New President takes the helm at AILA

Angus Kench is the new President of the Australian Insurance Law Association.

Mr Kench, who is Assistant Vice President, Casualty Claims – Asia Pacific with Liberty International Underwriters (LIU), was elected by the board at a meeting last week.

Stephen Williams, from Kott Gunning, in Perth, was elected Vice-President; outgoing President Sue Vidler, from Assetinsure, in Sydney, is now Treasurer; and Melbourne barrister Kim Bradey continues in her role as Secretary.

Mr Kench joined LIU in early 2015.

Before that, he was General Manager at Cerno (previously MYIFreemans), overseeing all general and specialist loss adjusting staff. He had joined the company after its 2010 purchase of Aspeck Holdings where he worked alongside his father, Colin, developing their niche loss adjusting, third party administrator and investigation business.   

Mr Kench has been an AILA member for more than 20 years and is currently NSW President.

He is on the organising committee for the inaugural Asia Pacific Insurance Conference on 18-20 October 2017 at the Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore.

“The program already looks fascinating and the speakers are world class,” he said. “Singapore is at the centre of much change in insurance in the Asia-Pacific region and a very important place for insurers, brokers, service providers and others to visit and experience.”

Mr Kench is committed to developing a greater focus on AILA’s Young Professionals, who have just formed a national YP sub-committee that is planning a huge program of events for 2017.

He congratulated outgoing President Sue Vidler for the “enormous amount of drive and commitment she has given to AILA during her term”.

“I look forward to working with the board and the state and territory branches so the strength of our national association supports them and assists in delivering vibrant and engaging seminars and events at branch level. We are very fortunate to have dynamic and passionate branches, without which AILA could not deliver the enormous array of activities we do,” he said.

Mr Kench is highly enthusiastic about building the AILA brand; expanding membership and seminar attendances; and raising the association’s profile during his term as President.

His mantra is AILA is not just for insurance lawyers and he is focused on ensuring the association delivers relevant, interesting seminars and events to insurers, re-insurers, brokers, loss adjusters, lawyers and industry service providers.