Insurance Europe

Around 400 insurers, policymakers and regulators from around the world gathered in Bucharest on 23 May 2019 for Insurance Europe’s 11th International Insurance Conference. The theme of the conference was "Fast Forward: The future of insurance" (programme).

The event was opened by Adrian Marin, president of UNSAR and CEO of Generali Romania, who welcomed delegates and provided an overview of the Romanian insurance market (video).

Delegates then heard a message from the President of Romania, H.E. Klaus Werner Iohannis, which was delivered by his presidential adviser on economic and social policies, Cosmin Marinescu (video, speech).

The president of Insurance Europe, Andreas Brandstetter, who is chairman and CEO of UNIQA Insurance Group, then took to the stage to call on policymakers to help insurers play a more significant role in promoting sustainability in Europe (video, presentation).

He was followed by an interview with Oliver Bäte, chairman of Allianz SE, on the future of the European insurance industry, which was moderated by Karel Van Hulle (video).

Delegates then heard from Adam Pawloff, a Greenpeace climate and energy campaigner, who called on the insurance industry to stop insuring and investing in coal producers (video, presentation).

This was followed by the first vox pop (video) and panel debate (video) of the day, both entitled “Protecting sustainable societies”. The panel, moderated by Michaela Koller, director general of Insurance Europe, comprised:

• Sue Lewis, trustee director, The People’s Pension
• Susan Neely, president & CEO, American Council of Life Insurers
• Victoria Saporta, chairwoman, executive committee, International Association of Insurance Supervisors and executive director, prudential policy, Bank of England and Prudential Regulation Authority
• Elisabeth Stadler, chairwoman & CEO, Vienna Insurance Group

After lunch, came three break-out panel debates:

1. “Financial education for the 21st century” was moderated by Alexandru Ciuncan, director general of UNSAR, and comprised:

• Recaredo Arias, president, Global Federation of Insurance Associations and director general, Mexican Association of Insurance Companies
• Francisco Carrasco Bahamonde, deputy director general of regulation & international relations, Directorate General of Insurance & Pension Funds, Ministry of Economy & Business, Spain
• Diana Crossan, chair, board of advisors, Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center

2. “Coping with changing natural catastrophes” was moderated by José Galamba de Oliveira, president of the Portuguese Association of Insurers, and comprised:

• Andy Bord, CEO, Flood Re
• Eugene Gurenko, lead insurance specialist, World Bank & Member of the board, Europa Re
• Robert Whelan, executive director & CEO, Insurance Council of Australia

3. “On the attack — dealing with cyber risks” was moderated by Mamiko Yokoi-Arai, principle administrator & head of insurance at the OECD, and comprised:

• Lori Bailey, global head of cyber risk, Zurich Insurance Group
• Peter Kerstens, advisor for technological innovation & cybersecurity, DG FISMA, European Commission
• Athanasios Drougkas, network and information security expert, EU Agency for Network & Information Security
• Nilay Ozden, managing director, FINPRO practice leader continental Europe, Marsh
  
  

Delegates then heard a speech by Leonardo Badea, president of the Financial Supervisory Authority of Romania (video).

The conference ended with the second vox pop (video) and plenary panel (video) of the day, entitled “Making regulation fit for the future”. The panel was moderated by Insurance Europe’s new vice-president, Frédéric de Courtois, general manager of Generali Group, and comprised:

• Minoru Aosaki, director, Financial Services Agency, Japan
• Gabriel Bernardino, chairman, European Insurance & Occupational Pensions Authority
• Lard Friese, chairman & CEO, NN Group
• Paweł Surówka, chairman & CEO, PZU Group