Professor Emeritus Yasushi Morimiya of Meiji University has been named the 2016 recipient of the John S Bickley Founder’s Award by the International Insurance Society (IIS).
He is lauded for his important work in insurance education, in particular for the introduction of risk management science in Japan.
He will be honoured at the 13 June awards ceremony and gala dinner in conjunction with the IIS Global Insurance Forum at the Shangri-La Singapore from 12-15 June.
The John S Bickley Founder’s Award Gold Medal for Excellence recipient is elected by secret ballot by the IIS Honours Committee, a body of senior insurance executives and leading academicians, and honours individuals who have made a significant, lasting and recognised contribution to insurance thought, product, practice or education.
Foremost academic insurance expert
“Dr Morimiya is considered the foremost academic insurance expert in Japan,” said Mr Bernhard Fink, IIS Honours Committee Chairman. “He established the only major undergraduate programme in risk management and he has also taken a leading role in promoting the globalisation of Japanese higher education.”
“By fostering collaboration on insurance issues between academia, the insurance industry and regulatory authorities, he had an influential role in the development of insurance,” said Mr Fink. Dr Morimiya promoted international communication between Japanese insurance industry and the world.
Extensive research on captive insurance
Prof Morimiya has lectured for over 40 years at Meiji University. With specialisation in risk management and insurance, he is credited with introducing lectures on risk management to Japanese universities and developing the Risk Management and Insurance major at Meiji University, which remains the only institution offering the major in Japan.
In addition, he researched and authored extensively on books and papers on captive insurance. His administrative service includes but is not limited to several executive positions at Meiji University (for example, Executive Member (Academic Affairs) of the Board of Trustees; Dean of the School of Commerce; and Deputy Chairman of the Centre for International Exchange). He still participates actively in the insurance industry in Japan and internationally, serving on committees and holding advisory and leadership positions.
In 2014, he was granted the Minister Prize of Economic, Trade and Industry at the Conference of Standardisation and Quality Control for his achievement in standardisation of risk management system in Japan. He is a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Risk and Insurance Association.