An industry that makes a difference

NZILA President’s message – Petra Lucioli

When Kavita Deobhakta handed over the reins of NZILA President to me in October, we were fortunate to be at our annual conference surrounded by the very people that make this organisation a success.

After all, our industry is all about people and NZILA is all about connecting people in the industry. Of course, education and upskilling are all part of the NZILA package, but our annual conference is the main event where we come together to reflect on the big issues.

Given how successful the organisation is, my initial thought about taking on the role was “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. And while this is true, I am focused on ensuring NZILA remains relevant and accessible to everyone involved in the insurance law industry, particularly those just starting out.

It’s a privilege to be involved in an organisation with such a rich history and loyal membership. Coming up the ranks myself I learned so much from those that came before me, and I hope to do the same for those that come after.

Most of us will admit we “fell into” insurance, me included. After finishing my law degree in the UK, I started my career as a solicitor before moving into the insurance industry initially in a legal capacity. As claims handling – particularly in the liability space – lends itself precisely to this skillset, much of my 30+-year career has been dedicated to understanding the complexity of the insurance industry.

During my tenure as NZILA President, I’d like to see more graduates choose this as a career path, rather than discover it by accident.

There’s so much to love about insurance and insurance law. It’s not just sitting behind a desk shuffling papers – it’s a “people” industry and the career opportunities are so wide-ranging and diverse.

It’s an industry where you can make a real difference. And NZILA is here to support you along the way.

Wishing all our members a safe festive season and I’m looking forward to an exciting 2025.