The 9th annual SAFSIA Industry Recognition Awards
More than 800 individuals from all areas of the insurance industry joined the South African Financial Services Intermediaries Association (SAFSIA) at their annual gala awards ceremony, held at the Sandton Convention Centre on 5 June 2007.
Ben Rossouw, SAFSIA's Managing Director, comments: "The gala awards, now in their ninth year, are a highlight on the insurance industry calendar and recognise outstanding service that insurers and investment product suppliers provide to the intermediary community. The levels of service intermediaries are able to offer their clients are directly related to the service they receive from insurers and investment product suppliers."
Master of Ceremonies, Gary Bailey enthralled the audience with a number a statistics and projections for the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Bailey's presentation included a number of entertaining multi-media inserts.
Bailey reminded the audience of the numerous business opportunities that would be generated by the World Cup as thousands of sport tourists flock to South Africa. Based on the German World Cup, held in 2006, there could be as many as 220, 000 visitors to the country over the period. The local economy could benefit from as much as R51.1 billion in GDP growth and government has already put out more than R410 billion in tenders for the event.
Life time achievement awards
SAFSIA president, Duncan Buchanan took the time to honour various brokerages and individuals for achieving 25 years of SAFSIA membership. "SAFSIA is indeed fortunate to have such loyal and supportive members over such a period of time," said Buchanan.
During this portion of the proceedings, Buchanan presented the Jerry Jerome award. The award is reserved for special occasions, and is not given out every year. "This award which is named in honour of SAIBA's first president Jerry Jerome is presented not as a mere token of appreciation, but rather as a sincere acknowledgement of SAFSIA's gratitude to a person who through his or her very considerable efforts has contributed substantially in furthering the interests of the association," said Buchanan.
Buchanan presented the award to Ernie Paton, for serving the industry with distinction for 60 years.
Recognition for excellence in the insurance industry
The primary reason for the gathering was to recognise those service providers who excelled in their specific areas, through the awarding of the SAFSIA Industry Recognition awards. Buchanan summarised the purpose of the evening as follows: "there are many players in the industry who strive to give their clients outstanding service. These awards are one of the ways in which SAFSIA recognises excellence within the industry."
In the short-term insurance categories, Mutual & Federal received the award for Personal Lines Insurer of the Year and Corporate Insurer of the Year. The remaining short-term insurance award went to Hollard, who scooped Commercial Insurer of the Year. Hollard later celebrated this award with a 'paint the town red' bash which continued till the early hours of this morning.
Discovery Life claimed the Long Term Insurer of the Year (Risk Products) award. And the final award of the evening was handed to Momentum Group Limited, who won the Investment Product Supplier of the Year award.
SAFSIA president nominated for another term
Toward the end of formal proceedings for the evening, SAFSIA executive Chris Busschau announced that Duncan Buchanan had been re-elected as president of SAFSIA at the board meeting held earlier that morning.
Buchanan explained that the main reason for accepting a second term as president was his ambition to strengthen intermediary representation in the financial services environment. "It has been an ambition of mine since joining the board of SAFSIA to strengthen our intermediary representation, to encourage the one-voice principle and unity within our sector of the market, and to make it easier for the authorities in government and other sectors of the insurance fraternity and business in general to deal with a unified intermediary structure."
Editor's thoughts:
The massive turnout at last night's SAFSIA awards gala illustrates the reach this association enjoys. During the presentation, Duncan Buchanan stated that one of his ambitions is to assist in establishing a new body to act as the 'one-voice' for intermediary representation in the local industry. What form should this 'one voice' body take, and what more can be done to ensure that intermediaries present a unified front going forward? Send your comments to [email protected]
Congratulations to all the award winners! FAnews Team
