GFIA Global Federation of Insurance Associations

The Global Federation of Insurance Associations (GFIA) has elected Stephen Frank as its new president, and made changes to its executive committee, during its general assembly that took place in South Africa.

Stephen Frank has worked in the financial services sector for over two decades and has been president and CEO of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) since 2017. He takes over the GFIA presidency from Susan Neely, who is the CEO of the American Council of Life Insurers.

Following his election during the GFIA’s general assembly which took place in Cape Town, South Africa, he said, 'It is a true honour to have been elected president of the Global Federation of Insurance Associations. A healthy and thriving insurance industry is vital for society to mitigate growing risks. By bringing together the views, knowledge and expertise of the world's insurance industry, we can contribute to ensuring that individuals continue to have access to a robust insurance market that offers the protection and savings products they need, and help the sector best navigate issues such as AI, natural catastrophes and cyber security''.

Previous to working for the CLHIA, Stephen Frank held leading roles in the banking industry. He has an undergraduate degree in economics from Queen’s University and a masters from the University of Cambridge.

The general assembly also elected :

• Bachir Baddou, executive vice-president of the Moroccan federation of insurance and reinsurance companies (FMSAR), as vice-president.
• Thea Utoft Høj Jensen, director general of Insurance Europe, as secretary general.
• Toyonari Sasaki, vice-chairman of the Life Insurance Association of Japan, as treasurer.
• Norma Alicia Rosas, the general director of the Mexican Association of Insurance Institutions (AMIS), continues as membership executive.
• Andrew Hall, CEO and Executive Director of Insurance Council of Australia, as regional representative.