Staying Competitive in Today’s Insurance Environment
Technical competence, regulatory awareness, and strategic foresight are not static achievements – they are continuous pursuits. For Managing General Agents (MGAs), staying competitive in today’s insurance environment depends on the ability to absorb new knowledge, adapt to evolving risks, and embed governance and innovation into day-to-day operations.
At the MGAA, we work closely with our members to champion continuous learning and development focused on cutting-edge and fast-evolving topics as a strategic necessity. The range of themes on the MGA training agenda in 2025 reflects the complexity of the challenges and opportunities our members are navigating. From regulatory changes and risk exposures to technological disruption and cultural transformation, MGAs face a dynamic operating environment.
Key Areas of Focus
- DE&I Developments: One of the key areas of focus this year is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) at the board level. It’s no longer sufficient for firms to make public commitments to DE&I without backing them up with data-driven strategies and meaningful governance. Nikki Bennett, Managing Director at UKGI and Searchlight Training, recently led a session for MGAA members on how to build an evidence-based DE&I strategy aligned with FCA expectations.
- D&O Exposure: Another key area of development is Directors’ and Officers’ (D&O) risk exposure. With increasing regulatory scrutiny and the constantly developing litigation landscape around insurance, MGAs need to ensure that their boards and leadership teams understand the risks they face. The MGAA hosted a session unpacking the findings of a global D&O survey in collaboration with WTW and legal experts from Clyde & Co.
- Embedding AI in Insurance: The third trend reshaping learning and development is artificial intelligence. With the rapid acceleration of AI adoption across the industry, the need for informed, practical guidance has never been greater. Karen Stanford, Chief Experience Officer at GreenKite Associates, recently led a session examining how MGAs can harness AI while staying in control of their data, systems, and ethical obligations.
These examples illustrate just a fraction of the broad and fast-evolving learning landscape that MGAs must navigate. As the regulatory environment changes, technology advances, and cultural expectations shift, there is no single playbook. Continuous learning, and the ability to adapt and apply that learning, is what sets high-performing MGAs apart.
At the MGAA, we are committed to supporting our members with expert-led sessions, up-to-date insights, and a collaborative platform to share knowledge and experiences. Our approach focuses not only on exploring complex topics but on rapidly increasing the momentum from discussion to implementation. Shared learning and knowledge exchange across the market are vital tools in this process.
By surfacing best practices and drawing on real-world experience from across the MGA community and beyond, we help turn insight into action, strengthening governance, operational resilience, and strategic agility sector-wide. Learning, training, and development never stand still, and neither do we.
