Organisers of the Steadfast Convention being held in Sydney expect a number of delegates will have been forced to cancel because of the devastation caused by Cyclone Debbie.

Convention Manager Greg Stewart told insuranceNEWS.com.au that due to the “turmoil” in Queensland and northern NSW, he is awaiting confirmation of attendance numbers.

The Steadfast event– the first conference to be held at Sydney’s new International Convention Centre and the industry’s largest gathering – began on Saturday and will end tomorrow. In previous years the number of delegates attending has exceeded 2000.

Meanwhile, organisers of the Austbrokers & IBNA Member Services (AIMS) conference do not expect Cyclone Debbie will make a serious dent in attendance when their conference begins in Shanghai on April 30.

GM Glenn Schultz told insuranceNEWS.com.au that while there may be one or two cancellations, he does not expect a “heavy impact”.

“It’s one month from now, so it should be fine,” Mr Schultz said. “We only have the principals there, so it’s not a heavy load out of their business.”

He says AIMS has steered away from high-profile speakers this year, instead choosing people who represent technology and the future.

“We’ve defaulted to a more business-focused session, particularly around technology and developments in the insurance industry,” Mr Schultz said.

The conference theme is The New World, with a focus on the changing global business environment and the influence of technology.