The European risk management sector has said this week that strength will be vital if they are to navigate the current risk landscape.

Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) president Philippe Cotelle has said  the need to build a stronger, more collaborative European risk management community has never been greater.

His comments came at the federation’s General Assembly in Brussels where he told attendees: “Together Stronger is our commitment to building a more resilient European risk management community by strengthening connections between our national associations, fostering greater collaboration, and creating more opportunities for everyone to contribute.”

The organisation added it is a commitment that is already taking shape. In recent months, FERMA has undertaken several initiatives engaging with national associations across Europe, including the launch of the inaugural Presidents’ Workshop and the setting up of the Next Generation European Risk Council.

Indicating that this connected approach is setting the direction of travel for the Federation moving forward, Cotelle said: “FERMA is increasingly becoming the community hub for European risk managers. Not simply coordinating activities, but connecting people, facilitating knowledge exchange and delivering tangible value for every association in our network.”

“Everything we develop from advocacy and knowledge sharing to practical tools, collaborative projects and networking opportunities, must be designed to strengthen your associations and help you deliver even greater value to your own members,” Cotelle told attendees.

The recent launch of Open Sesame marked what he described as the Federation “pushing beyond our traditional boundaries”, adding: “Projects such as Open Sesame, which supports new approaches to financing climate adaptation, demonstrate that risk managers have an increasingly important role to play in addressing society’s biggest challenges.”

Drawing his speech to a close, Cotelle explained that while Together Stronger remains a “work in progress”, it is one which is progressing at speed. “Today, thanks to your commitment, your engagement, and your willingness to build this community together,” he concluded, “we can confidently say that it is no longer purely an ambition.”

It is clear that risk managers believe now is the time to leverage their collective strength and if then discussions at the Airmic conference last week are anything to go by then they are looking for more from their insurance partners and are busy planning if that does not materialise.

Jon Guy, Editor,

Emerging Risks