Speech By Hannah Gurga At The ABI Annual Dinner On February 21, 2022

Speech By Hannah Gurga At The ABI Annual Dinner On February 21, 2022

It is my pleasure and joy to welcome you all to the ABI's annual dinner as the ABI's new Director General.

I'd want to express my gratitude to John Glen, the Economic Secretary, and KPMG, our sponsors. I'd also like to express my gratitude to the ABI team for putting on such a spectacular event. I also want to express my gratitude to Huw Evans. Huw is a well-known figure in the industry, and with good reason.

Huw graciously allowed me to attend what turned out to be his final Board meeting in December. The main topic of conversation looked to be, well, Huw and the really astronomical results he had achieved in the member and staff surveys, so I should have been dubious right away.

As the applause faded, one Board Director turned to me and remarked, "There's just one route you can go from here."

Not exactly the upbeat encouragement I was hoping for!

Those polls reveal a clear picture. Huw put in long hours for the ABI and the industry. And I'm sure we'd all like to take this chance to express our gratitude. I'd like to request that everyone join me in a round of applause...

It is an honor for me to serve as an ambassador for a sector that affects every home and company in the country. And it's a privilege to succeed Huw.

Now, I'd better be careful, because some of my old coworkers are almost certain to be present...

But I really want to emphasize how passionate I am about this industry. With my heartfelt apologies to our friends at UK Finance, there is nothing else like it.

This is the industry that assists the wise in planning for retirement. When the unexpected happens, this is the industry that comes to the rescue. This is the industry that employs 320,000 people and generates £30 billion in revenue for the UK economy.

I am optimistic about the future.

I am optimistic about the future of our industry. The strength of the people in this room is the source of that confidence.

It's what the ABI refers to as "associational strength."

We can make a dramatic and beneficial effect if we take this strength and work closer than ever with government, regulators, corporations, and society at large. I'd like to give some examples of why this associational strength gives me such confidence.

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