Registrations for this year’s Steadfast convention have already passed 2500, with more coming in each day, according to Convention Chairman Greg Stewart.

“The evening functions are a sell-out, and we already have a waiting list operating,” he told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

The convention – the first for Steadfast as a public listed company – begins at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 1 and finishes with a dinner on March 4.

Mr Stewart says organisers have worked to provide a mix of speakers, and breakout sessions are also being introduced.

“We’ll trial them this year to see how they go,” he said. “It will enable us to have a range of subjects covered in the time available.”

“Must-see” sessions include presentations by Qantas pilot Richard de Crespigny, who safely landed his severely damaged Airbus A380 in November 2010; CGU CEO Peter Harmer; building fire expert Jonathan Barnett, who explains how the World Trade Centre buildings collapsed on September 11 2001; and journalist John Silvester on the global hunt for drug kingpin Tony Mokbel.

Mr Stewart says the “gold panel” session, which features executives from the leading insurers, “should be attended by every delegate who wants to know the factors moving the industry forward”.