Staff Writer
Zimbabwe’s insurance sector must urgently invest in continuous professional development, mentorship and skills development to build a resilient industry capable of withstanding technological and market disruptions, Insurance Institute of Zimbabwe (IIZ) president Dr Clementine Chinyuku has said.
Speaking at the IIZ Winter School 2026 last week, held under the theme, “Future-Proofing Insurance: Navigating Disruption to Build a Resilient and Sustainable Industry,” Dr Chinyuku said the future competitiveness of the insurance sector would depend on its ability to nurture young professionals and embrace lifelong learning.
She said the annual Winter School had evolved beyond a routine calendar event into a strategic investment in the future of Zimbabwe’s insurance industry.
“The IIZ Winter School is not just a calendar event. It is a moment of intentional investment in capability, in character and in the future of Zimbabwe’s insurance industry,” she said.
Dr Chinyuku noted that insurance professionals needed to move beyond theoretical knowledge and develop practical competencies required to address increasingly complex industry challenges.
“The industry does not reward those who merely know terms; it rewards those who can solve problems, interpret risk intelligently, communicate clearly and make sound decisions under pressure,” she said.
She said the Winter School provided a critical bridge between academic learning and professional excellence by exposing participants to real industry challenges, regulatory developments, technological advancements and disruptive risks.
Her remarks come at a time when Zimbabwe’s insurance industry, like its global counterparts, is grappling with rapidly evolving customer expectations, digital transformation, automation and emerging risks associated with a changing economic environment.
Dr Chinyuku warned that continuous professional development (CPD) should no longer be viewed as a compliance exercise, but as an essential survival strategy.
“Professional development is often treated as an administrative checkbox. However, CPD is about staying relevant in a rapidly changing world,” she said.
“The future of insurance is now, and it is being shaped by evolving customer expectations, technology adoption and automation, new channels for distribution and service, changing risk landscapes and heightened scrutiny on trust, claims handling and ethical conduct.”
She said the industry must normalise lifelong learning if it is to remain competitive and responsive to these changes.
Dr Chinyuku also highlighted mentorship as one of the most powerful but often overlooked tools for accelerating professional growth.
She said mentors play a crucial role in helping young professionals anticipate challenges, avoid costly mistakes and build confidence in decision-making.
“Mentorship matters because the insurance industry is both technical and relational. Technical competence gets you into the room, but relational maturity keeps you there through collaboration, ethical practice and consistency,” she said.
This year’s Winter School introduced a new feature – a panel discussion led by young professionals – which Dr Chinyuku described as a milestone in transforming mentorship from a top-down process into a collaborative learning model.
She said giving young professionals a platform to share their perspectives demonstrated that they were no longer passive learners but active contributors to the industry’s future.
“A panel is not just a conversation; it is a demonstration. It shows how young people are applying what they have learned, thinking through risk and translating theory into practice,” she said.
Dr Chinyuku challenged participants to commit themselves to three key areas: mastery of professional competencies, continuous learning and both receiving and providing mentorship.
She encouraged young professionals to identify one capability to strengthen, continuously seek new knowledge and eventually become mentors to others.
“Insurance is built on trust. Trust is built on competence. And competence is built through deliberate learning and mentorship,” she said.
“IIZ Winter School is therefore not simply a calendar event; it is a strategy for the future.”
Industry stakeholders say developing a highly skilled workforce will be critical in enabling Zimbabwe’s insurance sector to navigate disruption, improve customer confidence and position itself for sustainable long-term growth in an increasingly digital economy.
