovation, clarity, better decision making, strategic thinking and creativity).

The importance of resilience

"The demands of 2021 are going to be even more intense than 2020 and there is a certain level of resilience required because there is still so much that is unknown,” said Nicholson.

“Now, more than ever, as people are realising Covid is a long-haul journey, people need to utilise mindful resilience to become fit emotionally, mentally and physically for this journey. The environment that we are in is changing at a rate in which it has never done before. For people to perform at their peak, they need to be given the practical toolkit of mindfulness practices to be agile and adaptive to face new opportunities and challenges in the “new normal”,” added Nicholson.

Establish a resilience mindset

In setting out to establish a resilient mindset, Nicholson said that individuals need to:

• Identify that stress is not the bad guy, absence of recovery is the problem.

• Embrace uncertainty through “state management” techniques. Your energy is contagious… whether its face to face or virtual. If you are calm and at peace other people catch on that.

• As a top performer, learn how to integrate intentional recovery in your day, week, month and year. What is the full stop at the end of you day? There is no correct answer! Everyone has their own daily rituals, but we need to know when to shut down, turn off and rest, and when to continue as normal. You need weekend rituals and Sunday rest… and a few days off during the year away.

• Understand that sleep, movement and mindfulness are key strategies for advanced brain function. Sleep is more important than food. If you exercise and sleep, your immune system is enhanced. Sleep and meditation also go hand in hand. You have to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Take Magnesium, have an epsom salts bath to help you relax, put your phone on charge in the kitchen or elsewhere and get an old-fashioned alarm clock so that you have no distractions if you wake up in the middle of the night. During the day at your desk, move around, stretch and take in some air. Instantly you will feel energised.

• Learn practical techniques on how to be mindful in your busy lives. We often think of the past or worry about the future. Try being present in the moment now, be present in the present. Mindfully pay attention to your life now, before it becomes a full-blown crisis. Are there any red lights on your dashboard that signal problems? We have been trained to multitask all the time… multitasking makes us unhappy, do one thing at a time, and do it well.

• Develop your “Old Story” vs. “New Story” to gain insight into what's holding you back. Covid-19 has given us time to re-evaluate our lives, our families, our careers etc. - navigate and take control of your journeys.

• Establish rituals and action planning to ensure sustainable behaviour change.

“Stop multitasking, have barriers around technology, practice breathing exercises and mediation and practice gratitude. Be grateful for the big and little things, do not focus on what you do not have,” she concluded.

So, what will you do differently?

Lucky draws

A few lucky ladies walked away with prizes. Congratulations to all our lucky draw prize winners who walked away with amazing prizes:

• Two 400ml Tulip Inspired Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffusers and a set of 6 essential aromatherapy oils to use in the diffuser to the value of R1 779, sponsored by CIA; and

• Two Takealot Vouchers to the valued of R1000 each, sponsored by GWII.

Thank you

GWII would like to thank main sponsor Guy Carpenter for their sponsorship and support for this event. Without our sponsors this would not be possible.

Thank you, Helen, for guiding the ladies on how to establish a resilient mindset, and to all GWII members, thank you for attending this event. We hope that the toolkit of mindfulness practices will help you to become more agile and adaptive to face new opportunities and challenges.

Gauteng Women In Insurance: Quiz Night

With family and friends in tow, teams (consisting of friends and family members quarantined in one house or spread over the world) were in for laughter… with the fun quirky quiz session.

It was a great way to spend an evening with family and friends, in person or on-line.

The way of the game

In the form of a live broadcast, all the teams needed to do was join the quiz, with a paper and pencil in hand, ready to answer the questions posed by the quizmaster, Shaun Tucker (Quiz Master Productions).

At the end of each round, team scores were loaded. The final scores for the night revealed Wonder Women were the winners of the night.

Well done and congratulations to team Wonder Women who won a R2 500 Takealot voucher, sponsored by Camargue Underwriting Managers.

Congratulations to the Smooth Criminals who came in 2nd place, Constantia Chickies who came in 3rd place, and the spot prize winner, the Bumpers... who won picnic basket hampers valued at R800 each, sponsored by Discovery.

Thank you

GWII would like to thank main sponsor Discovery for their sponsorship and support for this event.

Thank you to all the members that took part in the quiz night. Getting together was a great way to mix fun, laughter and some friendly competition.

We hope that you and yours had a ton of fun!

GWII: CPD Session - Defamation and social media: a liability insurance perspective

Speaker Daniel Kidd, Director at Everinghams Attorneys, discussed a few case studies involving defamation in complex commercial and insurance disputes and professional indemnity litigation and general liability cases.

“Over the past few years, we have seen growth in social media usage Currently, there are 3.9 billion active social media users and social media usage grows approximately 376 million people each year. So, what do we get when we equip half the world's population with a platform to express their thoughts and views as they please?” Asked Kidd.

Defamation and its history

“Defamation and sharing of harmful or false content has legal consequences. Defamation is the infringement of a person's reputation,” said Kidd.

“An Edict codified in AD 130, declared that an action could be brought for shouting at someone contrary to good morals. The essence of the offense was in the unwarrantable public proclamation. In Anglo-Saxon England, defamation was punished by cutting out the person's tongue. In Roman law, abusive chants were even punishable by death. Initially, defamation was only a criminal offence. But as the law developed, people became entitled to civil compensation for defamation. In the Roman era, a person was entitled to claim that he was being defamed if someone with messy or untidy hair followed him around,” added Kidd.

“In order to succeed with a claim for defamation in a South African Court, it is necessary to prove the following three facts: the publication (the defamatory statement must be known to at least one person other than the plaintiff), defamatory material (the material must be defamatory in nature), and that is relates to the plaintiff (a causal connection between the defamatory material and the plaintiff),” said Kidd.

A case study

One of the first cases dealing with defamatory posts on Facebook was that of Isparta versus Richter.

“The first defendant made various posts on her Facebook wall concerning the plaintiff (his ex-wife). The second defendant (the first defendant's wife at the time) was tagged in the first defendant's posts but did not post any comments. Two of the first defendant's posts suggested that the plaintiff was a bad mother and permitted an inappropriate relationship between her step-son and daughter. The court found these posts defamatory, and awarded damages of R40 000 to the plaintiff, payable by both defendants jointly and severally,” emphasised Kidd.

“What did we learn from this case? South African law does not require a person to be the originator of the defamatory content to be held liable – merely repeating or "sharing" a defamatory post is sufficient to constitute defamation. A person may be equally liable for another person's posts where that person knows that they have been tagged in the other person's post and allows their name to be used, and fails to take steps to disassociate themselves from the defamatory post. A series of comments or posts published via social media may have a defamatory meaning when read together, despite each comment or post appearing individually harmless,” continued Kidd.

“Who can be held responsible? Facebook page administrators, WhatsApp group admins (WhatsApp is a form of social media and sending a post electronically on WhatsApp constitutes publication), Retweeters, Shares, possibly even liking posts. A “like” is associated with a positive value judgment indicating support for the content,” said Kidd.

“So, its worthwhile checking out the coverage in liability policies to properly manage the exposure,” concluded Kidd.

Gauteng Women In Insurance: Leaderwalk Invite Adaptive Intelligence with Buhle Dlamini

The Leaderwalk concept nurtures the advancement of senior management and aspiring leaders by providing a platform to share expertise, master skillsets and cement networks.

Themed “Adaptive Intelligence and The Future of Work” - guest speaker Buhle Dlamini, a global speaker, an award-winning entrepreneur and author of six books, opened the platform for meaningful engagement and dialogue.

As a member of Tomorrow Today Global, Dlamini shows leaders and teams how to create the most productive and effective organisational cultures.

On the topic of enabling leaders in creating an effective, inclusive culture in the new world of work, adaptive intelligence is now an important skill that leaders need to cultivate in order to succeed.

We thank our table hosts (below) for accepting our challenge to facilitate discussions:

1. Gerhard de Bruin (Camargue)

2. Karen Naidoo (Old Mutual Insure)

3. Lizelle van der Merwe (FIA - Financial Intermediaries Association of Southern Africa)

4. Magesh Naidoo (Innovation Group)

5. Sedick Isaacs (Bryte)

6. Sizwe Ndlovu (Pineapple)

7. Soul Abraham (Old Mutual Insure)

8. Thokozile Mahlangu (IISA - Insurance Institute of South Africa)

9. Tshepiso Chocho (Sasria SOC LTD)

10. Zuriel Naicker (Marsh)

Some key thoughts were shared after the breakaway sessions.

Mahlangu aired her thoughts by discussing practical diversity and inclusion. “Do small things every day and that will make a difference - once you start making an impact - BE READY!”

Leaving some inspirational sentiment, Naicker summed up their discussion with the following words, “gratitude, faith, hope, celebration and kindness.”

Dlamini then concluded by saying that we all seem to be getting stuck in the same routine, with the same old online meeting over and over… we should all have online fatigue by now. “Spice things up… do 5 minutes of something WOW, in every meeting. Adaptability, not efficiency must become our core competency, and if you think about it, that is exactly what the pandemic has taught is all.”

Thank you to our main sponsor, Old Mutual Insure, and co-sponsors Camargue and Innovation Group for making this event possible!

GWII: Vision Board

The theme of ‘reaching your dreams through vision boarding' was the perfect fit to get us feeling positive and motivated for 2021.

WHEEL OF LIFE ASSESSMENT

Guest speaker Leeann Naidoo, of Concordia says, a vision board is a visual representation of the goals you have.

"What better way to celebrate women this International Women's Day, than with vision boarding which is a useful tool to reflect on where we are, to where we want to be,” said Leeann.

In clarifying priorities for goal-setting, Leeann gave an interpretation of the wheel of life exercise, which the ladies had completed prior to the event. “It clarifies priorities for goal setting with eight categories including career, finance, personal growth, health, family, relationships, social life and spirituality. Once you identify the priorities decide on three action plans to close the gap, to where you would like to be in one years' time,” she said.

“This exercise raises awareness and allows individuals to plan a life that is more satisfying and closer to their definition of balance. You need to see to your own oxygen masks first, before you help others... in other words, make yourself a priority. Reflect on all aspects of your life and see which areas need work. Find the gaps... work on your present, to determine your future,” she added.

Having scored themselves out of 10 on each aspect, the exercise presented the ladies with graphic illustrations of where they are now in their lives, and where they would like to be. Some key questions included how they feel about life as they look at their wheel, how they currently spend time in these areas (categories), which categories they would like to improve on most, etc.

With their key priorities identified, the next exercise for the ladies was bringing their vision boards to life.

BRINGING A VISION BOARD TO LIFE

So, how do you make your 2021 vision board work for you?

“You need to keep your vision board positive, and make it a board of achievements, by keeping track of your goals and staying motivated. Breathe energy and life into your vision board… images, quotes, backgrounds, textures, timelines, birthstones, months etc. Colour psychology is also important in creating vision boards… colours are associated with different moods and meanings. Each person's design is unique to them. In vision board segmenting and planning... some are organized and structured, others are messy and just want to have fun with their boards,” said Leeann.

With their glass of wine or favourite cuppa tea and arts and crafts in tow, the ladies were required to take part in an activity to bring their vision boards to life.

With goal setting, mindfulness and other elements in mind, the ladies placed their photos that represent or symbolise the experiences, feelings, and possessions they want to attract into their lives, quotes, sayings, images of places they want to go, and just about anything that inspired them. Some picture examples included…

1.Career - job title, company.

2.Finance – asset acquisition e.g. houses, apartments, decorated rooms, cars, bicycles, boats, planes, fashion etc.

3.Personal Growth – musical interests, sports interests, hobbies, personal development, reading, courses etc.

4.Health - pictures of what you would like to do, outcomes you would want to achieve.

5.Family – family goals, travel – maps, city icons, landmarks, holidays.

6.Relationships - Pics of people together, words that represent how people interact, places where you want to go with various people.

7.Social Life – Friends, places to go, new restaurants to try, new interest groups to join e.g. dancing or pottery class.

8.Spirituality – pictures, quotes, symbols and people that inspire and encourage you.

Having fun with the process… creativity was the order of the day!

NEUROSCIENCE OF VISION BOARDING

It turns out putting your goals on paper in a visual format can actually help you achieve them. According to Jack Canfield “your brain will work tirelessly to achieve the statements you give your subconscious mind. And when those statements are the affirmations and images of your goals, you are destined to achieve them.”

“By representing your goals with pictures and images you will actually strengthen and stimulate your emotions because your mind responds strongly to visual stimulation. If you have already defined your dreams, it's time to illustrate them visually,” said Leeann.

“In conclusion, look at your dream board often and feel the inspiration it provides. Read your daily affirmations and inspirational words aloud. Feel yourself in the future you have designed. Look at it just before going to bed, after a stressful day at work, and first thing in the morning, to motivate you. As you continue to grow, evolve and expand, your dreams will too,” she said.

LUCKY DRAWS

A few lucky ladies walked away with prizes. Congratulations to all our lucky draw prize winners who walked away with amazing prizes:

•Sumaya Roskin and Michelle Govender won Typo prizes.

•Leigh Cook, Kaylene Wellcome and Thea Brits won books by Leeann Naidoo titled, “The Mind Age: mastering your infinite mind for success for 2040 and beyond”.

•Michelle Govender, Kirsty Robinson and Nontuthuzelo Ntwana won coaching sessions with Leeann Naidoo.

THANK YOU

GWII would like to thank main sponsor Chubb, and co-sponsor Camargue for their sponsorship and support for this event. Without our sponsors this would not be possible.

Thank you Leeann for inspiring the ladies to reach for their goals, and to all GWII members, thank you for attending this event. We hope that you feel inspired and motivated… and that you will continue to grow, evolve and reach your goals.

Gardening 101

Gardening Edition Mix & Mingle, proudly sponsored by Camargue.

Guest speaker Claire Reid, Founder and CEO of Reel Gardening, shared some tips on the ins and outs of gardening.

REEL GARDENING GURU

In 2002, at the age of 16, Claire Reid found herself sitting in her vegetable garden with a tape measure between her knees and centimeter marks drawn on her fingers. She knew that she wanted to grow vegetables. However, she soon became frustrated by the wastage of seed and fertiliser and her inability to get the seed to stay in the soil at the correct depth and distance apart.

She asked her nanny, Meggi, to help her with this overwhelming task by holding the seed packet and passing her the seeds while explaining the instructions on the back of the packaging. Meggi was unable to instruct Claire on how to plant the seed as the instructions were only in English and contained mathematical language that Meggi was not able to understand. It was at this point that Claire decided she needed to create a way to both plant and keep the seeds and nutrients in the soil at the correct depth and distance apart, a form of planting that needed no mathematical or English education to understand, a form of planting that was simple, effective and easy to do in a short period of time. And Reel Gardening was the solution.

Reel Gardening was designed to be handmade by previously unemployed mothers to be able to make a positive social impact.

Reel Gardening created their very own seed tape, a really unique and easy way of creating and managing home gardens.

During the Virtual Mix ‘n Mingle the ladies found out more on how to use this really great design. Reel Gardening supplied Checkers with their “Little Garden” promotion, so you know how simple it is! Do you know what to plant when? Well Claire has made it so simple – visit the online store https://reelgardening.co.za/ and look how simple it is!

For any companies out there, Claire has wonderful social impact projects (https://reelgardening.co.za/social-impact/) that corporates can get involved in! We as GWII will most certainly add Reel Life NPC into our supporting charity box!

LUCKY DRAWS

During the course of the Mix & Mingle Virtual Gardening Edition, some ladies won a few lucky draw prizes. Thank you to our prize sponsors:

•Camargue – sponsored three windowsill gardens from Reel Gardening;

•CIA Building Insurance Specialists – sponsored two Karykase Yuppie Gift picnic baskets, each worth R1 100; and

•Chubb – sponsored a hamper filled with goodies to the value of R500.

Thank you, Camargue, for sponsoring our first virtual Mix & Mingle Gardening Edition. And thank you Claire, you are an inspiration to us all – no wonder you keep the likes of Richard Brandson in your company.

And to all the ladies who attended the session, we hope you found some useful tips to help you grow your own gardens.

Happy planting.

GWII Year End: Retro in Lumo

OUTDOOR DRIVE-IN ROADHOUSE EXPERIENCE

Hosted at The Roadhouse Restaurant Drive-In, at the Kyalami Equestrian Park, the theme of the event was centred around an outdoor drive-in roadhouse experience.

On arrival, guests were provided with face masks, sponsored by Genasys. The guests were then treated to welcome drinks sponsored by One Financial.

Welcoming members, GWII President, Catherine Pienaar, reflected on the year that was, and what GWII members can expect in 2021.

With a photo booth, sponsored by Genasys, the ladies then snapped away and captured the fun, while listening to lively music.

LUCKY DRAWS

Having indulged in a delicious dinner, it was then time for prize giving. A few lucky ladies walked away with prizes donated by sponsors. We would like to thank the sponsors who contributed to the prizes.

•Allianz sponsored four bottles of Moet & Chandon Champagne

•Auto & General sponsored a Takealot voucher to the value of R1000

•CIA Building Insurance Specialists sponsored four Le Creuset gifts

•Chubb sponsored a Milex Nutriblender valued at R1000

•Crawford & Company sponsored a massive Prosecco Hamper filled with glasses, two bottles of bubbly and some other yummies value at R1200

•Discovery Insure sponsored two picnic backpack bags filled with goods

•Emerald sponsored a hamper filled with a Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Collection cream and a pack of playing cards and dominoes

•HIC Underwriting Managers sponsored two Swarovski pens valued at R500 each

•Hollard Insure sponsored two Yuppiechef vouchers valued at R1000 each

•Innovation Group sponsored four Body Shop hampers

•King Price sponsored a beautiful pamper hamper filled with towels, branded goodies, shampoo and snacks

•Lloyd Warwick International sponsored a make-up hamper

•MUA Insurance sponsored three diffusers

•One Insurance sponsored a Silver Filigree Heart and Round Cubic Charm valued at R900

•Paton Personnel sponsored a midweek night's stay for two, at Hornbill Lodge and Legends valued at R1000

•Santam sponsored two travel mug sets

A night at the movies, of course, is not complete without some popcorn, candy floss and slush puppies, so thank you Swiss Re Corporate Solutions for the yummie treats!

Thank you MUA Insurance, for sponsoring our photographer for the night!

A CHARITABLE CAUSE

As customary, members were asked to bring along a R100 cash donation for the nominated charity, which was You and Me versus MND, in memory of Kevin Jordan.

We would like to thank each one of you for your donation.

THANK YOU

GWII would like to thank main sponsor Camargue, and co-sponsors Chubb, Emerald, Genasys, Guy Carpenter, Leppard, Marsh, MUA Insurance, One Financial, Praesidio Risk Managers, Sintelum and Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, without them this would not have been possible.

And lastly, to all GWII members thank you for attending this event. Until our next event, we wish you have a wonderful and safe festive season, and a blessed 2021.

GWII: Golf Day 2020

Getting together with the ladies for a round of golf is a great way to mix exercise and friendly competition. Whether you choose to play for prizes or just for fun, these games add an interesting twist to your day on the links.

Starting play

On arrival players were supplied with golf shirts, sponsored by Clyde & Co, welcome goody bags filled with pitch repairers, golf balls and water sponsored by Auto & General, white caps sponsored by Everinghams, and golf balls sponsored by GuardRisk. To adhere to Covid-19 protocol, players were supplied with masks, sponsored by Camargue.

The players were also treated to a goody bag, sponsored by Constantia, filled with a sleeve of Gary Player golf balls, a golf cap, golf towel and golf pencil.

Lathered in sunscreen, sponsored by Digicall, the players enjoyed a selection of light refreshments, before heading out onto the greens.

GWII always supports a charity and for this event members were asked to arrive in a golf shirt which they were willing to donate to charity.

Relaxed ending

What a fun day! As players came off the field, they were asked to putt (where the putt was 25 meters) and if a person got the putt in the hole, they would win R25 000 in cash from SHA Risk Specialists.

Frozen popsicles, sponsored by iTOO and a gin bar, sponsored by Camargue, was a hit after a warm day in the sun. The day ended off with a cocktail and prize giving session, followed by scrumptious eats and treats, including hot canapes and a dessert station.

Awarded efforts

Category winners included all the 4-ball groups. Prizes were also given for nearest the pin and the longest drive. Thank you to all our prize sponsors:

WINNERS

Winners - Discovery sponsored four advanced driving course vouchers to the value of R2160 each

2nd place - Hollard sponsored four Takealot vouchers to the value of R1000 each

3rd place - Digicall sponsored four hamper prizes worth R2400 each

4th place - King Price sponsored Sorbet Vouchers to the value of R300 and a goodie bag

5th - African Frontier Risks gave away four cash prizes to the value of R500 each

6th - Auto & General sponsored four goodie hampers

7th - Genasys sponsored a bottle of perfume for each player

8th - GWII sponsored four Takealot Vouchers to the value of R500 each

9th - iTOO sponsored a set of Crystal glasses for each player

10th – Oaktree sponsored hampers filled with photo frames, hip flasks, torches and multi-tools

LUCKY DRAW PRIZES

Closest to the pin won a R1000 Takealot voucher, sponsored by FAnews, and the longest drive (Tammy Kumleben) won a R2 500 cash prize sponsored by King Price. Deborah Viney won the Wickhams Retreat three-night mid-week break valued at R3 600.

Kevin Janse van Rensburg and Liana Potgieter also walked away with Takealot vouchers to the value of R500 each, sponsored by Hollard.

Following a lucky draw, a grand prize for the evening saw Toni Egglestone walk away with a CamiRocks Fine Jewellery range voucher, sponsored by Fulgeo Diamonds, to the value of R10 000.

Two more lucky draw winners, Corne Coertze and Sanelisiwe Mpofu, each won an Emerald Hamper filled with Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Collection creams and card games.

Thank you sponsors

GWII would like to thank main our sponsors Auto & General, Camargue and Clyde & Co, and co-sponsors Everingham, Fixico, Leppard, Tracker and Horizon Underwriting Managers as this event would not have been possible without them.

GWII would also like to thank all the members who took part in this fun day… it was a lovely day indeed!

GWII Leaderwalk: (Hu)manifesto

The Leaderwalk concept nurtures the advancement of senior management and aspiring leaders by providing a platform to share expertise, master skillsets and cement networks within the Insurance industry.

Our speaker for the event was Andy Golding - a leading Employee Experience specialist, the co-founder of Still Human and was named one of South Africa's “Top 50 Businesswomen to Watch in 2018” by Entrepreneur Magazine.

The event's theme was chosen in light of the Great Re-think movement of how we organise ourselves, our teams and our businesses. “(Hu)Manifesto” is based on the fundamental human drive that we crave authentic connection, not constant connectivity. With the emergence of mega trends in the employee experience, is it fleeting? Or will it endure into the future? Our attendees had some strong views on the matter!

Both the keynote address and breakaway discussions brought about a robust discussion on how we can and should move into a ‘Better Normal'.

We thank our VIP breakaway facilitators for co-hosting this event with us:

Christine Rodrigues (Bowmans )

Claudia Figueira (Camargue)

Leslie Mitchell (Camargue)

Nicky Eveleigh (Marsh)

Peter Links (Marsh)

Prisha Bhoola (Lireas)

Sandra Hutchison (Genasys)

Simon Colman (SHA)

Simon Smith (Guy Carpenter)

Sungeetha Sewpersad (Old Mutual Insure)

Valerie Hayter (Lireas)

This event would not be possible without the continued support of our sponsors - Camargue, Genasys, Lireas, Guy Carpenter, Marsh, Old Mutual Insure and Willis Towers Watson.

The next GWII Leaderwalk is scheduled for March 2021. Watch this space!

GWII Presents GLAM UP Makeup Masterclass with Raeesah Shah

With that being said, Gauteng Women in Insurance (GWII) hosted an exclusive Makeup Masterclass, sponsored by A McLarens Company, with Raeesah Shah on Wednesday 30 September.

Learning about new things in the realm of beauty, the ladies engaged in an interactive online tutorial that included basic to advanced makeup applications with the latest tips, tricks and trends.

GWII and IIG celebrate LOVE and LAUGHTER during lockdown

With the theme ‘Love and Laughter during lockdown', Gauteng Women in Insurance (GWII), in collaboration with the Insurance Institute of Gauteng (IIG), hosted a Women's Day webinar… because we have to have some LOVE & LAUGHTER during LOCKDOWN!

The order of the day

With Emerald Risk Transfer as the main sponsor, and Camargue Underwriting Managers, Discovery, Genasys Technologies, Marsh, Santam and Sasria SOC Ltd as co-sponsors, the event boasted the perfect ambience for a Women's Day celebration… right in the very comfort of our own homes!

GWII President, Catherine Pienaar, opened the session with a welcome and reminder of what we were celebrating, thanking all sponsors with an introduction of Trevor Gumbi, a South African comedian, writer and actor best known as co-host (and voice over artist) of the Mzansi Magic entertainment magazine show Headline.

Gumbi had the audience in giggles as he covered the antics of lockdown madness with kids in just the right proportions.

Tshepiso Chocho, Deputy President for the IIG, then opened up the panel discussion with career driven women Henriete Senekal, Chief Executive of PSG Short Term Adminiostration, Tashniva Angadh, Business Development Managar at Hollard Insure and Thokozile Mahlangu, CEO of the Insurance Institute of South Africa (IISA).

Gender based violence

Gender based violence is a real issue we are facing in our country. “Let's make noise about it, so things can change,” said Chocho.

“The situation in South Africa is devastating, nightmarish and heart breaking. It is a serious crisis. There has to be a targeted approach on government effort to eradicate this level of violence with women. There are a lot of factors at play. There has to be a coming together with experts, the community and active concerted effort from government to eradicate this crisis. It falls on all citizens. The solution is not one sided,” said Angadh.

“It is important that we help educate people. The vulnerable are the hardest hit. It's never been a better time than now for women to seize the moment and help society by sharing their stories,” said Senekal.

We need to get to the root cause and empower women to speak out and express what is happening. Women take a dormant approach but we have to speak out, seek out people who can help us, that we can confide in and walk the journey with,” said Mahlangu.

“We are in a period of change and we can only hope for change,” said Choco.

Career driven women

When asked what her three success habits are Mahlangu said, “Never stop learning, continuously empower yourself. Apply the knowledge you have learned. Try it out, allow yourself to fail, get up and try again. Success is a journey. You don't wake up to success. Stretch yourself, allow yourself to fail and continue.

Senekal said the barriers to success is that women tend to be agreeable. “We need to learn to speak up for what we stand for. Work hard, learn, keep up with news and trends… it will widen your knowledge, you will be more confident and you will speak with authority. Choose wisely when making career choices and which company you will work for. Choose a job for long term success.”

Angadh said women are already wired to deal with change and challenges. We have the ability to multitask. We just have to take charge, insert ourselves in decision making roles and take opportunities.

A virtual experience

Chocho then called on eight volunteers to participate in an online interaction with one of the TOP mentalists in the world. Larry Soffer, with his unique capabilities to read minds, predict thoughts and show other mentalism effects, engaged the women in a virtual experience. The ladies each received a R250 Takealot Voucher for their efforts and participation.

Lucky draws

Attendees had to social media #IIG_GWII_LLL to stand a chance to be entered into the lucky draw prizes. Salome Van Der Mooren, Office Manager of the IIG, then thanked all the generous prize sponsors, who made many hearts happy. Van Der Mooren and Wilmine De Ridder, GWII Committee members then had the joyful task of announcing the winners of the lucky draw prizes. The sponsors were:

1. Bair Recruitment Group sponsored one portrait photo session to the value of R 5 000 (including make-up artist)

2. CIA Building Insurance Specialists sponsored two Crossbody bags valued at R950 each

3. Clyde & Co sponsored a Nougart hamper

4. Cyan Re, The Digital Forensic Lab sponsored a R500 Placecol voucher

5. Emerald Risk Transfer gave away two Takealot vouchers valued at R1000 each

6. Everinghams Inc. gave away a bluetooth speaker/headphones

7. Lloyds Warwick sponsored one L'Oréal hamper

8. Thatch Risk Acceptances sponsored a R350 Sorbet voucher

And for the grand prize giveaway… drum roll PLEASE!!! GWII and IIG gave away an all-inclusive 2 night's accommodation package at the 5* Tshukudu Bush Lodge worth R30 000. This includes welcome drinks on arrival, all meals and two daily safari activities.

Charity initiative

In the closing speech Carla Jordan, immediate Past President IIG & a Founding Member of GWII thanked sponsors, panel members and all the ladies for taking part in the webinar. She mentioned that the IIG and GWII will be donating all surplus from this event to the IIG Academic Programme, which this year is in partnership with GIFS and MTN, and supported by SASRIA, Hannover Re, Guidewire and Bryte.

This year is the start of a class which will end with 300 students going through the programme which provides an insurance qualification, RE, business professionalism courses and interview skills to empower youth from specifically under-privileged backgrounds, and to grow the insurance talent base.

Thank you

GWII would like to thank the main sponsor Emerald Risk Transfer, and co-sponsors Camargue Underwriting Managers, Discovery, Genasys Technologies, Marsh, Santam and Sasria SOC Ltd, for their sponsorship and support for this event. Without them this would not have been possible.

And lastly, to all GWII members… remember Love and Laughter is the best medicine during this time of uncertainty. Continue to find inspiration in each of your success stories.

GWII: Lessons learnt from COVID-19

Boasting a jam packed session with just over 500 GWII members, guest speaker Thabile Nyaba, Chief Risk Officer at Old Mutual Insure touched upon the lessons learnt from Covid-19. Key take-away points were that collaboration and precision in decision making are things that are embedded in us – we need to plug them into the day-to-day operations of our businesses; risk management and compliance are critical aspects of organisations in guiding decision making and enabling business; there are relationships between government and industries that have been created and should be leveraged on going forward, to solve many of South Africa's fundamental problems; innovation and digitalisation has been fast-tracked due to Covid-19 and as an industry, we need to take advantage of that by improving our processes and responding to the changing customer needs, behaviours and expectations; the best way to predict the future is to create it – we have an opportunity to look beyond Covid-19 and create what we want to see as individuals, organisations, industries and the country. Solving an unprecedent crisis requires unprecedented ambition. “The best way to predict the future is to create it”, Abraham Lincoln.

Gauteng Women In Insurance - Leaderwalk 1

Our guest speaker, Brad Shorkend, is a futurist and business agitator helps business leaders build relevant businesses and exceptional work experiences for human beings in a world that has gone digital crazy.

We thank our below table hosts for accepting our challenge to facilitate two roundtable discussions:

Andrew Munro - Managing Director of Praesidio Risk Managers

Catherine Naidoo - Executive for Product, Underwriting and Pricing at Innovation Group

Claudia Figueira - Divisional Director of Professional Indemnity at Camargue Underwriting Managers

Katlego Thaba - Actuarial Manager at Deloitte

Nicky Eveleigh - Regional Manager of Risk Management Practice & Mutual Risk Group at Marsh

Sandra Hutchison - Head of People and Delivery at Genasys Technologies

Taurai Muranda - Co-Founder of Mahogany Private Equity

Wilmine De Ridder - Head of Claims at Constantia

Thank you to our sponsors - Camargue, Marsh and Willis Towers Watson - for making this event possible!