Meet clients, avoid silos, enjoy the crab

The Singapore International Reinsurance Conference (SIRC) was launched in 1991 to fill the gap between the biennial meetings of the East Asian Insurance Congress (EAIC). Its stated aim was to give insurance professionals a forum to meet and discuss issues of the day, while taking stock of developments in the reinsurance market; and starting preparations for the following year’s treaty renewals.

Now hosting its 13th event, called Managing Risks in an Uncertain World, it seems the event is firmly embedded in the diaries of many of the industry’s most senior executives—and it is also, like some of the established European re/insurance conferences, becoming a place where people do business.

An online poll of Intelligent Insurer’s readers conducted in the run up to SIRC found that some 38 percent of readers say they attend the event to meet and negotiate with clients, while 25 percent said they attend to reaffirm relationships with existing clients in a relaxed environment.

“It is a perfect place to meet multiple clients in one place,” said one respondents.

Given the distances involved in Asia as a region it is perhaps natural that such an event can become a hub for business meetings as well as a reason to learn from speakers and peers about trends in the market (13 percent) and to meet new people and seek new clients (15 percent).

“Asia is so big we can end up operating in silos. A conference like this means learning from peers,” said one respondent.

Unfortunately, not everyone is so dedicated. Singapore is a lovely place to visit and 10 percent of respondents said they just like to get out of the office on expenses. “I return for the restaurants, especially the Singapore chilli crab,” said one.

Why do you attend the SIR conference?