The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities and enriching lives, recently hosted the 2025 IICF Global Conference in New York as part of its mission to unite the industry through grants, volunteer service and leadership.

The event included more than 300 insurance professionals gathered to hear insights, experience and inspiration from insurance industry CEOs and other C-suite leaders. Attendees enjoyed an action-oriented program focused on the theme of “Empowering our Future: Personal Leadership, Innovation and Winning Talent Strategies.

Executives from several leading insurers and related businesses shared insights on a range of tactics and strategies to help create a more innovative future of work and advance the state of leadership and talent in insurance. Speakers included:

• Marc Adee, CEO, Crum & Forster
• Brian Duperreault, Executive Chairman, Cedar Trace Advisors Limited
• Katie McGrath, Chief Underwriting Officer, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions
• Elixabete (Eli) Larrea, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
• Dawn Miller, Chief Commercial Officer, Lloyd’s & CEO Lloyd’s Americas
• Rekha Skantharaja, CEO, Tangram Insurance Services
• A. Morris Tooker, President, The Hartford

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Key takeaways from the event

Three themes emerged from the day's presentations and discussion:

1. Center growth around people, not just performance. Today’s workforce is often facing burn out and reevaluating what success looks like. Companies are exploring workplace models that support sustainable growth, prioritize the mental health of their employees and encourage them to find balance and purpose.
2. Demystify AI, encourage innovation. The pace of technology in the modern world is causing employees to grow concerned about the future of their roles. Leaders must help teams engage with AI tools meaningfully, encourage them to define challenges and consider how technology can improve their workflows and build confidence to adapt as technology continues to transform jobs.
3. A strong leadership culture is rooted in trust, transparency and flexibility. The pace of change is not slowing down. Leaders who are vulnerable, lead with humility, listen to their teams, understand their needs and allow them to grow will benefit from more resilient teams who are prepared for what’s ahead.

Images showcased above are some of the scenes from the 2025 IICF Global Conference. All photos are by published courtesy of Marget Long.