The HIH Royal Commission - Lessons for Today

Estelle Pearson and Tony Coleman share their unique insights into the HIH Royal Commission, from watching lawyers "excitedly finding smoking guns in emails" to getting "requests for interviews from 4-Corners within 24 hrs". They reflect on lessons learned, as the current Financial Services Royal Commission enters its sixth set of public hearings.Tony was President of the Institute when HIH collapsed, in what was the largest corporate collapse in Australia's history, in March 2001. The events that followed radically affected his Presidential year. As the Commission's and the media's attention turned to actuaries for explanations of the collapse, the Institute took the opportunity to suggest possible solutions early in the piece.As the actuarial expert to the HIH Royal Commission, Estelle assisted Justice Owen and Council to understand the fundamentals of insurance, and how reinsurance and actuarial reserving works.She worked alongside lawyers and their assistants as they trawled through emails, handwritten notes and any other documents the Commission had called for. The excitement that ensued when a 'smoking gun' (usually an email) with regretful remarks was found was palpable, Estelle said. The pair also discussed the importance of "fessing up" to questionable behaviour and stepping back from "protecting the company", to see the bigger picture.Estelle is a Plenary Speaker at the upcoming General Insurance Seminar 2018! View the Program: https://actuaries.asn.au/microsites/general-insurance-seminar-2018/program-and-presentations