Insurance, Wellbeing Professionals Headlined to Discuss Mental Health at Dive In Festival

Dive In – the global insurance industry’s well-established festival for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is back for the fourth time in Nigeria, joining over 40 countries taking part across the globe.

Headlining the Nigeria virtual event is a panel of insurance professionals and wellbeing experts who will drive conversations around this year’s theme, ‘Breaking the Taboo: Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace’.

The event, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 28 September will focus on traditional taboos associated with mental health in Nigeria; the importance of good mental health; and the role that employers can play in maintaining employees’ mental health and wellbeing regardless of harsh traditional and societal lenses. Industry experts will advocate the need to build braver, psychologically safe work cultures that truly allow people to feel safe, valued, respected, and free to express themselves.

Facilitating the 2022 Dive In virtual event in Nigeria is financial broadcast journalist and business anchor at CNBC Africa, Esther Awoniyi. Awoniyi is one of CNBC Africa’s most versatile business anchors and has moderated high-level panels at events such as the EU-African SME Summit, Africa Development Bank Annual Meetings, and the World Economic Forum Africa Meetings.

Also billed to speak on the panel is Omokunbi Adeoti, Divisional Director at Leadway Assurance. A strategic HR leader, Adeoti has over 22 years of experience in transforming resource functions for organisations across a variety of industries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Joining the panel is mental health and wellness expert Chioma Fakorede. As Executive Director at Olmma Cares Foundation, Fakorede has a wealth of experience in mental health advocacy and supporting those with mental health conditions.

Nigeria’s final speaker is Gloria Agugua, Head, Human Resources at Heirs Insurance who oversees culture transformation, policy implementation, and resource strategy, amidst other responsibilities at Heirs Insurance.

Speaking about this year’s event, Adeoti said “The workplace is experiencing changes like never before, and at a faster rate too. Employers are evolving and are no longer ready to settle for less being, unfavourable working conditions that put their mental health at risk. It is a ‘peace-first, mental safety-first regime’ for a majority of our working population, and organisations must sit up and meet this demand. With the world conditions deteriorating daily, there is a stronger war with the mind. It is time for employers to be the stronger ones and help employees responsible for productivity and business outcomes, navigate this psychological phase that seems so foreign to society.”

Mary Alade, Chief Strategy Officer of Aon Reinsurance Solutions who is Dive In Nigeria sponsor and organiser, said, “Every year Dive In brings new topics to the table. After the success of Dive In Nigeria over the last three years we’re delighted to be back again with an impressive array of speakers discussing a topic that is so important to the Nigerian insurance sector but is rarely discussed. This event will not only facilitate an important conversation, but it will also ensure that those who attend will be given practical guidance to help inspire real change and encourage further discussions around mental health.”

Since its launch in 2015, Dive In has continued to grow in both numbers and geography. Last year the festival included a record 145 virtual events across 35 countries, reaching 31,067 people from 103 countries worldwide throughout the three days of the festival. This year, attendees will be able to participate in virtual and physical events worldwide, opening conversations on how to build a workspace that truly allows people to feel psychologically safe, valued, respected and free to express themselves authentically.

Dive In Nigeria is sponsored by multinational financial services firm Aon.

The festival continues to count on the support of its Global Festival Partners. Already confirmed are AIG, Allied World Assurance, Aon, Arch Capital Group, Aviva, AXA XL, AXIS Capital, BMS, Chubb, CNA Hardy, DLA Piper, Everest Re, Gallagher, Howden and DUAL Group, Kennedys, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Lloyd’s, Markel, MS Amlin, Munich Re Group, RenaissanceRe, Tokio Marine Kiln, Travelers, WTW.