Charlotte Hedemark, President of The Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA), outlined plans to advance its strategic priorities: expanding its advocacy capacity, establishing leadership and emphasising value, and becoming a more agile and dynamic federation.
During the firm’s General Assembly, Hedemark stated, “FERMA will continue to amplify the role of risk management, leveraging the expertise of its member associations to drive a culture of risk awareness and proactive risk management.
“We will continue to strengthen our standing as a strong counterpart to the European institutions, enabling the risk management community to shape policies in vital areas such as climate, digitisation, and financial services. And we will continue to enhance the platform of collaboration that FERMA provides, bringing together multiple different stakeholders all committed to promoting the leadership credentials and expertise of the European risk management community.”
Regarding advocacy, she highlighted FERMA’s role in facilitating the introduction of the new category of “small and non-complex undertakings” in the recent Solvency II amendments, calling it a significant advancement particularly beneficial for captives.
She also discussed FERMA’s initiatives on cyber risk, including the development of a position paper on systemic cyber risks and cyber war, alongside engagement in EU-level discussions for comprehensive solutions.
On climate change, Hedemark noted FERMA’s involvement as co-rapporteur of the climate resilience dialogue group and ongoing efforts to provide guidance on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
Looking ahead, she mentioned, “To expand our advocacy capacity, we are exploring ways to extend our network, to strengthen existing partnerships and build new ones, both within the risk and insurance sectors and beyond. This creates more opportunities for collaboration and for joined-up thinking – which helps to strengthen our voice at the European level.”
Hedemark also highlighted the launch of the ERM Committee, aimed at empowering risk managers with enhanced knowledge, tools, resources, and best practices to support their ERM efforts.
She underscored the importance of collaboration in making FERMA more agile and dynamic, emphasising efforts to deepen dialogue with member associations.
The General Assembly also announced the election of Daniele Zucchi and the re-election of Laurence Eeckman to the FERMA Board.
Hedemark added, “The depth and breadth of risk management expertise represented by the FERMA Board is unparalleled. Their decades of experience in the risk arena provides the Federation which an incredibly robust platform of knowledge from which to continue to represent the risk management associations at the European level and bolster the standing of the risk management profession.”
Hedemark concluded, “Since 1974, FERMA has been the beating heart of European risk management, uniting professionals, advocating for best practices, and sparking innovation.
“As we celebrate our half-century, our commitment to shaping the future of risk management burns brighter than ever. This is just the beginning – here’s to another 50 years of growth, innovation, and impact!”
