Spotlight on Slovenia (SI.RISK)

The small country of Slovenia is truly at the centre of Europe. It touches the Alps and the Mediterranean and has borders with Italy, Croatia, Hungary and Austria. It also has a small but enthusiastic risk management community whose association, SI. RISK, is one of FERMA’s newest members.

The capital Ljubljana was the venue for a presentation on FERMA by Secretary General Pierre Sonigo and Executive Manager Florence Bindelle in November which brought together members of SI. RISK and the faculty of economics at Ljubljana University, and representatives of the national insurance, broking and audit associations.

According to SI. RISK President Maja Sustersic, the seminar was very useful in strengthening contacts with the university and industry representatives, and for them to see the value of the association’s FERMA membership. The university, she said, currently has risk management as part of separate courses, but it is now looking at bringing together the different topics into a single short course and wants to work with SI. RISK. There is also interest in the FERMA-ECIIA Guidelines on Implementation of the 8th European Company Law Directive.

SI. RISK has three events so far planned for 2012. In March there will be an event on supply chain risks. In May, a practical seminar on risk management in subsidiaries, which will cover also how to do international programmes, since companies in Slovenia are doing business in other parts of the former Yugoslavia and abroad, and risk managers need to understand the regulatory and political exposures. The third will take place in September when the members will discuss risk management standards.

AGERS (Spain)

More than 300 risk managers and representatives of the insurance industry took part in AGERS’s 17th annual seminar on expectations for the coming insurance renewal season, held in Madrid in November. Much discussion covered the current economic and Eurozone crises and their implications, followed by consideration of the current market for specific insurance classes, including liability, property damage and financial risks. Delegates also learned from the office of the insurance regulator that Solvency II could enter into force in Spain in January 2014.

AGERS says the seminar day on insurance programme renewals 2012 was particularly valuable in the current, volatile economic situation and as a way of approaching the strategies that the insurance sector will use to face the realities of the coming months.

Airmic (UK)

Annual dinner

The annual Airmic dinner held in London drew 761 members and guests who heard the CEO of Lloyd’s Richard Ward as guest speaker and Airmic chair, Paul Taylor, a former FERMA board member.

Survey: Risk managers’ concerns little changed, despite turbulence

Global economic and political uncertainty has had little impact on global insurance programmes, according to the second annual Airmic casualty benchmarking survey. The key issues remained consistent with last year’s results: global compliance with local tax laws and with legal, regulatory and insurance regulations. Another top priority is getting policies issued in a timely fashion.

The benchmarking survey was sponsored by Chartis which drew attention to the contrast between the economic environment and the insurance strategies employed by many companies.

Annual conference: The 2012 annual Airmic conference will be held in Liverpool from 11-13 June.

AMRAE (France)

The 20th Rencontres de l’AMRAE, the association’s annual gathering, will take place in Deauville from 8-10 February 2012. At one plenary session, FERMA President Jorge Luzzi and the President of AMRAE, Gilbert Canameras, will provide a tour of risk management practice across Europe with the help of risk managers from several countries.
There will also be a workshop dedicated to FERMA themes, moderated by Vice President Michel Dennery with the participation of Jorge Luzzi.

ANRA (Italy)

Recent ANRA events have included its annual conference on the subject of “Back to insurance: which solutions in less secure world?”, plus a training course on claims handling and a presence at a workshop on finance and administration at a top Italian management forum.

Activities in early 2012 include training courses on risk management 1st and 2nd module and claims handling.

BELRIM (Belgium)

At the annual cocktail of the association in December, Etienne de Callataÿ, Chief Economist of the Bank Degroof, gave a lively presentation entitled “From one crisis to the next: macro-economic risks in Belgium and Europe”.

Gaëtan Lefèvre, Chairman of the association, welcomed over 150 guests, pointing out the challenges that lie ahead in these economically difficult times. He urged insurers and brokers to keep in mind the needs of their clients during the coming contract renewals.

In November, all members were welcomed at the Château CMI in Liège for an exchange on travel and foreign operations risks, enhanced by some televoting. The audience greatly appreciated this innovation as it made the meeting very interactive.

BELRIM invites all FERMA members to attend their meetings. On the agenda for the coming months:
January: CAR – EAR
February: Credit management
March: Social media risks

DARIM (Denmark)

DARIM will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a major event in February and other activities throughout the year. More details to come in the next FERMA newsletter.

DVS (Germany)

The annual symposium will take place from 4-6 September 2012 in Munich.

FinnRiMa (Finland)

FinnRiMa is to merge with the SME Risk Management Forum (SM RM Forum) which will provide more access to this business sector and new opportunities, including developing risk management training. SM RM Forum has been active with various universities and other education providers.

FinnRiMa is collaborating strongly with various players within Finnish society, for example working with the Confederation of Finnish Industries to clarify the role of risk management in large and smaller companies. During 2012, FinnRiMa will continue to support implementation of ISO 31000 in Finnish businesses and other organisations with the help of the Confederation of Finnish Industries, among others.

During 2012, FinnRiMa will hold official members’ meetings in April and November with three or four regular mini-seminars on topical issues during the year. However, the association’s main event for year will be its 25th anniversary seminar and dinner on 16 October in Helsinki.

IGREA (Spain)

A day on insurance renewals was the title of an event organised by IGREA in Madrid at the end of November for members to discuss prospects for property, liability and directors’ and officers’ programmes for 2012.
On 3 January, IGREA will hold a working session with a representative of the new European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority.

SIRM (Switzerland)

SIRM recorded a record number of participants for its 2011 Forum held at Pfäffikon on Lake Zurich on the subject of cyber crime and cyber security. The moderator was Thomas Dübendorfer a software engineer and tech lead at Google, Zurich.
SIRM is now preparing its 2012 programme, with two well established cornerstones: the general assembly in Basle on 9 May to deal with statutory matters and to present a topical risk management subject and the 39th SIRM Forum on 6-7 November 2012, at a venue to be announced
Throughout the year, the SIRM board will also lead the association’s relaunch programme, strengthening communication channels with members, as well as with market partners and the regulatory authorities. Another sign of the association’s renewal is the updated SIRM website – discover it at www.sirm.ch.

New associations

FERMA is pleased to support individual risk managers in other European countries in setting up their own risk management asso-ciations, and eventually joining the FERMA community.

Most recently, risk managers in Hungary and Croatia have sought FERMA’s advice on setting up local organisations.