BIBA2018 - One Day Down, One to Go!

I always love going to BIBA, it’s amazing so many insurance people in one place, so many opportunities to cram meetings into a day that would normally be spread over weeks, people talk about ‘Networking’ which sounds a bit loose & fuzzy I always think, but here you get real value talking about proper business opportunities, and a chance to see what everyone else in the market is trying to do of course!

Whilst I say one day down, things really kick off of course on the Tuesday evening with a number of dinners & events, ours was at the Imperial War Museum North, eating & drinking under the wings of a Harrier Jump Jet, great venue, & clearly a ‘Hot Ticket’ based on the abuse I’ve got from people who didn’t get an invite (all good natured of course). So yes I got to catch up with a good few ex AXA Colleagues now moving & shaking in the Broker world, but then whilst really informal (much praise for Jon Walkers succinct & focussed short welcome speech) we had some genuine business discussions around the Table. I dodged the commission debates (naturally!) but have picked up some work on a Real Estate wording that hopefully will take one account from strength to strength. 

Back to the Hotel Bar with our guests (briefly for me, I’ve learnt the lesson of pacing yourself at BIBA to my cost previously), bed, then up & a big breakfast for the onslaught ahead. 

I say onslaught, that’s what it feels like be the end of the day, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! The AXA stand this year is bigger and better, and one big change, no longer AXA Insurance in splendid isolation, this year it really is #AXATogether with colleagues from AXA Partners, AXA PPP Healthcare, AXA Corporate Solutions & AXA Art all sharing our space, to great effect. 

My day kicked off with a bit of valued feedback on our Claims offering (yes some Brokers still want to speak to me about Claims, particularly when Martin Ashfield was tied up on something else!), then straight into a discussion on what could be a few million pounds of business. Yes it’s an area we don’t normally play in, but I genuinely believe this could be ‘different’, & am looking forward to the follow up where we get into the detail. The rest of the day was filled with a combination of pre booked meetings, interspersed with ‘walk ups’ or opportunistic chats, I heard this was the ‘Biggest BIBA ever’ and it certainly felt like that. I confess I sneaked off to the Loo to do a couple of emails at one point, it was the only way to get a break!

Sadly I only got 30 seconds with the chap from the Treasury that Andy Thornley tried to introduce me to, but we exchanged cards and can follow up later. Everyone was buzzing for all of the day, a really focussed day I would say. I didn’t manage to get to any of the presentations & other sessions this year, you have to make a choice, meetings or learning I suppose, and this year I went absolutely for the former. I was meant to be at a ‘Social’ broker meeting at 4:30, didn’t make it until an hour later but I don’t think anyone minded, and I did get to catch up on a Scheme we have been working on for a few years now (kicked off by a previous discussion at BIBA), all progressing but a bit slower than anticipated, partly because of the joys of regulation, oh and that the Broker decided to spend some time writing a book! And a very good book it appears to be as well, and all part of the ‘Big Vision’, not just a vanity project. 

Anyway that’s more than enough for my first update, more later on Wednesday night & Thursday!

David Williams

Technical Director, AXA Insurance UK

@AXADavidW