A new European council of young risk and insurance managers will examine future threats, culminating in findings presented at the 2026 Forum in Rotterdam.
The Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) has announced the launch of its Next Gen Risk Council, a body capped at 15 professionals aged under 35 drawn from its 23 member associations in 22 countries.
The Council will work under the theme “NextGen Future Thinking and Foresight” and produce an in-depth project titled “Foresight in Risk Management”, with results to be presented at the 2026 Forum in Rotterdam. Members will also contribute to FERMA’s education certification process, offering input from those at an early stage of their careers.
The launch comes against a backdrop of documented pressure in European insurance markets. In its Global Risk Managers Survey 2024, produced with PwC, FERMA reported that 54% of respondents had changed buying patterns following reviews of coverage requirements, limits and sub-limits, while 53% believed that key business activities and locations could become uninsurable, up from 41% in 2022. Climate-related physical risks and natural catastrophes (73%), cyberattacks (55%) and supply chain disruption (34%) were cited among the exposures most likely to face insurability constraints.
FERMA represents more than 6,000 risk managers across industrial, commercial, financial and public sector organisations . In recent publications and seminars, the federation has focused on long-term risk strategy, cyber insurance market development and the functioning of public procurement frameworks.
FERMA has called on the European Commission to exclude insurance policies from the scope of the EU Public Procurement Directives, arguing that the current framework discourages insurer participation and reduces competition. Its January 2026 position paper sets out threshold levels triggering procurement rules, including €143,000, €221,000 and €443,000 of premiums depending on the entity concerned.
The annex to that paper documents case studies across Norway, France, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands where tenders attracted one or two bids, in some instances none, leading to higher premiums, coverage gaps or delays. In Norway, one public entity reported premiums rising by approximately 129% since 2020 while insured values increased by about 5%. In France, a public agency with risk exposure exceeding €400 million received only two property damage offers, with annual premiums quoted at €500,000 and €1 million.
Within this context, the Next Gen Risk Council is intended to connect younger professionals across borders and sectors. Each National Association may nominate up to two candidates by March 10 2026, with appointments based on applications and, where required, online interviews. Selection criteria include age, duration of experience, membership of a National Association and employer support, with a stated focus on diversity across sectors and countries.
“This new initiative sets out to give younger members of the Federation deeper insight into their profession and into FERMA’s work. As well as exchanging knowledge gained in different sectors and geographical areas, members will discuss and envisage possible ways to improve the profession, culminating in presentations at the 2026 Forum in Rotterdam. A key aim is working collaboratively to nurture future talent, enhancing FERMA’s offering to members and to the wider world of risk management,” said Philippe Cotelle (pictured), FERMA president.
The Council’s work on foresight will unfold alongside debates over cyber coverage design, capacity constraints in public sector placements and questions around future insurability. The Rotterdam forum will provide the first indication of how emerging risk managers interpret those pressures from a pan-European standpoint.
