Philippe Cotelle has officially assumed the presidency of the Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA), succeeding Charlotte Hedemark following a handover ceremony at the FERMA Seminar 2025 in Zurich.
The event, attended by more than 250 European risk managers, marked the start of Cotelle’s leadership and outlined his agenda for a more connected and coordinated European risk management community.
FERMA, founded in 1974, represents national risk management associations across Europe, bringing together more than 5,000 risk and insurance professionals. The Federation acts as a collective voice for the European risk management profession, engaging with European institutions and international bodies on issues ranging from insurance regulation and corporate governance to sustainability, cyber resilience, and emerging risks. It also plays a key role in promoting best practices, education, and knowledge-sharing within the profession through initiatives such as the FERMA Forum, the European Risk Manager Survey, and advocacy on regulatory developments affecting corporate risk management.
Cotelle said one of his main objectives will be to ensure that FERMA delivers meaningful value to all 23 national associations it represents across 22 countries. He emphasised that FERMA’s strength lies in uniting these diverse associations under a shared purpose, stating that the Federation’s role is to “bring them together, and by doing so, make them stronger.”
He added that his presidency will focus on increasing connectivity between associations, enhancing coordination on key topics, and ensuring FERMA serves as a unified voice for the European risk community. To support this goal, Cotelle has launched the inaugural Presidents’ Workshop — a two-day forum that will explore how national associations and FERMA can better collaborate to strengthen the profession.
Cotelle said the workshop will help to shape “a renewed vision of our European risk management community” at a time when the industry faces cross-border challenges such as systemic cyber risk and natural catastrophes. He underscored FERMA’s ability to bring together all major stakeholders to develop solutions to these shared risks, adding that FERMA’s position enables it to establish and communicate a collective vision both within Europe and globally.
The Zurich event also marked the conclusion of Charlotte Hedemark’s term as President. Reflecting on her tenure, she said FERMA has strengthened its influence in European institutions and expanded its global partnerships. Under her leadership, the Federation has extended its Risk Manager survey internationally, built new collaborations across the insurance and risk ecosystem, and advanced efforts to support emerging talent in the profession.
Hedemark said the experience of leading FERMA had been deeply rewarding, noting that it allowed her to see firsthand the Federation’s growing impact on both the risk management profession and the wider business community.
Closing the seminar, Cotelle announced that the next FERMA Forum will be held in Rotterdam from Oct. 4 to 6, 2026 under the theme “Widening the Lens: From Risk Insight to Strategic Foresight.”
