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EVENT: Jim Herbert (back centre) with (second row L-R): Howard Scott, Tom Penford, Jim Bichard, Liam Gray and (front row L-R) Dara Kirton, Deepti Vohra, Maja Lunsjo, Alex Kazanjian, Shailee Parikh, Nandini Das

LAST WEEK, the multicultural business networks of PwC and the insurance multinational AON collaborated to host the event, Innovation is the question, is diversity the answer? where experienced leaders and millennials from both organisations took part in a debate to share their insights on the topic.

In the first debate of its kind for the insurance industry, Howard Scott, PwC Partner and Global Relationship Partner for Aon, commended both multicultural networks for coming together to talk about diversity with innovation

"Large organisations need to innovate if they want to remain relevant in the future” he said, “and it is certain that when you bring together people who think and behave differently you come up with new and innovative answers."

A lively debate followed, covering how expanding companies like PwC and Aon can capture innovative ideas from their own people, what the barriers are to innovation in large institutions, and how leveraging diversity can help companies increase innovation. The panel* shared great insights including their own reflections, experiences, challenges and opportunities with participation from an audience of almost 200 people.

The conclusion from the debate was that diversity IS the answer to new innovations for large organisations like Aon and PwC if they wanted to remain relevant for the future, and that in return innovation is needed to drive progress on diversity - with many creative solutions being recommended by the panel. Closing the debate, Aon's UK chairman Dominic Christian summed it up by saying "It's just the right thing to do."

Panel members for PwC included leaders Deepti Vohra and Jim Bichard, with millennials Tom Penford and Nandini and Ajay Mistry.

Representing Aon were leaders Jim Herbert and Shailee Parikh, with millennials Maja Lunsjo, and Liam Gray.