<p><strong>Speaker 0</strong>: <span>Bieber's 2023 conference takes place in Manchester on the 10th and 11th of May, and with a sneak preview, I'm joined now by head of Conference Emma Chapman. Emma, thank you so much for joining us, Um, for anybody who's not booked their tickets yet. Why should they take two days out of their diary and come along?</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>Yeah, well, thank you so much for having me. It's so lovely. It's always great to talk about conference. It's something that I I am so passionate about and get so excited about.</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>So Conference is, as you said, it's on the 10th and the 11th of May. And, um, last year we had about 8000 attendees over two days and about 220 exhibitors, and it's looking like it's the same. If anything. Actually, we've got slightly more people registered on this day than we had last year, and last year was record breaking. So it's looking like it's gonna be even bigger and better than last year. Um, this is now our 45th conference,</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>and, um, it's just a fantastic opportunity for the broking and the insurance industry to come together. It's the biggest UK insurance broken event and one of the biggest broken events in the world. And so it really is worth getting those two days in your diary. There's always too much to do on one day, so two days and come and network and do business with the insurance community. What does it cost?</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>Well, it is free for, um, brokers to attend. If you're coming for the exhibition and the fringe programme, and then for Bieber members, you get full conference access for free as well. So it's great for those pockets as well. Well,</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 0</strong>: <span>what are the big themes for this year and why have you picked them?</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>So our overarching theme for conference this year, which we have one every year, and we take time really to, you know, consider what it's going to be This year is rising to the challenge, and it was taken really from looking back at the last year and the sort of political economic upheaval that we've had, but also changing trends and dynamics in the insurance industry, new regulation, everything that's happening and also looking inwards,</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>and the fact that our personal lives are seldom straightforward and that actually what conference is all about is about sharing experience so that you can turn these challenges into opportunities either for growth in your business or for learnings and sort of personal development. And so it really sort of encapsulated that, Um, but there are other themes that run through the conference in terms of our seminar agenda and our free</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>programmes. And they're really they go all the way from cyber and data breaches to regulation, to recruitment challenges to good customer service, to technology and all of that. So we really we take the time to really drill down into the like, hot topics of the industry that brokers really, um, want to discuss and hear from experts on. And that's what we're going to deliver this year.</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 0</strong>: <span>And who are some of the speakers that you've got delivering on this agenda?</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>So we have as ever, we have four keynotes, and we're really excited about our keynote this year. I think there is something for everyone, and, um, we start off with a fireside chat with, um, the National Cybersecurity Centre, and actually, we've just announced or we're in the process of announcing that it is Lindy Cameron, the CEO, who is joining us, Um, and speaking on stage with Graham Newman from C F. C.</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>Uh, and that will be a fascinating, um, deep dive into the the work that the n CS e are doing and more of a sort of global outlook about security and cyber. Um, Then in the afternoon, we have a political panel with ed balls Alastair Campbell, uh, George Osborne, Philip Hammond and it's chaired by Sophie Ridge from Sky News. And that will be a fantastic way for brokers to ask their, you know, interesting questions about the sort of political state in the UK.</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>So then, the Thursday morning we have a session that everyone will need to get up for, because it will be an absolutely inspirational panel. And we've got Ellie Simmons, the Paralympic swimmer Doctor Alex George, the mental health advocate. Joe Wicks, the nation's favourite PE teacher. And it's chaired by Fern Cotton, the Radio one host. And that will be a look at the journeys that they have taken the challenges that they have overcome. And it will be an opportunity for them to really sort of candidly share their stories for brokers to hear</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>And then the one we've all been waiting for is our closing keynote. Which is, Sir Mo Farah, Um, being interviewed by Hugh Edwards, our conference host. And I think there will be a queue around the block for that one.</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 0</strong>: <span>And what are some of the activities that you can get involved in if you're coming along?</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>Absolutely. Because the the thing that's important is that conference it is. The exhibition hall is full to the brim with exhibitions. We've got over 220 insurers and service providers. But what's great is that there are other bits and pieces that you can get involved in as well. Obviously, I spoke a bit earlier about our seminar programme. We've also got a fringe programme which is free for all ticket holders. And there's 15 brilliant sessions. Uh, we have a</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>wellness zone again this year. We had it for the first time last year and it went down really well. So it's back bigger and better. It's in its own room, Charter four, and it will have massage treatments and therapists and equipment and talks on good mental health and a secret that I am trying to uh wangle, so I can't say anything well, but it would be very exciting. So Wellness Zone is definitely something to check out, and that will be running on both days. Um, we have a quiz night on the Wednesday evening,</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>and that's always a fun evening with colleagues. And you can let your hair down And it will be, uh, a good example of rising to the challenge because it's very competitive. Uh, and then we have a young broker day as well on the Thursday on the second day, and that's free for brokers under the age of 35. And that's really a great day for the young brokers, those coming into the industry to network with other other young people in the industry, other young brokers. But also it's a learning development day. And so we have excellence</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>sessions on social media, creating a personal brand, um, mental health, career stories. So, you know, sort of really high profile people in the industry talking about how they came to be where they are. You know what their career ladder climb was like, um and so that will be a fantastic thing as well. On Day two,</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 0</strong>: <span>huge amount that's going on. So if you had to sum it all up in a minute or two, what are the key things to think about?</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>Yeah, so I would say that just looking at the facts and figures you've got 8000 people. You've got 220 plus exhibitors. You've got over 50 expert speakers all in two days. So really it you know, it's a really brilliant opportunity</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>for brokers are members, but also the wider breaking and intermediary community to come together to do business. It's all about, you know, it's a fantastic way for them to do business and also to learn what's coming. You know what to look out for in the industry, Um, and not to forget that it's free for brokers to attend for the for the exhibition. And there's just so much to do. And I'm really looking forward to</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>welcoming everyone back because it's been 365 days, and I think we're all ready to to do another one. And actually, what I would like to like to say is one of my favourite quotes, because we get feedback every year. Um, and one of my favourite quotes from last year was Everyone I've ever met in insurance is in this hall today, and I think that's a brilliant sum up. With</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 0</strong>: <span>so much going on, clearly preparing in advance is going to be</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 0</strong>: <span>crucial. So what are your tips for? How delegates can get the most out of their trip to Manchester? Yeah,</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>really good question, because we know that everyone's diaries is so full, um, at conference. So I would say download our conference app, which we have this year. It's slightly different to last year, but it still has all of the key functionality. So it has a way to look at the exhibitor profiles a way to navigate around the venue to network with your attendees, you can message you can make me</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>meetings. You can personalise your agenda and your diary. So it really is the digital way to make your way around, uh, around the conference, and also to follow our hashtag hashtag Biber 2023. We're we're gonna be posting. All of our exhibitors will be posting. Our brokers will be posting, and it's the way to really keep up to date with the latest of what's going on at the show.</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 0</strong>: <span>We have to leave it there. Emma Chapman, Thank you so much for joining us. Thank</span></p> <p><strong>Speaker 1</strong>: <span>you so much. Really looking forward to it.</span></p>