All the winners from the Airmic Excellence Awards 2023

Taking to the stage at the London Hilton on Park Lane, comedian Jack Dee and chair of the Airmic board, Angela Iannetta, introduced Airmic Excellence Awards 2023.

The awards are back by popular demand, in their second year, since their first outing in 2022.

The first award of the evening was for the most highly rated Airmic webinar. This was given to Richard Smith-Bingham, executive director of Marsh McLennan.

The award was given as recognition of the unique insights provided into the Global Risk report’s findings. Smith-Bingham was not only able to do this, but also found time within his diary to deliver a webinar to Airmic members on the subject.

The second award of the night was for the most popular Airmic publication. This award was won by  WTW and collected on their behalf by Kay McMenamin, head of client GB.

The report in question looked at the future of work and business, and asked what form this would take.  In particular, the report looked at the future role of AI in our profession.

Third was the rising star award. This award recognises the achievements and contributions of an up-and-coming professional who has made a significant impact in the profession early in their career.

This was given to Peter Nesic of DS Smith, who made a bold career change moving from an insurer to the other side of the desk.

With a focus on risk mitigation and transfer around property, business continuity and supply chain, Nesic is passionate about creating best-in-class asset integrity as Group Head of Business Resilience across the global portfolio of a British packaging company.   

The nominator of the award said of Nesic: “It is not his knowledge or capability that sets him apart but his innovative thinking on what the future holds and how a business can be shaped outside the traditional risk improvement and resilience approach. So good to be working with him.”

Sustainability is a key issue in our industry, and it is this that the fourth award recognised, given to a member or team at the forefront of the transition to a more sustainable world, demonstrating stakeholder engagement, core sustainability concepts, and implementation of sustainable strategies.  

This year, it was awarded to Jordane Terrasse of the London Stock Exchange Group (LSE).

A pioneer in sustainability within the profession, she has been in the London insurance market for over 20 years. Terrasse is responsible for driving risk management strategy at LSE, including embedding sustainability related risks ensuring delivery of the risk agenda at group level.

An Airmic board member and leading Airmic’s financial services Special Interest Group, just last week she hosted an Airmic special interest group meeting focusing on sustainability, with speakers joining by video live from COP28 in Dubai.

On a closely related note, the fifth award was given for those championing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the field. The awardee, Alison Quinlivan of Google, was unable to attend but Soowoo Park, her colleague was on hand to pick up the award.

The award was given to reflect Quinlivan’s unwavering commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of their work and life and has a long history of advocating for and creating inclusive environments.

The award’s nominator wrote regarding Quinlivan: “On a personal level their guidance has really helped open my eyes and mind on how we can have a positive impact on people's lives and the relentless need to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. Their passion for DEI is evident in all that they do, and they are an inspiration to others.”

The penultimate award was for outstanding leader, and was given to recognise a talented, determined, and influential professional who demonstrates strong communication and leadership skills and who has had a positive impact on their team. The winner was Helen Pope of Tesco.

In the eleven years that Pope has been at her organisation she has led the team through acquisitions and disposals, accounting issues which resulted in a high-profile D&O claim, managing the effects of the collapse of a key TPA partner, and a corresponding transfer of data and services within a short period of time, without disruption to the business or claimants.

The final award, for a place in the Airmic Hall of Fame, went to a winner respected across the risk management community and insurance industry for his deep knowledge of insurance and risk management.

A former Airmic chairman, with a career stretching over 40 years, holding roles spanning responsibility for risk, insurance and claims, as well as serving as a non-executive board member for captive insurance companies in Ireland and Guernsey.

The Hall of Fame award went to Patrick Smith.

Patrick continues to host the Airmic Academy training programme, he is a business coach and mentor, and remains involved in a number of businesses as the risk and insurance lead.

Angela rounded off the ceremony by noting that the need to bring together professionals and provide them with a voice is as important in 2023 as it was in 1963.

On behalf of the board, the Airmic team and our membership, congratulations to Patrick and all of the night’s winners.