The Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters has appointed Melissa Cunningham as its new President, making her the youngest person to hold the position in CILA’s history. Cunningham succeeds Hugh Kennaway following her election at the Institute’s 64th Annual General Meeting.
Aruna Chandrapalan has been elected Deputy President. She is Singapore CEO and Head of Forensic Accounting Services, Asia at Sedgwick.
Cunningham is Senior Vice President and UK Business Interruption Leader at Marsh. She is also a dual-qualified Chartered Accountant and Loss Adjuster, with most of her claims career spent in the broking sector.
Her experience includes property damage and business interruption claims. She has also worked across energy and power, product recall, warranty and indemnity, construction and political violence insurance.
Chandrapalan is a Chartered Loss Adjuster and Accountant with 20 years of insurance experience. She has worked for both loss adjusting firms and brokers, specializing in complex business interruption and financial loss claims across multiple sectors and markets.
Now based in Singapore, Chandrapalan also brings experience from international claims work. She previously served CILA as an active volunteer, including as Honorary Treasurer and chair of a Special Interest Group.
The appointments follow changes to CILA’s Royal Charter and Bye-Laws approved by members in 2025. The reforms broadened the Institute’s scope beyond traditional loss adjusting roles and increased its focus on the wider claims profession.
CILA Executive Director John Bissell said Cunningham and Chandrapalan reflect the range of professional backgrounds now represented within the Institute. He said their careers demonstrate that loss adjusting expertise exists across brokers, insurers, adjusting firms and specialist consultancies.
CILA plans to continue expanding its international reach. The Institute wants its membership and professional standards to remain relevant to claims practitioners working in different parts of the insurance process.
Cunningham said one of her priorities as President will be professional development. She wants to make progression within loss adjusting more accessible to people entering from different professional backgrounds.
She also plans to encourage younger practitioners to take on greater responsibility within the profession. Cunningham said experience remains important in complex claims work, but younger professionals should have more opportunities to contribute and move into leadership positions.
Her election comes as CILA continues implementing its revised Charter and Bye-Laws. The Institute is seeking broader participation from claims professionals working both inside and outside traditional loss adjusting firms.
