WK APIG Scholarship (Australia)
The annual Wotton Kearney APIG Scholarship supports the development of young professionals practising in professional indemnity and financial lines insurance in Australia.
For ten years, the annual Australian WK APIG Scholarship has recognised outstanding contribution and talent in our industry and connected the successful candidate with a lifetime educational experience aimed at enhancing their professional career.
The scholarship takes the form of AUD$9,500 towards attending an international conference of your choice with direct relevance to your career. Funded by Wotton Kearney, past scholarship winners have attended the international PIF Conference at Cambridge University in the UK and taken part in a hosted visit of Lloyd’s in London.
Applications for the 2025 scholarship are now open! Full details including a link to our Information Pack and Entry Form are below.
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM
DOWNLOAD INFORMATION PACK
Key Dates
Applications Open: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Applications Close: 5.00pm (AEST) on Friday, 18 July 2025
Winner Announced: Thursday, 4 September 2025 (at the 2025 APIG Conference)
Prize / Learning Package
The 2025 Scholarship Package consists of AUD$9,500 funding towards attending an international conference of your choice directly related to professional indemnity insurance or your specialist product area.
A key part of the package is for the winner to share their experience with APIG members on return by way of a brief update and video Q&A.
Entry Criteria
Please see the below eligibility criteria:
- Applications for the Scholarship are open to current APIG members under the age of 36 on the submission close date (Friday, 18 July 2025).
- Applicants must be actively involved in financial lines or professional indemnity insurance in Australia.
- Approval from your company / employer to attend your nominated conference
- Members of the APIG National Committee and employees of Wotton Kearney are ineligible.
How to apply
Please download and view the Application Form and Information Pack.
Applicants are to provide a written submission (no longer than 500 words) or short video (no longer than 3 minutes) addressing:
- What you see is a major issue for your area of insurance and how it could be resolved.
Plus:
- In a few words, what makes you proud to work in the financial lines insurance industry in Australia.
Simply email your submission and the application form to APIGScholarship@wottonkearney.com before 5.00pm (AEST) on Friday, 18 July 2025.
Our past winners
2024 Winner – Grace Coleman, AXA XL
APIG and Wotton Kearney are pleased to announce that Grace Coleman, Senior Claims Specialist at AXA XL, has won the 2024 WK APIG Scholarship. Grace impressed the judging panel with her compelling video submission ‘The Risk of Digital Monocultures’, exploring the impact of a hypothetical worldwide destabilising cyber event.
Grace Coleman's submission highlights that modern infrastructure’s reliance on standardised systems has created a ‘digital monoculture’, efficient but highly vulnerable. She explains that, like in nature, monocultures lack resilience, making them susceptible to widespread disruption from a single threat. Her submission offered both short and long-term solutions tailored for the Australian market, drawing insightful comparisons to how similar events have been managed in different jurisdictions both locally and abroad.
View Grace’s submission here.
2023 Winner – Ben McCallum, Willis Tower Watson
APIG and Wotton Kearney are pleased to announce that Ben McCallum, Senior Claims Advisor FINEX at Willis Tower Watson, has won the 2023 WK APIG Scholarship. The judging panel was particularly impressed Ben's video submission which looks at the imposition of cyber exclusions in PI and D&O policies.
Ben explores real-life cyber breach scenarios to demonstrate how litigation and regulatory action resulting from recent data breaches have revealed potential gaps in coverage for third-party claims. He also speaks about the importance of brokers and insurers examining these exclusions and developing tailored market solutions to address potential coverage gaps.
View Ben’s submission here.
2022 Winner – Ben Hine, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions
APIG and Wotton Kearney are pleased to announce that Ben Hine, Vice President and Claims Expert at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, has won the 2022 WK APIG Scholarship. Ben's excellent video submission on "Fighting climate change and bolstering energy security through financial lines insurance risk transfer" impressed the judging panel for showing real thought leadership on a topic not often associated with the financial lines industry.
Ben's suggestions include financial lines insurers collaborating with government to create a green risk fund to help create risk transfer and drive product innovation and know-how for both insureds and insurers, while also creating positive environmental outcomes.
View Ben’s submission here.
2021 Winner – Raymond Loh, AXA XL
APIG and Wotton Kearney are delighted to announce that Raymond Loh, Senior Claims Specialist, International Financial Lines at AXA XL, has won the 2021 Australian WK APIG Scholarship. Raymond’s submission was selected from a record number of applications this year and his very impressive video submission considering issues arising from insurers having different commercial interests in D&O insurance towers and proposing resolutions such as super limit layers and standardised excess wordings.
The interesting topic, thought provoking resolutions, clear and carefully worded delivery all within the stipulated time limit was ultimately what swayed the judging panel. Congratulations to Raymond who will receive a credit towards attending an international conference of his choice directly related to professional indemnity insurance.
View Raymond’s submission here.
2020 Winner – Nikolce Stojcevski, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance
APIG and Wotton Kearney are delighted to announce that Nikolce Stojcevski, Senior Underwriter - Financial Institutions at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, has won the 2020 Australian WK APIG Scholarship.
Nik’s submission was selected from a high calibre of entrants for his well-considered views on the SME insurance market, and how consolidating data across the industry can have a positive impact on the ability of small to medium diversified financial services such as financial planners and mortgage brokers to attain adequate professional liability insurance. Congratulations to Nik who will receive a credit towards attending an international conference of his choice directly related to professional indemnity insurance.
View Nikolce’s submission here.
2019 Winner – Kelvin Hui, Proclaim
APIG and Wotton Kearney are delighted to announce that Kelvin Hui, Senior Account Manager - Professional Risks at Proclaim has won the 2019 WK APIG Scholarship. Kelvin’s submission was selected by the judging panel for his forward-thinking solution of what can be done to make PI Insurance within the construction space more viable and the positive ramifications for PI insurers in doing so.
He also demonstrated an active role in facilitating numerous industry seminars discussing domestic construction issues. Congratulations to Kelvin who will attend the 2020 PIF Conference at Cambridge University in the UK on 6-8 July 2020.
View Kelvin’s submission here.
2018 Winner – James Skiba, DUAL Australia
Wotton Kearney and the APIG National Committee are pleased to announce that James Skiba, Senior Claims Officer at DUAL Australia has won the 2018 WK APIG Scholarship. James's submission was selected by the judging panel for his topical analysis on how the rise in Securities Class Actions will impact on D&O insurance policies, and the need for reforms to continuous disclosure obligations and litigation funding to maintain shareholder rights in a manner which doesn't restrict corporate activity or access to adequate insurance cover.
He also demonstrated a pro-active role as a young insurance professional engaging in industry training and skill development. Congratulations to James who will attend the 2019 PIF Conference at Robinson College, Cambridge University on 8-10 July 2019.
View James’ submission here.
2017 Winner – Mitchell Spurr, AIG
Wotton Kearney and the APIG National Committee are delighted to announce that Mitchell Spurr, Complex Claims Examiner at AIG has won the 2017 WK APIG Scholarship. Mitchell's thought provoking views on the increasing exposure of directors to potential claims relating to climate change, secured him the win amongst a very competitive pool of over 20 submissions.
Congratulations to Mitchell who will travel to the UK in July 2018 to attend the Professional Indemnity Forum Conference to be held at Robinson College, Cambridge University, and visit the Lloyd's insurance market in London as part of the Scholarship prize.
View Mitchell’s submission here.
2016 Winner – Michael Forster, Suncorp Group
Michael Forster from Suncorp Group has won the WK APIG Scholarship for 2016, which will see Michael travelling to the Professional Indemnity Forum Conference in Oxford England in July 2017 and visit the Lloyd's insurance market in London. From a number of very strong submissions, Michael's application was selected for his unique approach on integrating technology and different management techniques to the financial lines industry - reflecting recent updates to Sherlock Holmes.
View Michael’s submission here.
2015 Winner – Kristine Salgado, Willis Australia
APIG and Wotton Kearney are delighted to announce that Kristine Salgado of Willis Australia has won the inaugural WK APIG Scholarship. Kristine's application was selected because of her thought provoking account of the way forward for the insurance industry and her contribution to financial lines insurance at such a young age.
As part of the scholarship, Kristine will travel to the Professional Indemnity Forum Conference in Oxford England in July 2016 and visit the Lloyd's insurance market in London.
View Kristine’s submission here.
APIG thanks Wotton Kearney for its generous support.
