On the eve of the first full day of the AIRMIC conference, executive director David Gamble said: "For the first time certainly in my experience we are extending the conference to include a special session on the FSA regulation and the possibility of risk managers who arrange intra-company cover claiming exemption on the basis that they are not doing this by way of business.
"We are looking to brokers and insurers to give such members confidence by expressing willingness to deal with them. The panel for this session includes: Michael Chitty, company secretary and compliance director, Willis; Christopher Sibley, solicitor and compliance officer, Marsh; Bobby Deegan, group director of compliance, JLT; Steven Browning, partner, Barlow Lyde Gilbert; Jenny Margetts of R&SA, and Alan Burton, risk financing manager, BT.
"On a more general note, we are very encouraged at the numbers who are attending and the support for today's training sessions. There must be close to 100 members attending these. We are also very pleased that we have been able to get three outstanding speakers for the plenaries. As always with these sessions, we are looking to widen people's horizons beyond the normal risk management areas.
"Almost 40 seminars and lectures will take place and I would ask that, because people make such an effort in preparing for these, delegates honour their part of the bargain and go to the sessions that they are booked for.
"Members will also appreciate our Wednesday afternoon forum where we have a very distinguished panel looking at issues in the insurance market. And we are grateful to our sponsors for their support during the conference."
Next year, AIRMIC members will be enjoying some sea air when the conference goes south to Brighton - where Gamble expects to see the same high level of attendance as we have here in Manchester.
