Agers leader backs reunion with Igrea

Spain is an anomaly among Europe’s risk management sector as the country has two associations representing the profession. The leader of one association, however, believes that the time has come for this situation to change. Juan Carlos Porcel, president of the oldest of the two associations Agers, told Commercial Risk Europe that although the relationship between the two organisations is friendly and fruitful, there is enough common ground between all Spanish risk managers to gather under the same roof. “Our dynamics is simple. When we have common interests, we work together in perfect harmony. When interests differ, each organisation uses its own resources,” he said. “Over time, forward-looking proposals supported by a majority of members will determine the future of each one.” “In my personal view, there is enough room and ideas to relaunch a single association that comprises all our concerns to the benefit of society, of the sector and of the risk management function itself,” he added. Agers celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year. Igrea was created in 2008 by a group of risk managers from six companies who disagreed with the level of influences Agers’ non-risk manager members had in decision making. Today, Igrea has 50 members in its ranks. Sources from Igrea told CRE that there are no conversations under way or plans to discuss a re-merger of the two associations. Their view is that statutory differences between the organisations currently prevent a reunion and neither Igrea’s members nor its current leadership would favour such a move. In 2019, Agers adopted a new statute that reserved all seats on the board for risk managers, but it seems Igrea members do not believe this is sufficient to meet their desire of autonomy with the insurance market. Differences when it comes to financing and other topics also remain, sources say. But Porcel is not the only one to support the unification of risk management associations in Spain. A Madrid-based lawyer with experience working both for underwriters and insurance buyers said that, in his view, it is a matter of time before both associations once again join forces. “When the break-off took place, I argued that it was important they became once again aligned. It is something important even for reputational reasons. Spain is the only country where such a situation exists and I believe that is not a good thing,” the lawyer said. “Igrea was created by a group of risk managers who wanted to have autonomy to face off insurers. It is true that when that happened Agers did not have a space dedicated only to risk managers, but it does now, and for years already. I believe that the current situation answers more to personal issues than to professional or business needs. It seems to me that it is only a matter of time before it changes.” A merger of two national risk management associations would not be unprecedented in Europe. Until 2017, Germany faced a similar situation with two organisations – the DVS and Bfv – representing the country’s risk managers. That year, the two decided to merge and create GVNW, Germany’s current risk management association. “My impression is people have seen this as such a natural development that we all have to ask ourselves why we hadn’t done this before,” said GVNW president Alexander Mahnke at the time of the merger in an article published on the Ferma website.

Agers leader backs reunion with Igrea

Igrea source less convinced about a merger

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