NTI Marine Underwriter Yijing Vicky Zhang has won the 2022 Young Insurance Professionals (YIPs) and Barry.Nilsson. Next Gen Insurance Leader Award.

The annual competition recognises innovative thinking, leadership potential and business acumen, and encourages the career development of Australian and New Zealand young insurance professionals.

Melbourne-based Ms Zhang wins a $5000 cash prize for her 2000-word paper “Artificial intelligence meets human intelligence” in which she explores insurers striking the right balance between digitisation and maintaining a human element.

"Among a strong group of finalist submissions, Vicky produced an impressive analysis of how companies utilise divergent skills of humans and machines to enhance business processes, customer interaction and data security,” a Barry.Nilsson. statement said.

Finalists Perth-based WTW Senior Claims Adviser Ben McCallum and Brisbane-based Barry.Nilsson. Solicitor Mitchell Lee made submissions exploring how the industry, government and others can manage and respond to the heightened risk of natural disasters.

Read the winning submission here.