The National Insurance Brokers Association has published the program for this year’s convention, to be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre in October.

The theme is Beyond the Status Quo, which NIBA says is a “call to action for our broking community to embrace innovation, be adaptable and stay ahead of the curve”.

There will be 51 speakers, 21 sessions, about 800 delegates and more than 65 exhibitors.

Former Australian of the Year for NSW, state head of resilience and Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons will share lessons from three decades of emergency management, and Insurtech Australia CEO Simone Dossetor will also address attendees.

The line-up of speakers also includes Austbrokers ABS MD Rebecca Wilson, Sedgwick client director Colin McEnery, Steadfast EGM Australasian networks, broker and insurer services Nick Cook, and Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance CEO Katrina Shanks.

Seven News finance editor Gemma Acton will be master of ceremonies.

The program begins with a welcome function at East End Cellars on the evening of October 20.

The next day, NIBA president Gary Okely will deliver a welcome address.

Sessions will then examine political updates and insights; lessons in self-made leadership; tackling the key challenges facing the general insurance industry; navigating financial complaints with Australian Financial Complaints Authority chief ombudsman David Locke; AI for business; the adaptability advantage; and the external perspective on becoming a profession of choice.

On October 22, sessions will include calculating business interruption coverage; hard-to-place risks; decoding client expectations; an insight into the economic state; attraction and retention of talent; and mastering the art of successful difficult conversations.

NIBA will also share its strategic direction, and a closing address from convention chair Dianne Phelan will be followed at 7pm by a dinner where the broker and young broker of the year will be crowned.

An early bird discount on tickets is available here.