The people: The stars

And whether you want to be inspired by tales of an Amazon trek or to hack your way out of the regulatory jungle, you’ll find what you need on the Biba conference platform.

Greg Case

President and chief executive, Aon Corporation

Wednesday 10.00

As the president and chief executive of the world’s largest broker, Case is no stranger to controversy. He has steered the broking giant through turbulent times, including a hefty FSA fine for bribery and a backlash against Aon’s decision to accept contingent commissions. He joined the firm in 2005 and his contract was renewed in 2009 for another six years. Before joining Aon, he served on the governing shareholders’ committee at McKinsey & Company. Prior to McKinsey, he worked for the investment banking firm of Piper, Jaffray & Hopwood and at the Federal Reserve Bank.

Ed Stafford

Writer, Amazon explorer

Wednesday 14.10

Last year, Ed Stafford became the first man to walk the length of the Amazon River. His achievement has been described by renowned explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes as being “in the top league of expeditions, past and present”.

In February 2011, Stafford was a nominee for the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year 2010 and was awarded European Adventurer of the Year 2010. Aged 34, he has led expeditions all over the world since retiring from the British Army in 2002. He worked with the UN in Afghanistan on security and logistics for the first presidential elections.

Lord Alan Sugar

Entrepreneur

Thursday 12.10

Britain’s most famous entrepreneur, Lord Sugar has an estimated fortune of £730m and was ranked 84th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2010. In 1968, he founded electrical company Amstrad, which doubled in profit and market value every year throughout the 1980s and was sold to BSkyB for about £125m in 2007. In 2005, Lord Sugar entered the world of reality TV when he subjected 14 job candidates to a tough selection process in BBC TV’s The Apprentice, with its seventh series to come this year. Alan Sugar was knighted in 2000 for services to British industry and received his peerage in 2009.

Stuart Reid

Chief executive, Bluefin

Thursday 9.30

A familiar face to most in the industry, Reid started his insurance career at his father’s broker in 1983 and joined Bishop Skinner Marine three years later. In 1993, he co-founded Stuart Alexander, which was acquired by AXA UK in 2007 along with Smart & Cook, Layton Blackham, The Davis Group and SBJ UK to create Bluefin Insurance Services. Reid was appointed chief executive of Bluefin in 2008.

Brendan McManus

Chief executive, Willis UK and Ireland

Thursday 9.30

The industry’s best-known gamekeeper turned poacher, McManus joined Willis in 2007 from Royal & SunAlliance (RSA), where he worked for more than 20 years. He was managing director of RSA’s broker business for three years, after working in several roles across the company, including developing SME and corporate business. He is also a director of Biba.

Andy Homer

Group chief executive officer, Towergate Partnership

Thursday 9.30

Homer is one of the most powerful figures in insurance. Alongside Towergate founder Peter Cullum, he has transformed the broking landscape. Chief executive of Towergate Partnership since 2005, he is tipped widely to step down shortly; expect the identity of his successor to be one of this conference’s most hotly debated topics.