There are solutions to the issues facing the financial services industry and they can best be found by working together.This message was delivered by Richard Gagnon, president and CEO of LS Mutual during the 2011 Insurance and Investment Convention.

The issues are numerous: low interest rates, increasing regulation, new accounting standards and the lack of recruitment of new advisors.

Once again this year, The Insurance and Investment Convention did its part to help the industry work together. Held on November 16th at Montreal’s Palais des Congrès, the Convention brought together more than 1600 participants from various sectors of the life insurance and investment industries who spent the day attending presentations by industry leaders, exchanging ideas and networking with colleagues.

Back in July, The Insurance and Investment Journal invited exhibitors to a pre-Convention planning meeting. Some 40 exhibitors attended the meeting to give their input – a strong turnout!

Among the comments made at this planning meeting, the participants underlined the importance of having Convention sessions which focused on sales. After all, sales are the motor of the industry. Sessions on social media and the new technology zone also raised a great deal of interest.

But what about the recruitment issue? I would like to encourage the life insurance industry to increase its efforts to get the word out among the general population about how rewarding a career can be in this dynamic industry.

Do you have a suggestion for the 2012 Insurance and Investment Convention to be held November 21st in Montreal? If so, I would like to hear from you. You may contact me at [email protected].

Serge therrien
President and Publisher
The Insurance & Investment Journal,
Le Journal de l'assurance