Gauteng Women In Insurance: CPD Invite - Ransomware - A Cyberdemic

Speaker Camilla Stevenson, Commercial Crime and Cyber Risks Underwriter at Camargue spoke about cyberattacks and ransomware.

Here are some key takeaways from her presentation.

What is ransomware

The rise in connectivity gives rise to a cyberdemic. Every day more people and organisations fall victim to cyber attacks. “Almost every company has some kind of network, database or online presence that puts it at risk,” she said.

What is ransom ware? “It is malicious software which holds data hostage. If the ransom is not paid, data is deleted. It infects the system or enters a network when a user opens an email containing malware or is lured to a malicious website. Newer variants are known as drive by downloads and involve less human effort. Another vulnerable place of access is remote desktop access. If a ransom is paid, a decryption key is sent to unlock data, but there are no guarantees,” she added.

“The two main types of ransomware including crypto/encryption ransomware, which encrypts valuable files so that they become unusable, and locker ransomware, which does not encrypt files but locks the victim out of their device,” said Stevenson.

History of ransomware

Ransowmare has been around for years, according to Stevenson.

The AIDS Trojan, also known as the PC Cyborg virus, was the first ever ransomware virus documented. It was released via floppy disk before most of us ever had the opportunity to touch a computer in 1989.

The AIDS trojan, according to KnowBe4 and Stevenson, was created by a biologist Joseph Popp who handed out 20 000 infected disks to attendees of the World Health Organization's AIDS conference. The disks were labeled “AIDS Information - Introductory Diskettes” and included leaflets that warned that the software would “Adversely affect other program applications” and also stated, “you will owe compensation and possible damages to PC Cyborg Corporation and your microcomputer will stop functioning normally.”

The program would count the number of times the computer was booted and once it reached 90 it would hide the directories and encrypt or lock the names of the files on the C drive. To regain access, the users would have to send $189 to PC Cyborg Corporation at a PO box in Panama. The AIDS Trojan was pretty easy to overcome as it used simple symmetric cryptography and tools were soon available to decrypt the files.

Ransomware today

Ransomware today is the second most lucrative form of cybercrime. “Cybercriminals will hack into systems weeks before the attack. The effect of a cyber attack could be devastating to almost any business: network downtime, loss of important data and loss of credibility when customer information is compromised (not to mention the litigation that would follow, if the hacker were to use that information to plunder the customer's bank account),” she said.

Where data is leaked it is called double extortion – denial of availability and leaking data. Top industries targeted, according to the security X-Force 2020 survey are – manufacturing companies 25%, professional services (17%) and government organisations (13%).

According to Sophos State of Ransomware 2021 survey, with a focus on South Africa, 24% of respondents had experienced a ransomware attack, 42% believe ransomware attacks are getting more sophisticated. The average cost of remediation was R6.5 million and 31% cannot stop users compromising security.

Recent notable ransomware attacks in South Africa include the City of Joburg, Life Healthcare, PPS and Transnet incidents.

On 22 July 2021, Transnet became a victim of a ransomware attack. The attack caused Transnet to declare force majeure at several key container terminals, including Port of Durban, Ngqura, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. Bloomberg News stated that the attackers encrypted files on Transnet's computer systems thereby preventing the company from accessing their own information whilst leaving instructions on how to start ransom negotiations. The Bloomberg article quotes a source from the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike Holdings Inc. which states that the ransomware used in the attack was linked to "strains known variously as “Death Kitty,” “Hello Kitty” and “Five Hands.”" and likely originated from Russia or Eastern Europe. The Department of Public Enterprises stated that none of Transnet client's data had been compromised in the attack.

More ransomware attacks

Stevenson went on to provide more examples of cyber attacks.

Michigan Practice Brookside ENT closed its doors following a ransomware attack. The ransomware attack encrypted the computer systems at Brookside ENT and Hearing Center in Battle Creek which housed patient records, appointment schedules, and payment information rendering the data inaccessible.

A woman in Germany died during a ransomware attack on the Duesseldorf University Hospital, in what may be the first death directly linked to a cyberattack on a hospital.

“This shows it is crucial to have strategies and backups in place.

To pay or not to pay?

There are a few issues to keep in mind, according to Stevenson:

• Complacency in cybersecurity - some companies may not go into an investigation with the attack.

• Encourages more cybercriminals – if it is a lucrative business, these criminals will not stop and may become more sophisticated. Criminals will invest in the research and development of better cyber attack tools;

• Legislative prohibition and sanction – some countries do have legislative requirements or rules when it comes to ransom attacks and payments; and

• Uncertainty around decryption keys – if you pay, there is no guarantee of codes or keys working.

Is this the way to go?

When Norsk Hydro, a Norwegian renewable energy and aluminum manufacturing company faced a ransomware attack, they handled it in a different way. They refused to pay the ransom and took up the task of removing the virus from the equation altogether. The company decided it would not pay the ransom, instead opting to reach out to cybersecurity experts.

Meanwhile the attack's virus crippled the company's network and stalled production in all of its manufacturing facilities. Norsk Hydro made the decision to shut down access to the network and switch over to manual operation of its most critical systems. Next came shutting down the company's own internal network to prevent propagation of the virus.

While the benefit of a downed network means easier identification of a malicious virus (as suspicious activity is more prominent), the ramifications were costly. How do you run a manufacturing company without computers, even for more than a single day? They had to figure out how to handle it for weeks.

To combat the attackers, the company, with the help of agencies including Microsoft's cybersecurity response team and the Norwegian National Cyber Security Centre, set up a trio of teams working to investigate the virus corruption, day to day business operations, and rebuilding the network in parallel to the current one.

Essential systems, like manufacturing-specific software, had to be rebuilt over the course of about three weeks. Other systems, including the company's user directory and cloud services (which were luckily untouched), took as long as three months to bring back online.

Avoid becoming a ransomware headline

So, how do you stop yourself becoming a victim and avoid becoming a ransomware headline?

1. Employee awareness training – individuals need to be trained. They must be taught which links to click and not to click;

2. RDP and access control – properly secure your RDP and access points;

3. Patch management – install software patches;

4. Backups – have clean, comprehensive backups so that you have a back up to recover your data, if you are attacked;

5. Multifactor authentication – passwords are no longer good enough. A simple cost effective measure is two factor authentication;

6. Install and update anti-virus – make sure you are updating and installing next generation anti-virus software;

7. Email security settings; email gateways are key. Using something such as Mimecast, for example, so that if something suspicious lurks, it will be flagged; and

8. Endpoint security – activate an endpoint security programme.

“Implementing all eight measures should make you less of a target. Although, there are no guarantees, these measures could make it much harder to attack,” she concluded.

Gauteng Women In Insurance: Sassy Salsa Night

The word 'salsa' literally means 'sauce', usually hot and spicy, and that's definitely how you would describe salsa dance – zesty, energetic and passionate.

A little bit of flavour

To spice things up, Gauteng Women in Insurance (GWII) hosted a Mix n Mingle - Sassy Salsa Night, with main sponsors Discovery and Hollard.

Joined by salsa dance instructors from Salsa Addicts, members dressed in their best dancing gear for a night of fun and dancing.

Off to the dance floor they went, the basic rhythm of quick, quick, slow; quick, quick, slow, using the 1,2,3 and 5,6,7 beats quickly became a thing of the night, as instructors showed the ladies the basics of how it's done!

It was the perfect opportunity to meet and dance…

As customary, members were asked to bring along R50.

Prize winners

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

1. Genasys sponsored two Takealot vouchers, valued at R500 each;

2. ITOO sponsored three Sorbet vouchers, valued at R500 each; and

3. Sedgewick sponsored three tortilla ingredient gift baskets.

Thank you

GWII would like to thank sponsors Discovery and Hollard for their sponsorship and support for this event.

Thank you to all the members who attended this event. We hope you had a ton of fun, and learned a few dance moves too!

Gauteng Women In Insurance: Doing More With Less

Born without arms, not without attitude, Nicky Abdinor, Clinical Psychologist, International Keynote Speaker and Founder of the non-profit, Nicky's Drive, spoke to the ladies about doing MORE with less.

Nicky has a passion for challenging our perceptions of ABILITY. She is a firm believer that it's not our situation, but how we THINK about our situation, that determines our emotional well-being.

Life lessons

During the event, Nicky interweaved her personal story with key concepts to look at how we are able to face adversity and challenge with hope, optimism and curiosity.

“Reflecting on my life, there are so many lessons I have learned. I will share some of the lessons that I hope will change the way you think about your own situations,” she said.

“Firstly, believe in yourself. Ask yourselves are we born to be a certain way or is it our environment that determines who we become? I think it's a little bit of both. I was born without arms and shortened legs. There was no medical explanation for my disability. I'm fortunate that my parents chose to focus on what I can do. I have learned how to do things differently. That's what I think “think future” is all about… how can we use what we have, how can we focus on what we can change, instead of focusing on all of our limitations. I type and write using my toes and I text with my tongue… I promise I can out text everybody in this room! So, I try not to focus on what I can't do. I believe that our limitations are mostly in our heads and it's in our hands to change them. Every time I fell, I got up. That's because I believed in myself. It was that inner drive that I set my mind to. That's what every person in this room has, the inner drive to do what you set your mind to. It's just that when we grow older, we start to doubt ourselves and compare ourselves to others,” she said.

“So, what are we going to do to ignite this inner drive? I am a firm believer in focusing on our strengths and lives by the premise of Positive Psychology, "Don't ignore what is wrong, but focus more on what is RIGHT”. When we are young, we believe anything is possible and we are optimistic, but what happens to block ourselves as adults? For us to be truly optimistic we have to enter a vulnerable state. This means we acknowledge we might fail, we might be rejected and there might be setbacks. So, we need to be okay with entering that vulnerable state to be optimistic in everything we do,” she emphasised.

“Secondly, focus on what you can do. So often we are so fixated on the things that are wrong. Why can't we focus on our strengths? I recognized that as I grew older, I stopped being able to do everything along with my peers… I didn't grow with my peers. But then, I recognized my strengths and what I was good at. This is what motivated me in my passions. Why is that people with such obvious limitations seem to excel? David and Goliath… because David knew what his limitations were, he was the obvious winner against Goliath. So, when you understand what your limitations are, you know how to overcome them. We, my parents and I, knew what my challenges would be. But we knew what the greatest weapons were – strength and listening skills,” she said.

“Finally, adopt an attitude of gratitude. So, often we assume happy people are people who have everything, and they are happy. That's not the case, it's the people who are grateful for whatever they have that are happy. When things go wrong, we are quick to complain. Yet, when we have things going right, how quick are we to say thank you. Be grateful. End each day thinking of the things you are grateful for… I'm grateful for my family, friends, teachers and friends, they believed in me to get me here on stage today. Number two, I drive a car hands free… technology has translated to my freedom. Number three, I've learned over time that my biggest perceived limitation, which is my physical disability, has become my ultimate strength. So, I hope I elicit change in you to think about what is possible,” she continued.

Key learning points

“We need to stop asking ourselves “can we do it?” but rather ask ourselves, “how CAN we do it?” We need to stop comparing ourselves to others and use what we have,” she emphasised.

“I want to challenge everyone here to implement these learning points: believe in yourself and ignite that inner drive that you were born with, focus on what you CAN do, not on what you can't. And lastly, adopt an attitude of gratitude,” she concluded.

A charitable cause

As customary, members were asked to bring along R50 for the nominated charity, Cornerstone Woman (CSW), a nonprofit organisation that was established by a group of women and men passionate about helping families overcome the effects of violence and trauma and establishing a route to recovery for the family unit.

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

Lucky draws

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

Crawford Independent Associates sponsored a R1 500 bubbly hamper.

Emerald sponsored 4x Organico by Oco Life Zen Light Wood Grain Ultrasonic Diffusers with Reawaken 10ml & Breathe 10ml, valued at R700 each.

Everinghams sponsored an @Home voucher to the value of R1000.

Fulcrum sponsored four R500 Yuppiechef vouchers.

Garrun Group sponsored three clutch bags and earrings.

HIC sponsored a R1000 TakeAlot voucher.

Thank you

GWII would like to thank main sponsor Constantia Insurance, co-sponsors, Bair Recruitment, Bryte Insurance, Genasys, King Price, MiWay and Yard Insurance, and complementary sponsors, GIB and Lloyd's for their sponsorship and support for this event. Without our sponsors this would not be possible.

Thank you, Nicky, for inspiring us to believe in ourselves, focus on what we CAN do and to adopt an attitude of gratitude. And to all the ladies, thank you for attending this event. We hope Nicky elicited change in you, to think about what is possible!

Gauteng Women In Insurance: CPD Invite - What does the customer of the future look like?

Speaker Antonia Oakes, Old Mutual Insure's Executive for Customer Experience and Responsible Business spoke about the customer of the future, the key customer experience and product development trends and how responsible business initiatives help customers see organsations as caring corporates.

Here are the key trends, according to Oakes.

Customer Experience (CX) versus Customer Service

“According to the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA) CX is the perception that customers have of an organization, one that is formed based on interactions across all touchpoints, people, and technology over time. In other words, customer's cognitive, affective, emotional, social and physical responses to the brand, generated through both functional and emotional clues,” said Oakes.

“Customer service, on the other hand, is not the totality of customer experience. It is a business function; it is the focus of a specific group of employees (customer service reps); focusing on the resolution of customer requests, issues and answering questions. It impacts the customer's experience,” added Oakes.

Using Disney Pixar's WALL-E to examine the customer of the future, Oakes said that “the customer of the future will have different needs and desires.”

A rise customer experience

There has been a rise customer experience focus across all industries.

“The year 2020 and 2021 was a year where businesses grappled with major disruption as the world was forced into isolation. The Covid-19 pandemic took us by shock and five-year plans became redundant in no time. Human behavior changed, which was driven by uncertainty and the fear of the unknown. Companies quickly caught on to the changing customer needs and designed new products which addressed those needs,” said Oakes.

“Digital online interactions and engagements were heightened, together with online shopping, virtual parties/socials, change in office dress code was about top upper and a relaxed downer look! Expectations have been heightened to immediacy… SERVICE NOW and instant gratification. It was an eye-opener for each and every one of us. Despite the hurdles, companies with a strong and adaptive customer experience (CX) foundation emerged somewhat unscathed. They stood by their customers and continued to provide a stellar customer experience. The power of social media also became a thing,” she added.

“Insurance is also getting smarter. Digitally engaged customers make informed decisions and enhance their buying experience through research, reviews and ease of use. Changing customer behaviour and preferences is impacting the insurance industry and its distribution models. This is fast tracking the entry of digital players,” she continued.

2022 CX trends

1. Consumer behavior and what it is telling you: The new “want it now” culture dictates the terms – instant gratification.

2. Seamless omnichannel experiences replace physical- digital patchwork: 38% of customers expect you to know who they are and the context of their query immediately.

3. Messaging and MobileFirst re-define delight: Consumers value speed more than ever. Their desire for speedy interactions and resolutions now govern how they choose to communicate.

4. Experiences move from automation to prediction: 1 in 3 decision-makers implementing AI state that optimizing it to predict customer needs and deliver personalized experiences is a key consideration for driving ROI.

5. The age of agent-led bot-enhanced experiences: Agents have had to face the brunt of recent pandemic-induced upheavals. Soaring query volumes, increasing customer anxiety, and adapting to a remote work environment.

“Anyone that is part of the customer experience journey needs to be aware of the strategy,” said Oakes.

The REAL customer of the future

“The sharing economy democratized travel, empowering more people to explore the world at better prices. Airbnb launched an offering on their platform called “experiences” to “discover things the locals do.” Airbnb advertises this offering as “activities designed and led by inspiring locals.” They immerse guests in unique worlds… “learn to bake with a famous pastry chef in Paris”, “take a dance class in Havana, Cuba, or get a photography lesson from an expert who will help you photograph the Sydney Opera House at sunset”,” said Oakes.

“People want to feel something: they want to experience all that this world has to offer and they want to share these experiences with the world. Customer experience must be geared to this modern customer, who values experiences over things, and expects the businesses they frequent to empower and assist them as they navigate modern life,” she added.

What is the customer of the future looking for?

1. Experience Economy - People choose to spend their money on experiences over things.

2. Social media and the shift in power and influence from the business to the customer. Social media and smartphones armed customers with a platform and a microphone. Suddenly customers were speaking about the experiences they had.

3. Artificial serendipity – customers want positive surprises! Surprise your customers. Netflix and the shuffle button create surprises for their viewers by outsourcing the surprise with the shuffle button.

4. Zero tolerance for digital inconvenience – customers expect good stuff.

5. Customers want a partner in life – create positive change in the life of your customers. Don't just throw stuff at them. Bring them into your world.

6. Customers are starting to live in the virtual world! Metaverse Universe. The world of avatars. Huge market for fashion, vehicle insurance, holidays, etc. Making and selling virtual goods. Nike is quietly preparing for the metaverse. It is the customer who is going to dictate the future.

“Innovation starts with the customer. Customer experience must be geared towards this modern customer. Not forgetting our long-term customers. They value experience over things. Those companies that show that they care and partner with customers as life partners, will be the ones who win,” she concluded.

GWII: Leaderwalk Invite - Leadership Pain with Max Moyo

Themed Leadership Pain, guest speaker Max Moyo, a global public speaker, author, leadership catalyst and human transformation coach shared practical insights on the key drivers of leadership.

Leadership from a new perspective

From corporate scandals to state capture. The question is where are the real leaders? What makes one an effective leader?

Moyo shared some key insights into leadership from a whole new perspective. “You were born with a unique identity. ID = Irresistible Difference… a unique way to make an irresistible difference. I believe every human is born to lead. One of the key things a leader has is a personal vision. Leaders are constantly moving and changing and adapting,” he said.

“The building blocks of leadership: leaders have a purpose; leaders have a unique conviction (its what you are willing to live for and to die for); leaders have a clear vision and a passion. Passion is driven by vision. If you lack passion, there can be no vision. What is your vision for your team? This then inspires others. If you inspire people, then you have influence over people. It is only when you have influence, that is when you are a leader,” said Moyo.

“Leadership is a privilege. Refined unique success, means you are a significant individual, and your contribution makes a different. You can never lead if you lack uniqueness and significance,” added Moyo.

Moyo's definition of leadership is “Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration, motivated by a passion, generated by a vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose, fulfilled by your unique talents manifested through your unique irresistible difference.”

Three key drivers of leadership

According to Moyo, there are three drivers of leadership. These are:

A Declaration of Independence - how independent are you to make decisions? Crises and change affect leadership. Without a plan, time and change will rule you. As a leader, plan.

Pain Threshold – leadership comes with pain – you leave everything you lived by etc. colleagues you used to hang out with, then as soon as you take the leadership position, no textbook can prepare you and everyone is looking at you and you have to walk around like you know everything, yet you walk around with pain… leadership pain. It's brutiful (beautiful and brutal). Pain comes with the position, if you are not bleeding, you are not leading. Pain and leadership are inseparable. Understand and interpret your pain, clarify the lesson you are learning. Spend time with leaders who have high pain thresholds, take care of yourselves – mentally, physical, spiritually and relationally. There is no growth without change, no change without loss, and no loss without pain. What do you need to change in order to become more effect in your current role, for the next role? What do you need to lose, in order to gain? Growth is also equal to pain. Moving people forward, means causing pain.

Integrity – Do what you say you will do. Keep your integrity level to at least 80%. Its really about doing what we say we will do, when we will do it.

A discussion

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

Aldrin Luthuli (Innovation Group South Africa)

Ellen Gower-Mzolo (The Fulcrum Group SA)

Steve Emms (F&I Insurance)

Thato Phatlane (Constantia Insurance Company Limited)

Toska Kouskos (Constantia Insurance Company Limited)

In the feedback session, all the table hosts agreed with the comments that Moyo shared.

Steve said “We need look inwards as leaders, at our own integrity and the pain factor – the discipline versus regret… its better to have that pain now, instead of regret. Leaders also need some support system. They need to say fewer yeses, and more nos. Stop trying to please everyone.”

Aldrin added that leadership that does not cause pain is not effective leadership and he agreed with Moyo that leaders need to spend time with leaders who have high pain thresholds and not procrastinate and put things on hold. “There is no growth without change, no change without loss, and no loss without pain.”

Ellen mentioned how our vision and purpose translates into our lives. “When it comes to visions and growth, some people don't have it articulated and written down, so that's the next step we need to take in our lives. People have passions, its just about writing it down and trying to keep on going. Some people are not ready, and the pandemic has made people think… like a vision board technic that solidifies things, to do what you also say you will do in life.”

Toska shared that we are all at different places and ages in our lives, but integrity for her, seems to be one of the key things of Moyo's presentation. “Because someone with high integrity is not questioned. Your vision can also change. That does not mean your integrity and value will change.”

Thato concluded, “Yes, we have visions in our organisations but how many individuals have their own personal visions?

Thank you

Thank you to all the delegates who attended this event, we hope that the session provided practical insights on the key drivers of leadership.

Thank you to our sponsors F&I Insurance and F&I Re for making this event possible!

Gauteng Women In Insurance: The Self-Love Session

With February being the month of LOVE, Gauteng Women in Insurance (GWII) injected a little self-LOVE into our daily rituals as it hosted a Mix n Mingle – Self-Love Session: Eat, Move, Thrive, on 10 February, with main sponsor Discovery, and co-sponsors Chubb, Innovation Group and One Insurance.

Ready to move from surviving to thriving, the ladies learned how to eat and move to optimise both body and mind, with guest speaker Angie Daubermann (Health & fitness coach, entrepreneur & founder of the LEAN GIRL brand).

A mental shift

Are you struggling to see results even though you are eating healthy and working out?

“Here's the thing… when you're eating delicious, satisfying, calorie conscious meals... you don't need crazy amounts of willpower to stick to your diet! The ultimate secret to both getting and staying lean for life is to eat foods you love while ensuring you follow the simple calories in versus calories out principle! If you can master this, you'll be free of dieting for life - allowing you to be more flexible than ever before, while getting predictably lean!” she said.

Do you keep on wanting to change but find yourself in the same cycles! There are a few mental shifts, according to Daubermann, to create the thinking you need, to ignite some new feelings, create some new positive actions and then BOOM - some different results:

• The first step to changing any behaviour is to change your thinking! You cannot change your actions without changing the feelings/thoughts/emotions/beliefs which come before them.

• Stop with the timelines.

• Seek to understand your body.

• Stop relying on willpower and discipline and make your strategy enjoyable; and

• Realise that results are the outcomes of our actions.

“Get off the scale. Stop allowing a meaningless number to dictate your mood or make you feel like your efforts to get lean are not paying off. Find a fat-loss (not weight-loss) strategy that you can image yourself following for an extended period of time. If your plan is so extreme that you can't follow it for more than a few days, it is not a fat-loss strategy for you! Stop doing the same things and expecting a different result. Write down 3 small unhealthy behaviours that continue to kill your results. Commit to tackling one of these behaviours each week and re-designing your lifestyle into one that supports your lean-bod goals. Today is the day you make that change!” She said.

“Quit the meal plan that has no flexibility and variety, which leaves you feeling bored and restricted. Rather design your personalised meal plan for predictable results based on your very own energy requirements, goals, preferences and lifestyle. Understand the why behind your food choices, giving you the confidence to make the best food choices in any situation (at restaurants, buffets, while shopping, on holiday, ANYWHERE). Now this is not to say meal planning is for the birds. Meal planning is a MUST. But it needs to be created by you, with your goals, your macros, your preferences and your lifestyle in mind. PLUS, you need to have the knowledge to be flexible - should life happen, and you cannot follow your perfect meal plan. Please don't buy a 1200 calorie meal plan or google random meal plans and follow them blindly. It is just keeping you stuck. Instead - take the time to understand the science of nutrition and build your OWN and you'll see the magic start to happen,” she added.

What is the best diet? “Well, there is no best diet for everyone... however the criteria remains the same for everyone wanting to be successful on their fat-loss journey! These criteria are that it creates a calorie deficit, helps to controls the appetite, provides optimal nutrition and is enjoyable to follow long term. If you are missing any of these, you either won't lose fat at all (without being a calorie def) or you won't be able to sustain the diet for any significant amount of time. If you're considering any diet to lose fat, be sure that it ticks these boxes and you'll be quick to weed out the diets that you should kick to the fad-diet curb,” she emphasised.

A new approach to workouts

We're all under the impression that we should be working out to burn more calories when in fact we should be working out to build lean muscle. Here are 3 actions, according to Daubermann, you can take right now:

• Lose the hours of cardio & HIIT training at the gym and instead find a weight training program which is going to get you 1000x better results in less time

• Learn how to master your diet to create a calorie deficit instead of over exercising

• Forget the fear of ‘getting bulky' and start training like the leanest girls on the planet!

“You don't need to be perfect - you just need to be consistent! Instead of waiting for the BIG turn arounds - focus on the micro moments which compound into massive change! Write down your very own list of just 10 choices you have each day and become focused on aligning these choices with your goals. Remember, it's what we do most that counts, not what we do occasionally. Don't beat yourself up after one bad day… and don't expect miracles after one great day,” she concluded.

Prize winners

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

• 2 x Lean Girl Kitchen Coach vouchers

• 2 x Body Lab vouchers

• 1 x JBL Bluetooth Headset, sponsored by Tracker

Thank you

GWII would like to thank main sponsor Discovery, and co-sponsors Chubb, Innovation Group and One Insurance for their sponsorship and support for this event.

Thank you to all the members who attended this event. We hope this session will enable you to be healthier, become more fit and energetic, with increased and sustained vitality.

Gauteng Women In Insurance - Arabian Nights

A delightful sight

A magical night under the stars, the event, hosted at ONE in Bryanston, was centered around rich textures, sumptuous food and drink, lots of colour and luxury.

Adorned in gold and sequins, and dressed for the theme, the women let their imagination run wild with colourful and eye-catching picks, in fuchsia pinks, burnt oranges and decadent reds.

Boosting a tent, drapes and lots of textured fabrics and furniture, the luxurious interior was set for the Arabian Nights theme, where on arrival, guests were treated to welcome drinks.

GWII also gifted the ladies each with a Pink Trees for Pauline #doekwithadifference and earrings.

A reflection of 2021

Welcoming members, GWII President, Catherine Pienaar, then opened up the formalities with a reflection on the year that was.

“2020 brought about unprecedented change in South Africa, with far reaching ramifications. Optimism painted a rosier picture for 2021, with the promise of vaccinations and a hope to the end of what had become our new normal. Whilst the lockdown restrictions were a lot less restrictive than what we had experienced last year, the pandemic continues to play a significant part in our lives and challenged GWII to interact with members in a responsible manner. In practice, this meant constant discussions as to what the responsible course of action would mean, in terms of the decision to hold in person events, whilst being mindful that our members were undoubtedly feeling some sort of fatigue as far as virtual events were concerned. Whilst we would have loved to host more in person events, to catch up with beloved industry peers, we just had to ensure that we took the decision which would ensure the safety of our members. And so, we embarked another year of trying to present interesting, fun, different virtual events which would not only allow us to engage with our members, but still ensure that they were benefitting from presentations including important, relevant, and captivating content. We are, however, delighted to be able to end the year off with an in-person year end event, to catch up with you, our beloved members,” she said.

“We dare say our committee rose to the challenge, and the GWII continued to maintain a strong presence, delivering frequent, interesting events which would prove to challenge, engage and interest our members,” she added.

Pienaar then went on to highlight some of the inspiring and significant events of 2021.

She concluded by saying that she is really hopeful that 2022 will bring the opportunity for the committee to have regular in person engagements, not only with each other, but also with GWII's member base. “The current construct has robbed us all of the opportunity to build and nurture these relationships.”

Catherine then introduced the current GWII committee, bid farewell to Tammy and Wilmine, and introduced Catherine Naidoo as the new President of the GWII for 2022, with Shaazia Khan as Deputy President.

Adri Jansen van Nieuwenhuizen, a breast cancer survivor and MD of Pink Trees for Pauline (the nominated charity) then took to the stage to share her story.

A magical night

Off to do some networking and sip on cocktails, with a photo booth, sponsored by Genasys, the ladies then snapped away and captured the fun, while listening to lively music.

Bringing the real life and soul to the party with some Arabian music, belly dancers added some extra glamour and sparkle to the evening. This, followed by a Mediterranean themed dinner, where guests indulged in Arabic-inspired food.

An Arabian night of mystique and adventure, the guests then watched in awe - a fire dance performance with bright burning flames… a real visual delight.

Lucky draws

Big prize giveaway… a few lucky ladies walked away with fantastic prizes donated by sponsors. We would like to thank the sponsors who contributed to the prizes.

African Frontier Risks;

Bair Insurance Recruitment;

CIA Building Insurance Specialists;

CIB;

Digicall;

HIC Underwriting;

Identity Guard;

Mirabilis Engineering Underwriting Managers;

MUA Insurance Acceptances; and

Thatch Risk Acceptances.

An Arabian Nights theme, of course, is not complete without yummy treats… from brownies and short bread squares to a variety of sweets and chocolates, there was a treat to suit everyone's tastes.

Once the formalities for the evening came to an end, members were brought to their feet to dance the night away.

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

A charitable cause

As customary, members were asked to bring along a R50 for the nominated charity, Pink Trees for Pauline. They also brought along an old but decent bra for Zabra.

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

Thank you

GWII would like to thank main sponsors main sponsors Camargue, Genasys, Hollard, and ONE, co-sponsors Chubb, Guardrisk, Guy Carpenter, Innovation Group and Sintelum, and complementary sponsors BAIR Insurance Recruitment, GIB Insurance Brokers and Transition Risk 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 2022.

Gauteng Women In Insurance: Invite Mindful Nutrition

Themed Mindful Nutrition, guest speaker Claire Julsing-Strydom, from The Networking Company and one of South Africa's leading dieticians and co-founder of Nutrition Solutions facilitated this powerful session which was not about dieting - but about energy management.

She spoke to the ladies about the of the importance of mindful nutrition, in part four of the Resilience Masterclasses.

Fueling your body

Fueling our body for improved immunity, resilience and performance was the focus of this session - all about energy management.

Eating the wrong kinds of food and not drinking enough water lowers people's ability to sustain energy and to think creatively.

It's all about nutrition

What is the best diet for health? “There's so much information out there over right or wrong and what is good and bad… following a study across different diets it all boiled down to eating food, not too much (limiting refined starches, added sugars, processed foods etc, limited intake of fats; with an emphasis on whole plant foods, with or without lean meats, fish poultry and seafood). We should be eating four cups of vegetables a day!”

“When you eat healthy carbs, proteins and fats, you get a balance of macro and micronutrients,” she said.

In setting out to establish improved immunity, resilience and performance, Claire said that individuals need to:

Understand the impact of the “glucose story” on energy levels - there is a connection between our sleep, wake and nutrition patterns, for example, having a late breakfast versus an early breakfast and late dinners etc. This creates a nutritional glucose/energy rollercoaster. We need a combination of healthy carbs, proteins (high fiber foods) and fats throughout the day, to maintain a stable glucose level and to maintain those energy levels. Eat high fiber foods, the right type of fats and oils and have portion control;

Gain insight into the 80/20 balance of need versus want foods (if you are hungry, eat mindfully – listen to your body, eat foods that are nutritious, plan your meals and drink water); and

Develop a strategic eating plan to ensure maximum energy management and understand how eating habits can be maintained. What you buy is what you eat – if you keep good food in the fridge, you will eat good food. Make healthy food easy to eat. Keep healthy foods available and ready to eat e.g. slice cucumbers into sticks for an easy to access healthy snack. Eliminate temptation foods.

“This is your journey, your life and your health. Roll with resistance, create crash landings and watch calorie stacking… start doing, stop doing and keep doing,” she said.

Lucky draws

Two lucky ladies walked away with prizes. Congratulations to our lucky draw prize winners who walked away with two Takealot Vouchers to the value of R1000 each.

Thank you

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

Thank you, Claire, for guiding the ladies on good nutritional practices, and to all GWII members, thank you for attending this event. We hope that the toolkit mindful nutrition will fuel your body for improved immunity, resilience and performance.

Follow Claire on Instagram for some recipes and tips @dietitianclaire

Or visit her website for more details www.nutritionalsolutions.co.za

Gauteng Women In Insurance - Leaderwalk: Leading Tomorrow

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

Inspirational and transformational insights

Themed Leading Tomorrow - the topic focused on navigating disruption and change.

Guest speaker Vusi Thembekwayo, a venture capitalist, best-selling author, renowned entrepreneur and global business speaker shared inspirational and transformational insights on business.

He said…

A discussion

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

Andre Pienaar (F&I Group)

Audrey Husayihwevu (Aon South Africa)

Golden Mbhalati (Guy Carpenter)

Liza Morris (Bryte Insurance Company)

Makolo Kalambaie (Willis Towers Watson)

Peter Links (Marsh)

Steve Von Roretz (Leppard Underwriting)

Thabo Twalo (Santam Insurance)

In some of the feedback, table host …… said….

In concluding ……………… said………………………………..

Thank you

Thank you to all the delegates who attended this event, we hope that the session provided inspirational and transformational insights on business.

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

Gauteng Women In Insurance: CPD Invite - Celebrating Diversity

The powerhouse session to engage and celebrate women saw keynote speaker, Dr. Sizakele Marutlulle, a creative problem solver, intersectional strategist, brand-building expert and global speaker blow attendees minds away with her personal journey, insights and experience of diversity.

Insights of diversity

In referring to examples, Dr Marutlulle said, “I believe that diversity helps organisations make audacious jumps - a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks - a deliberate effort to deep dive as leaders… in our cultures, how we speak, formulate, design, etc.”

“You are this wonderful gift of uniqueness, and you are you.” We are all different. However, we bring unique talents and distinctiveness to the whole.

Diversity is also about ‘being different together'... “If we choose to create together, there are things we have to do together, with a shared understanding of shared values, deal breakers etc. If we want to create community and diversity we have to celebrate, elevate, support and extend compassion, be understanding, open and honest. We have to put other's needs first,” she added.

“Stereotypes are dangerous and disrespectful. Organisations need to look across the whole value chain, for example, in product design, in processes and policies etc., to identify where diversity lacks,” she continued.

“Gender diversity, racial diversity and all diversity done right across the value chain enables organsiations to keep pace with culture. If you understand what matters to individuals now, then you can sell products and services to people in different life stages or problems. Diversity done right also offers growth and resilience (a fortitude and sense of groundedness, knowing that you are relying on dynamic and diverse teams). It also unleashes creativity… an unconventional way to put the pieces together to connect. It helps us and reminds us that we have a shared future. When we do diversity right, we also understand that what goes wrong, for example, in marketing will also affect sales etc. It is like a ripple effect. We cannot think of ourselves alone, but everything as a whole, so that together we can move in one direction,” she emphasised.

“So, move the conversation of diversity beyond the optics. If we get stuck only on the optics, we miss the opportunity to do something magical. Move the needle further, to involve inclusion, to craft a wonderful canvas that we as teams can share and display to the world,” she concluded.

A panel discussion

This, followed by a panel discussion, led by Precious Nduli, Head of Technical Marketing and Marketing at Discovery Insure, whereby the inspiring women of Discovery shared their stories and insights into celebrating diversity, their roles and positive affirmations.

Women entering the industry

On the topic of women entering the industry, Bhavna Maharaj, Head of Product Development at Discovery Insure said her advice would be for women to be open to trying different skills and paths when entering the industry.

“It is about learning and unlearning during the journey and your career. Get a mentor or a coach that can really be eye opening for your career. Join bodies such as GWII which will enable you to empower yourself on topical issues and think out of the box for opportunities to build your network,” she said.

In terms of motivation, passion and maintaining a strong mindset, Maharaj said she feels passion comes naturally. “If your role has the power to make a tangible difference and if you have that conviction in your role, then passion comes naturally,” she added.

“For me, positive thinking, positive affirmations, goal setting, vision boarding etc., are some of the tools I use. I believe doing things I love, being with family, experiencing new experiences etc., enables me to be a richer person, which then goes with me into my professional life,” continued Maharaj.

Mentorship, challenges and setbacks

On the topic of mentorship and challenges, Kgodiso Mokonyane, Head of Strategy and Ancillary Products at Discovery Insure said mentorship and sponsorship are important, but it is also about finding the right fit that connects with you.

“Understand who you are, what your values are and what values you can add to the organisation. You can have formal and informal mentors, men or women. Different companies have different cultures. So, find what works for you. Constantly challenge yourself and stretch yourself to see what limits you can achieve. Certain roles make it a bit easier to find a sponsor. But you also need to show that you are valuable,” she said.

When it comes to challenges and setbacks, Mokonyane said, “I love challenges. I've always challenged myself. Of course, there will be setbacks but it about the mindset of trying to overcome the challenges that gets you through. Mindset plays an important role, because of this, I'm always optimistic and know that I can overcome challenges.”

Diversity and inclusion

Shanna Caromba, COO of Discovery Insure Personal Lines said she has always had a passion for people and learning.

“It is so important to make sincere connections and interactions with people and understanding people helps you work better with teams. Diversity is very important to me. I want to see people excel. I have worked in a male dominated industry, and I believe it is critical that women support women. It is also important to build our future leaders. The thirst of doing different things and learning different things allows us to grow, she said.

In her concluding remarks on diversity and inclusion, Caromba said women should be open and honest and look for opportunities.

Maharaj said women should find the courage to find their inner voices and learn to speak up. “The person who stands in your way most of the time is yourself. Celebrate the small and big things and take that moment of gratitude.”

“Whatever stage you are in, in your career, be curious and be driven… this will give you perspective,” concluded Mokonyane.

“Aim for amazing, then you will do amazing everyday,” noted Dr Marutlulle, in her response.

Gauteng Women In Insurance Golf Day 2021

The event, open only to experienced golfers, was played over 18 holes, followed by a prize giving sit down dinner.

Starting play

On arrival players were supplied with golf shirts, sponsored by Clyde & Co and caps and visors sponsored by Everinghams. The funky socks were sponsored by F&I Insurance & F&I Reinsurance. To adhere to Covid-19 protocol, players were supplied with masks and buffs, sponsored by Yard Insurance.

Thank you to the additional sponsors for the goody bags, Digicall and Genasys.

The GWII golf day was played over 18 holes. The teams included a male industry colleague and the 18 holes played gave plenty of time for networking and friendly rivalry amongst the industry colleagues.

For the first time ever at the GWII Golf Day there was a hole in one competition where someone stood a chance to win R100 000, sponsored by SHA Risk Specialists. Unfortunately, no one won it.

As players came off the field, players and guests then enjoyed a gin from the gin bar, sponsored by Emerald, while indulging in sushi. The day ended off with a sit-down dinner and prize giving session.

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 of our prize sponsors:

· The first four ball won Nespresso coffee machines, sponsored by GWII;

· The second four ball won Pro Shop gift vouchers, sponsored Chubb; and

· The third fourball won Carrol Boyes hampers, sponsored by Discovery.

Nearest the pin won a Woodlands Spa voucher, sponsored by FAnews and the longest drive won a Le Creuset Boutique Store gift voucher, sponsored by Paton Personnel.

For the lucky draw, winners walked away with wine and chocolate hampers, sponsored by Digicall.

Thank you sponsors

GWII would like to thank main sponsor Auto & General and co-sponsors Camargue, Clyde & Co, F&I Insurance, F&I Reinsurance and Emerald Risk Transfer.

GWII would also like to thank all the 4-ball sponsors – Leppard Underwriting, Horizon Underwriting Managers, King Price Insurance, SHA Risk Specialists and Straighthrough, and the supporting sponsors Everinghams, iTOO and Yard Insurance. A big thank you also goes out to all the prize sponsors for the fantastic prizes.

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!

Gauteng Women In Insurance: Invite Mindful Movement

Themed Mindful Movement, guest speaker Karin Green, from The Networking Company and one of South Africa's leading Bio-kineticists, spoke to the ladies about the importance of movement, in part three of the Resilience Masterclasses.

Being physically active

When you are physically active you enhance your immunity and resilience by 30%.

Physical activity is now more important than ever, and unfortunately one of the Covid side effects is that people are sitting more than they've ever done, behind their screens.

Many companies support their employees' health through wellness programs, gym

memberships and virtual fitness classes. Sometimes these measures are ineffective because people are anxious to leave their homes, they are experiencing higher work demands due to Covid, and people are exhausted trying to balance families and work.

A “do-able” gentle approach

Green discussed five elements of fitness, the importance of posture in maintaining energy and vitality, and how interval training is a key factor in developing a fitness programme.

The key elements that Green discussed include:

The importance of creating a proper workspace (the correct way to sit, for example, at your desk -straight, with flat feet at a desk);

The dangers of sitting too much (too much sitting decreases metabolism, causes muscle weakness and tightness, decreased body immunity, depression and lethargy, pooling of blood in the lower limbs and weight gain);

The fundamentals of human movement (the importance of stretching for at least 30 seconds and getting up to walk around after at least 20 minutes of sitting at your desk;

The importance of moving (to incorporate a combination of low or frequent and long or high intensity exercise components into your routines – when you do your exercise for at least 7 minutes a day, be mindful and present in the moment and focus on what you are doing… just get up and move); and

Movement trends in 2021 (wearable trends are popular, for example, they count how many steps you take a day, which is good because at least 10 000 steps a day means you have done your exercise for the day, so these are good to invest in. Other trends include virtual fitness (virtual apps, classes etc) and also the fact that exercise is medicine… fitness boosts immunity, so moderate exercise daily, for about 20 to 40 minutes three times a week is sufficient).

Lucky draws

Two lucky ladies walked away with prizes. Congratulations to our lucky draw prize winners who walked away with two Takealot Vouchers to the value of R1000 each.

Thank you

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

Thank you, Karin, for guiding the ladies on good movement practices, and to all GWII members, thank you for attending this event. We hope that the toolkit of mindful movement will enable you to become more fit and energetic, with increased and sustained vitality.

Gauteng Women In Insurance: Mix n Mingle Musical Bingo

Armed with good food and snacks, their cosiest clothes and even a drink or two, Bingo calling was all part of the fun of playing bingo for the ladies.

What is bingo?

At its very simplest bingo involves someone calling a series of random numbers usually found on small tiles or balls selected from a sack or by a bingo machine. Players have cards containing a set amount of numbers.

If a number is called, which matches one on their card, they can cross it off. The first to cross off all their numbers (called a full house) wins.

The way of the game

Just like regular bingo, the Mix n Mingle Musical Bingo was played with a twist… where traditional bingo was replaced with song names!

All players got their unique digital playing cards filled with 25 well known songs, randomly generated from a playlist of 75 smash hits.

The DJ played 10 to 15 seconds each, of a wide variety of these tunes, and if the song was on a card, the ladies just clicked it on their digital card, pressing claim when they had a line of five.

The players were warned of false claims… they were denied, and the consequence was paying a forfeit; with the possibility of singing along to “Oops I did it again”.

Well done and congratulations to the spot prize winners.

Thank you

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

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

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

Gauteng Women In Insurance: CPD Invite - Emerging Risks and trends present a huge opportunity

Speaker Jerry Anthonyrajah, Executive: Strategy and Blue Sky at Old Mutual Insure spoke about the emerging risks and trends and how they present a huge opportunity for the insurance industry as it spawns innovation by offsetting risk.

Here are the key trends, according to Anthonyrajah.

Consumer behaviour

There is consistent increases in average asset scores for Black Africans and other smaller provinces – significantly different from the OMI retail customer base. The medium-term expectations are that P&C premiums in South Africa will grow 76% by 2030, at over 4% CAGR in major cities. Personal lines will grow significantly, driven by growth of the middle class. Gauteng and Western Cape will continue to be key market opportunities. However, other provinces have fast increased asset scores and will present further growth opportunities.

Customer expectations are evolving: there is an increased need for convenience, transparency, personalisation and value. Customers are becoming more digitally engaged (e.g. online banking, shopping, ordering food etc.). An insurer's competitive advantage can be derived from offering a superior digital customer experience (e.g. from simple online product sign up, easy communication with your insurer via apps, simplified claims submission and processing etc.).

Transparency is a priority. Honesty is key, resulting in consumer trust. Insurers and brokers need to ensure that consumers are properly informed on the cover they have and not to be told only at claims stage that specific perils are not covered. Consumers are price sensitive. Consumers can easily shop around for a better price due to internet aggregators. Operationally efficient businesses are better placed to compete on price especially for the good risks (e.g. offerings to claim free clients).

The demand for user-based insurance (UBI) and shared value models (Uber, AirbnB) is rapidly increasing. Customers expect convenience, flexibility, transparency, trust, fair cheaper premiums and improved customer safety. Insurers benefit from UBI through - driver data and customer behaviors, improved pricing, risk selection and analytics, proactive claims prevention, embed UBI into CRM, personalised customer solutions, improved customer experience and reduced fraud.

Enabling technology in also on the rise, resulting in increasing computer power in new vehicles, seamless integration via API technologies, smart home technology adoption, Machine 2 Machine technology increasing interconnectedness and real time data exchange.

Other trends include the contraction of the auto insurance market in the longer term, due to self-driving vehicles (own damage claims make up 55% of premiums - potential risk transfer to automakers in event of self-driving accident, regulations regarding driverless vehicles are not yet clear, etc).

Customers are also preferring to have all financial products with one provider due to better pricing and compelling rewards. Discovery, for example, has managed to embed all offerings with a single customer portal, in addition to world rated rewards program. Banks, telecoms and other non-traditional players are also tapping into their portfolios to grow bancassurance models.

New (product) risks are emerging

New (product) risks are emerging. Some product considerations - diversification is becoming more important (e.g. pet insurance); cyber risks now present one of the biggest risks to business survival (cybercrime incidents are on the rise in South Africa and an opportunity exists for insurers to offer comprehensive cyber products that include both cyber threat mitigation and insurance cover against cyber losses); there is the rise of microinsurance (life and non-life insurance products can be written on the same license and cell and there are relaxed barriers for entry into insurance industry); and climate is changing the insurance risk landscape (in the long run insurers need to help policyholders become more resilient to natural disasters. Reinsurance cover for catastrophes is becoming more expensive and insurers should ensure they are adequately priced for weather risks).

Omnichannel experiences

The way insurance is bought and sold will continue to evolve. There is increased demand for omnichannel experiences. The demand for omnichannel experiences will be even greater as the millennial generation demand more insurance products: 30% of interactions happen digitally in developed markets.

More digital and direct players are entering the South African insurance landscape; digitally engaged customers make informed decisions and enhance their buying experience through research, reviews and ease of use. Changing customer behavior and preferences is impacting the insurance industry and its distribution models. This is fast tracking the entry of digital players.

There is a rise of hybrid/embedded channels: more customers are open to buying insurance from non-traditional players. A cell model is emerging as a driver for value, creating partnerships and channel innovation.

Digitally ready direct players increased share of new business during the pandemic. The direct market is expected to continue its growth – contributing to 70% of the personal lines market by 2030. Commercial Lines has started to follow this trend. To sustain growth, it is imperative that alternative channels be used to capture this opportunity.

Intermediary consolidation

The brokerage space in South Africa remains a highly fragmented market. Brokers continue to remain under pressure due to challenges in addressing regulatory challenges (major legislative and regulatory changes resulting from the Retail Distribution Review are driving cost of compliance and revenue compression, creating consolidation pressures), transformation (recognition of commissions under B-BBEE preferential procurement from 2020 and the general lack of transformation in the sector is creating risks to growth and customer retention), and evolving customer behaviours (customers of the 21st century are price sensitive, consume collaboratively and prioritise convenience, and brokers need to pivot to meet these demands).

The sales-focused nature of smaller brokerages and the emergence of accessible Insurtech create operational savings and efficiency opportunities, but also raise the risk of disintermediation. There are opportunities to consolidate small and medium sized brokers under a black-owned entity to leverage synergies.

The swing to a ‘hard market' in the underwriting cycle means that broker premium growth will likely be restricted in the short-term

Merger and Acquisition (M&A) activity also continues and the digitisation of advice.

Digitisation and innovation

In terms of digitisation and innovation, digital insurers are starting to reach a different S-curve. There are digital and data-driven opportunities (agile marketing, digital experiences, digitally enabled "adviser of the future", pricing/UW based on advanced analytics, digital end to end customer onboarding processes, frictionless underwriting and enrolment process – towards customers and distribution partners, digital end to end claims with strong underlying analytics, omni-channel servicing capability, “next best product to buy" cross-sell capability and predictive analytics capability for ongoing customer engagement and lapse reduction).

Insurers can capture significant value by digitising their largest processes (top 20-30 end-to-end processes can account for up to 40% of costs and 80-90% of customer activity). Insurtechs are right there to collaborate.

There are clear opportunities to partner (Big Data, machine learning, software as a service, usage-based insurance, etc). Insurtechs are redefining approaches to key parts of the value chain and big players in South Africa are investing and partnering with Insurtech start-ups in order to remain competitive.

Key trends summary

In short, Anthonyrajah said market trends point to changing consumer behaviours, new (products) risks, channel shifts, intermediary consolidation and digitisation and innovation.

Jerry Anthonyrajah

Executive: Strategy and Blue Sky

Old Mutual Insure

Gauteng Women In Insurance - Leaderwalk 3

Themed Be Distinct or Be Extinct- Femi Adebanji, a sought-after international customer service speaker and organisational excellence speaker with Speakers Inc for over five years shared practical insights on how high-impact leaders effectively “refuel” and invest in themselves.

We cannot be all things to all people

“The pandemic has fundamentally redefined the future of work, evidenced by the rise in virtual teams and the decline in co-location within organisations. Leaders are now faced with the unprecedented challenge of keeping their people motivated, inspired and delivering results, often virtually, while simultaneously dealing with the realities and challenges of the pandemic,” he said.

Following the pandemic and all of the challenges that it has presented, Adebanji said a study revealed that 85% of leaders have seen a decline in their own general wellbeing, while 10% saw an improvement in their wellbeing.

“Leaders are feeling burnt out, stressed and overwhelmed… how much time are leaders taking to take care of their own wellbeing and mental health? Leaders take care of everything and everyone else. But self-care is important. We need to slow down, to think creatively and solve problems. If we don't take care of ourselves, we become unwell, stressed and cannot manage,” he added.

“Self-care is critical to our success. Sometimes leaders see self-care as a weakness, but it is not. We cannot give 100% to our teams, if we ourselves are not feeling 100%. We need to be aware of what our stress triggers are. We are not superhuman, we are just human. Sometimes we are tired, sometimes we need support. It is okay as a leader to say okay; I just don't have the answers. Take time to refuel and recharge. Quality down time, sleep, switching off every now and then is fine. Find things that you enjoy and recharge you. We need to have more control over our schedules and work, so that we don't put so much pressure on ourselves to be all things to all people. We need to set boundaries,” he continued.

“What sets great leaders apart is self-awareness… they have more direction and purpose. Its only when we focus on our own self care that we can be successful and fulfilled. The amount we invest in ourselves… physically, emotionally, and mentally, impacts us and those around us - and just how far we go,” he added.

Impact leaders effectively refuel

“We, as leaders, have to ensure that our cups are all full so that we can take care of our people in our organisations and be sustainable - because then we succeed. We need to be agile and adaptable. We need to excel, survive and thrive,” he said.

In a dynamic, disruptive and challenging world, leading with impact and doing it sustainably means that leaders have no choice but to intentionally and regularly take the time out to focus on themselves, focus on their own self-development and “re-fuel”.

“We all have a choice. Our survival is about the choices we make… we either adapt quickly, rapidly and intelligently, do things differently and put excellence in everything we do to survive and thrive, or we don't… which will ultimately lead to us, as leaders, being distinct or extinct,” he concluded.

A discussion

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

1. Antonia Oakes (Old Mutual Insure)

2. Christelle Colman (Elite Risk Acceptances)

3. Christine Rodrigues (Bowmans)

4. Debra Tuohy (Marsh)

5. Donovan Harvey (F&I Reinsurance)

6. Glenn Standen (Leppard Underwriting)

7. Katlego Thaba (Deloitte)

8. Nox Dlamini (XonRisk)

9. Portia Mogale (Santam)

10. Roshael Hoosen (Paton Personnel)

11. Tebogo Leshilo (Sha Risk Specialists)

In the feedback session, all the table hosts agreed with the comments that Adebanji shared, that setting boundaries and work life balance is critical. We need to take breaks from work and rejuvenate… self-care is important. We schedule meetings and work-related matters… but we do not schedule self-care, we must. We must take care of ourselves.

The table hosts also voiced a similar sentiment, that in the last few months, we have learned a lot, but we have also adapted. People can adapt and change can become normal.

Like Adebanji said… we either adapt quickly, rapidly and intelligently, do things differently and put excellence in everything we do to survive and thrive, or we don't… which will ultimately lead to us, as leaders, being distinct or extinct.

The event finished off with 10 book prize giveaways which saw 10 ladies walk away with books titled “The 5 AM Club”, by Robin Sharma, based on a revolutionary morning routine that has helped his clients maximize their productivity, activate their best health and bulletproof their serenity in this age of overwhelming complexity.

Thank you

Thank you to all the delegates who attended this event, we hope that the session provided practical insights on how to effectively refuel and invest in yourselves.

Thank you to our sponsors F&I Insurance, F&I Reinsurance, Marsh and Santam for making this event possible!

GWII: The Power of Sleep event

Themed The Power of Sleep, guest speaker Joni Peddie, from The Networking Company, spoke to the ladies about the power of sleep, in part two of the Resilience Masterclasses.

Sleeping and resilience work hand-in-hand

“The reality is we all face stress at certain times in both our personal and professional lives, and it's important to understand that this is completely normal,” said Peddie.

“In fact, a small amount of pressure is healthy, as it helps us strive for excellence, create goals and objectives, and reach our potential as individuals and teams,” she added.

Sleeping and resilience, according to Peddie, work hand-in-hand. With additional hours in the land of nod, our well-being increases – enabling us to be healthier, more committed, engaged and productive. Resilience also impacts all other aspects of our wellbeing too – from job satisfaction and financial matters, to health and wellness. And this extends beyond ourselves to our communities too.

Establish sleep techniques

In setting out to establish a resilient mindset, Peddie said that individuals need to learn how to:

• Manage stress, by addressing your sleep hygiene and the inextricable link between the two.

• Boost mental energy and resilience by understanding the impact of sleep, what you eat and how you move.

• Get the right number of hours of sleep – quantity counts.

• Use “bio-hacks” to improve sleep quality.

Lucky draws

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

Thank you

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

Thank you, Joni, for guiding the ladies on good sleeping patterns, and to all GWII members, thank you for attending this event. We hope that the toolkit of the power of sleep increases your well-being – enabling you to be healthier, more committed, engaged and productive.

GWII IIG: Uyikho konke - You are everything

We are everything…. We are mothers, wives, career women, entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, homemakers, teachers, cooks, chauffeurs and the list goes on and on. We are fabulous! We are all of that and a bag of chips. We are amazing. The queens of juggling and multitasking. It's not easy wearing all of these hats; but we manage to do it. We are everything!

In celebration of Women's Day

In celebration of Women's Day and all the many hats women wear, Gauteng Women in Insurance (GWII), in collaboration with the Insurance Institute of Gauteng (IIG), hosted a Women's Day webinar, on 5 August, themed Uykho Konke ‘You Are Everything', with main sponsor Camargue, and co-sponsors Constantia, Discovery, Emerald Africa, F&I Insurance, F&I Reinsurance, Genasys, Marsh, Old Mutual Insure, Santam, Sasria and Swiss Re.

With starry line up of speakers, the night was nothing short of fabulous. GWII Deputy President, Wilmine Prinsloo and Thabo Twalo, Deputy President of the IIG, opened the session with a welcome and reminder of what we were celebrating, thanking all sponsors. A moment of silence was also observed for all our industry colleagues who have lost the fight to the pandemic.

The first on screen to entertain the guests was Tumi Morake, a formidable force in the comedy industry, with a career spanning over 15 years. From weight loss, skinny and fat girls, to weaves, Brazilian hair and tights, Morake had the audience in stitches in just the right proportions.

All in all, her message was for women of all shapes and sizes to love themselves… “the fact that we are all here shows that we, as women, are winning. So, take care of yourselves, lift each other up, and most importantly, love yourself.”

Self-awareness is key to success

Next on screen was entrepreneur, thought leader and speaker Rapelang Rabana – who has been featured on the cover of Forbes Africa magazine before the age of 30, chosen as a Fast Company Maverick, named Entrepreneur of the World by the World Entrepreneurship Forum and selected as Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

“As an African woman I have carved my way to what I want, and I have done it in a deliberate and integrated. I have been on an amazing journey and have found myself in places I have never imagined. Over the years, in my career, the personal growth element was key in my journey to going after everything,” she said.

“The journey to success starts with the ability to be self-aware… self-awareness is critical to success. Our cognisance of value and success is about being able to drive self-growth and leadership, our ambitions and values, and tuning into those things that pique your interest. Reflect and be aware. Self-awareness means whoever you are... you have a total of life experiences that have prepared you to notice opportunities around you,” she added.

“Questioning the world around you is what drives curiosity and growth. It is okay if you do not have the answers to everything. If you are self-aware, you are more likely to do things that you are drawn to… that's the authentic connection,” she continued.

“The power of self-awareness leads to risk taking and the value equation (your unique contribution + hard work = value). So, create your own value. You have a choice to go back to the old way of doing things, or like me, you can decide to work towards the questions you want answers to. There is no quick fix to life but the commitment to growth and self-awareness is the beginning of it all…” she concluded

The final act was the former lead singer of the critically acclaimed pan-African supergroup Freshylyground, a South African Storyteller, award winning actress, singer and inspirational international icon Zolani Mahola.

She went on to perform a powerful singing and story act which encapsulated the power of a woman who blossoms when she remembers who she is. In closing, Zolani told the ladies to “remember who you are… choose who you want to be”.

A charitable cause

Our nominated charities for this webinar are Fons Luminus Secondary School and Maphutha Secondary School.

Lucky draws

Drum roll please… and now onto the grand prize giveaways!

The night saw BIG prize giveaways that made many hearts happy. Thank you to all the prize sponsors for the awesome prizes. The prizes included:

1. A fully inclusive bush getaway for 2 nights with spa treatments and game drives Shepherd's Tree Game Lodge 5* by Discovery, to the value of over R20,000;

2. A BIG WIN… one lucky lady walked away with a R10 000 cash prize, sponsored by F&I Insurance and F&I Reinsurance;

3. A two-night luxury bush gateway, including a hot air ballon ride, spa treatments and a game drive at the Cradle Boutique Hotel sponsored by Old Mutual Insure, valued at over R20 000.

4. For the one who seeks to take the time out to unwind and rejuvenate with the healing hands of therapists, Santam sponsored a R5 000 Mangwanani Spa voucher.

5. A spa voucher, to the value of R2 500, sponsored by Oak Tree Intermediaries.

Thank you

GWII would like to thank the main sponsor Camargue, and co-sponsors Constantia, Discovery, Emerald Africa, F&I Insurance, F&I Reinsurance, Genasys, Marsh, Old Mutual Insure, Santam, Sasria and Swiss Re for their sponsorship and support for this event. Without them this would not have been possible.

And lastly, to all GWII members… love yourself, first and foremost. The journey to success starts with the ability to be self-aware… it is the beginning of it all. Then remember who you are… choose who you want to be!

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.