Over the last couple of years, industry investment in understanding the power of blockchain technology has accelerated. Most prominently, two insurance-based blockchain organizations, The Institutes' RiskBlock Alliance (RBA) and B3i, have gained real traction. Initial applications have focused on the property and casualty market. Now, LIMRA has partnered with RBA to drive cross-industry collaboration and bring this transformational platform to the benefit of the life, annuity, retirement, and group benefits markets. In this session, these blockchain industry pioneers will demystify the blockchain technology, explain how your company may be affected, and show how you can benefit from the sector's early learnings.

For an industry that essentially exists to do good by helping people manage their financial lives, it’s important for people — in turn — to feel good about the industry. During this session, LIMRA researchers will present findings from consumer research that defines the current image. They will also share industry member perspectives on the desired image and actions that companies can take to collectively move the needle in the right direction.

Note: The Fraud Symposium will end at 5:30 p.m.

A panel of leading fraud prevention experts from insurance and financial services will discuss the evolving nature of fraud, the threats it poses to both our customers and our brands, and the new processes and tools that are being developed and deployed to deter and thwart attempted fraud. We will also preview some of the new tools and other resources being developed by the industry as part of the LIMRA LOMA Fraud Initiative. To help frame the panel discussion, Paul Henry will share recent LIMRA research on the evolving nature of fraud, the industry response, and consumer expectations. Audience participation and questions are encouraged.

Business is infinite — there’s no such thing as “winning” because there’s always a new set of challenges. Great leaders instinctively play the infinite game rather than chase short-term goals. Fascinated by individuals and organizations that make the greatest impact and possess the capacity to inspire, Sinek explores how infinite players can outlast their competitors, stay ahead for the long run, and create strong organizations.

When Amazon and Netflix are the benchmarks for the expected customer experience, how do we compete? Any successful effort to innovate around distribution or new products requires a holistic understanding of how the consumer feels about the product and the purchasing experience. In this interactive session, hosted by experienced facilitators from Swiss Re, attendees will engage in customer journey mapping to understand the factors that influence the customer experience, and discuss how our industry can leverage technology to navigate these experiences. Using ideation techniques, participants will learn how to uncover fresh perspectives around a challenge every company faces.

The digital transformation is underway for the global insurance industry. Recent years have seen exponential growth of InsurTech, driven by the combination of changing customer expectations, decrease in effectiveness of existing distribution channels and persistent pressure to increase profitability. The InsurTech explosion and resulting marketplace disruption are sure to continue with a vengeance in 2019. There's no doubt that challenges lie ahead. Hear about the challenges and future of global insurance in this session.

Annuities provide unique value that enhances an individual’s portfolio and bestows peace of mind in retirement. The need for lifetime-guaranteed income provided by annuities is high, but sales of individual annuities have fallen for the past three years. As fee-based practice models proliferate and consumer misperceptions abound, can the industry turn around the trend by reclaiming the narrative? In this session, the audience will be presented with ways to reinforce the relevancy and core value of income guarantees for consumers and advisors, using a combination of objective and subjective concepts.

The global marketplace is in a state of constant evolution. Today’s changing world requires savvy recruiting and retention strategies that engage a workforce as diverse in background and skills as it is in perspective. To keep up with the pace of transformation, companies must offer a unique value proposition that is relevant and compelling to the next generation of top talent. Avoiding costly turnover requires creating a climate of diverse thought and inclusion that offers real opportunities for all employees. This engaging session will feature a panel of rising stars. Learn what attracted them to our industry and what factors have led them to stay, and most importantly, thrive.

Insurers are moving toward platform models for the technology cost savings and flexibility to innovate. Platform models also allow insurers to create multi-partner ecosystems, meet customer needs at the point of risk, and provide a better customer experience. IBM provides a closer look at how insurers are becoming more agile, improving differentiation, and adding customer value while lowering technology costs.  This session will showcase examples from global insurers who are cutting their own path through the insurance landscape.

Many factors impact the practices of today’s financial professionals. Technology, changing consumer expectations, and regulatory pressures are spurring financial professionals to re-examine their business model, the products they sell, and how they engage with clients. A panel of financial professionals representing three distinct practice models will share how share how they are adapting their businesses to drive growth both today and in the future.

Cyberattacks, financial crime and fraud are becoming more targeted, sophisticated, and persistent. This trend is expected to continue as companies go through digital transformations and consumers and businesses rely more on electronic devices for financial activities. While technologies and processes have made advances in cybersecurity and fraud prevention, many organizations are still vulnerable and recognize a need to do more. This session will give an overview of the environment and discuss some ways to mitigate risk.

In what can seem like a whipsaw regulatory climate, senior industry leaders face an increasingly uncertain legislative landscape. Now, on the eve of the mid-term elections, what do leading legal and government relations industry insiders think about the likely outcomes and the effect on the legislative and regulatory agenda for 2019? In a panel format, law and policy experts will share their insights on where we might expect regulators to land on best interest, suitability, and the evolving state regulatory actions affecting both the annuity and life insurance industry. What policy opportunities might be ahead for the industry and what challenges are we likely to face?

In an increasingly global economy, it is important to be aware of not only what’s happening in our own backyards, but what’s happening around the world. When it comes to product development, South Africa is a hotbed of innovation. At this session, you will learn why and hear from two of the most innovative companies in that market.

By now there is a common understanding that customer expectations are escalating and the need to harness digital and connect them with existing offline channels is critical. In this session, you will hear from Adobe’s Digital Strategy group and EY’s financial services practice on recent survey results, best in class examples, and see a live demonstration of how digital channels improve customer experiences while enhancing advisor effectiveness.

Manage tough decisions and impactful innovations. Cole provides insight into leadership and innovation by sharing the most significant stories and lessons of her esteemed career.

Hear the poignant and mesmerizing stories behind the photos. Platon shares his experience photographing an eclectic mix of world leaders, celebrities, and civil and human rights champions.

Celebrate the future of LIMRA, LOMA, and LL Global as we congratulate Bob Kerzner on his retirement and welcome David Levenson, the incoming leader of our association.

Join us for “Demo Day” presentations from InsurTech start-up company executives, followed by a compelling discussion with a distinguished panel of “players” regarding the reality of how insurance companies can take advantage of innovative ideas, designed to enhance or disrupt the life insurance business of the future. Hear from some of the best and brightest innovation leaders making waves in our industry today. Gain a wider perspective from a panel of experts, who are guiding, investing, or delivering real solutions to our industry’s future.

To meet the needs of today’s evolving consumer, insurance companies must adjust their business model to reach consumers where and how they want to be reached. Companies must adopt alternative and expanded means of distribution, purchase, and customer service that span digital, in-person, and more, combined with consumer purchase-friendly products in a true omni-channel method. In this session, a panel of consumer direct and omni-channel industry experts will help you understand the opportunity and challenges to assist as you explore how best to navigate the direct marketplace.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly moving from a mesmeric technology to a powerful foundation for consumer and business decision making. However, AI is poorly understood and claims of an "AI singularity" and portrayals of an "AI apocalypse" are creating a hype machine that is unparalleled in recent history. This session will define and demystify AI, explain the biggest opportunities for applying it in the life insurance/financial services industry, and illustrate how companies are building AI applications to augment, rather than automate human performance while minimizing the risk of unintended consequences from Rogue AI.

As retirees move from saving to spending, the widespread need for decumulation strategies has become more apparent. The complexity in creating these strategies has led many industry experts to describe the decumulation challenge as one of the hardest financial problems yet to be solved. Hear from executives representing insurance companies, asset managers, and distributors as they discuss the unique strengths of these organizations, the hurdles that exist in solving the decumulation challenge, and the benefits that could be achieved by working cooperatively on solutions.

Many insurers are thinking about the next move in their strategy for the insurance company of the future. Some are taking big leaps forward and making significant investments into changing their business and operating models. EY will review three different operating models of current insurers all with the same objectives of eliminating complexity, simplifying the business and reducing cost. All three models are leveraging the advances in technology to do more with less and turn data into useful information. We will also explore a concept of “best in cost” versus “best-in-class” and learn how insurers can rethink how they operate in the new competitive landscape to enable achievement of growth and marketplace strategies.

James Comey’s mettle has been tested throughout a career of public service, early on as a federal prosecutor and U.S. attorney, later as U.S. deputy attorney general, and, finally, as director of the FBI. His adherence to a higher loyalty, rising above partisan politics and razor-sharp controversy, gives him a unique voice to challenge our industry to renewed leadership, service, and the resolve to stay on the high ground when the path forward is unchartered.