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Program Overview
2005 Program
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2005 Sponsorship Opportunities Booklet (PDF)
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Program Overview
The LOMA/LIMRA Strategic Issues Conference is a two-and-a-half day conference focusing on the strategic issues facing insurance and financial services companies in the Asia-Pacific Rim.

Hailed as the meeting for CEOs and senior executives to explore topics ranging from product innovation, agency management, and risk management to technology, human resources, customer service and supplemental distribution channels. Conference Presentations will include Case Studies, Discussion Panels, and Presentations by Industry leaders, professionals and regulators.

Click here for a list of past participants. 

2005 Program
Here are the sessions that will be offered during the 2005 Strategic Issues Conference (SIC).  Click on the following link to see the 2004 conference program. 

Manulife Asia Senior Executive & GM, Victor Apps to Deliver Keynote Address LOMA and LIMRA International are very pleased to announce the keynote speaker for the 2005 Strategic Issues Conference (SIC) is Victor Apps, Senior Executive Vice President and General Manager, Asia . Apps is responsible for Manulife Financials insurance and mutual fund operations in Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand.  He also handles Asian operations previously managed by John Hancock Financial.

Sunday, June 12, 2005

4:00 – 6:00 p.m. 
Registration     

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Welcome Reception   
Sponsored by Life Insurance Association of Singapore 

Monday, June 13, 2004

8:30 a.m. 
Conference Opening 

Robert A. Kerzner,
CLU, ChFC, President & Chief Executive Officer, LIMRA International, U.S.A.

Opening Keynote Address 

Managing for Profits Versus for Market Share
Victor Apps
Senior Executive Vice President and General Manager, Asia Manulife 

Companies want to ensure profitability when entering a new market, but before profits come streaming in, they must first establish a presence and gain market share. Senior management is challenged with determining  the point in a company's business development cycle at which the focus should shift from establishing a presence to making a profit. 

Apps has learned valuable lessons in this area and will discus the need for a bottom-line perspective when managing a life insurance company and how too much focus on market share can be detrimental to your business.   

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Networking Break 

10:30 a.m. - Noon
General Session—CEO Open Forum: Singapore

Moderator
Robert A. Kerzner, CLU, ChFC, Moderator

Chief executives from Singapore will discuss what it takes to make companies profitable in a competitive marketplace.  

Noon - 2:00 p.m. 
Lunch

2:00 - 3:00 p.m. 
Concurrent Sessions 1 

1.1 Winning with a Customer—Centric Focus
Liak Teng Lit
Chief Executive Officer, Alexandra Hospital, Singapore

Alexandra Hospital, the smallest acute care public hospital in Singapore, has successfully carved a comfortable niche in the health care market by focusing on customer service and operational excellence - and in the process has received numerous awards for excellence. According to Liak, "We focus on creating a culture that always puts the interest of our patients first. We learn from the best of other industries, e.g., Citibank, Ritz Carlton, Toyota, and others. We work closely with our patients to clearly define customer values." Liak will explain how he and his staff are working to create a hassle-free environment to wow their customers.

1.2 Finding Profits in the Workplace
Doyle Oakey, Ph.D
Senior Director, Research and Consulting LIMRA International

2.1 Evolution of the ALM Process in Asia
Mark Saunders
Principal & Managing Director, Asia Tillinghast-Towers Perrin

Companies managing for profitability know that Asset Liability Management (ALM) is key to achieving success. What is ALM and how can you link it to your company’s investments to earn profits? Mr. Saunders looks at the theory and practice of ALM as it has evolved in the Asia region and offers his insights on ”best practice“ in this area.


2.2 Improving Business Results With Competencies 
Barbara Kruse, ACS
Second Vice President, Human Resource Solutions, LOMA , U.S.A.

Organizations around the globe are reinvesting in their businesses by putting the focus back onto employee competencies. Competencies help individuals and organizations to improve their performance and deliver key business results. By identifying the specific requirements for successful job performance, companies can recruit, select, train, coach, and manage employees in a more consistent and effective manner. This presentation will include practical examples of how companies can develop competencies, use them to improve their human resource processes, and positively affect their bottom line.

2.3 Turning Consumer Preferences Into Profits 
Robert M. Baranoff, FLMI, LLIF
Senior Vice President, Member Benefits, LIMRA International

What are the driving factors that influence consumers when they make financial decisions? What types of products do they prefer, and what habits have they exhibited when making purchasing decisions? This presenter offers ideas on how companies can fulfill consumer purchasing habits and thereby increase sales.

4:30 p.m.
NETWORKING RECEPTION

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

8:30 a.m.
OPENING SESSION WELCOME

General Session—Regulator Panel - Spotlighting Industry Image

Moderator
Tan Kin Lian
Chief Executive Officer, NTUC, Singapore

Panelists
Low Kwok Mun
Executive Director, Insurance Supervision Department, Monetary Authority of Singapore

Benjamin S. Santos
Insurance Commissioner, Insurance Commission, Philippines

It's no secret—the insurance industry has faced some challenges in regard to corporate governance. Through it all, consumer confidence has been compromised. The question now becomes: What steps should the industry take to improve consumer confidence? A distinguished panel of regulators will address issues related to transparency, solvency, RBC, their top priorities for the industry, and other topics related to improving industry image. Following brief presentations by these regulators, participants will have the chance to comment and ask questions during a moderated discussion. 

10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
General Session—Bancassurance Panel

Moderator
Sivam Subramaniam
Editor, Asia Insurance Review

Panelists
Peter Grimes
Regional Director, Partnerships Distribution, Insurance Asia Prudential Corporation Asia Hong Kong

Roger Steel
Chairman, Hana Life Insurance Co. Ltd., Korea

Lance Tay
Vice President, Strategic Business Development American International Assurance Company, Ltd. Singapore

Bancassurance has experienced great success, thanks to a range of different business models that have fallen under the "bancassurance" banner. What dictates the success or failure of a bancassurance business? Could the business model be a factor, or is it the implementation and operation of the model itself that is the critical element to success? Panelists will discuss the factors that influence bancassurance success and therefore lead to improved performance.

11:45 a.m. - Noon
General Session— Turning Advantage into Profit

Gerald Wyndorf
President and Chief Executive Officer, American International Assurance Company, Ltd., Hong Kong

In the Asia Pacific region, AIA has one of the best track records for profitability in the insurance industry. The reason lies in its strategic advantages, including a respected brand name, rigorous operating efficiencies, and a reputation for excellence in employee development. This session will discuss the key contributors to AIA's continuing success and how this company turns strategic advantage into profit.

12:30 - 1:45 p.m.
Lunch

1:45 p.m. 
General Session— CEO OPEN FORUM: ASIA -Building Profitable Companies in Diverse Markets

Moderator
Thomas P. Donaldson, FLMI, CLU
President and Chief Executive Officer, LOMA, U.S.A.

Panelists
Tan Beng Lee
Director and Group Chief Executive Officer, Great Eastern Life Assurance Company, Ltd.

Patrick Poon
CEO, Greater China Region, ING Asia/Pacific Ltd.

David Skinner
Chief Executive Officer, New York Life International (Asia)

Building Profitable Companies in Diverse Markets

It's not easy for executives operating in different countries around the world. They face many difficulties, including differing regulations, cultures, and economies, and varying workforce skill levels of consumer knowledge. These are large challenges, but making your business a success is not impossible, according to three executives with regional responsibilities for companies operating in several countries in the Asia Pacific region. They will discuss the challenges of building and sustaining successful ventures in more than one market.

Small Group Discussion Sessions

Conference attendees will discuss issues raised during both the regulator and CEO panel sessions. This will be an opportunity for you to share your views and gain insight from your peers in the industry. Available panelists will continue their conversations with conference attendees in these small, interactive group sessions. 

4:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Networking Break

4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Closing Keynote Address

Dealing with Competition When You are Doing Well: 
Perspectives from Sun Zi's The Art of War
Wee Chow Hou, Ph.D., PPA, PBM, FCIM, 
Professor of Strategy, Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Every company has to operate in an increasingly competitive environment. How should one handle competition? What if your company is doing very well? What if you are already number one? What would your goals and objectives be? Dr. Wee will address how to apply Sun Zi's The Art of War to these and other issues, including the competitive stance that companies should adopt. 

Dr. Wee is a widely published author who has written several management books and has provided educational, consulting, and executive training services to corporations, including Fortune 500 companies in Europe, North America, and Asia. His lectures applying Sun Zi's The Art of War to strategic management and business practices have been acclaimed by many organizations around the world. 

5:30 p.m.
CLOSING REMARKS AND Adjournment

Meeting Details 

Register early and save—download the Conference Registration Form!

Before May 24, 2005
Members* - US$795  
Nonmembers - US$995 nonmembers

After May 24, 2005:
Members* - US$895 
Nonmembers - US$1,095 

Member Volume Discount*
One free registration for every five paid registrations (registrations must
be from the same member company and made at the same time).
*Members of LOMA or LIMRA only

Hotel Information
The conference hotel is the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore. Please download the hotel registration form by clicking here. 

Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore 22 Orange Grove Road, Singapore 258350 Tel : (65) 6737 3644  Fax : (65) 6737 3257 / 6733 1029

Sponsorship
Interested in putting your name and expertise in front of 500+ financial services decision makers from this region? 

Click here to find out about sponsorship opportunities, or download the sponsorship opportunities booklet (PDF).

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Thanks to our 2005 Sponsors and Exhibitors!

Lead Sponsor:

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