Ferma names Dirk Wegener as next president

Ferma has elected GVNW member Dirk Wegener as its next president.

Mr Wegener, currently Ferma’s vice-president and global head of corporate insurance for Deutsche Bank Group, will succeed Jo Willaert at the federation’s Risk Management Forum in Berlin this November.

He was elected by Ferma’s new board on Tuesday, following the federation’s general assembly.

Having started his career in the German insurance industry, Mr Wegener moved into risk management with Daimler Group and then, in 2012, onto Deutsche Bank.

Mr Willaert, who will have served four years as Ferma president when he steps down, said: “I am delighted that Ferma has chosen Dirk as my successor. Since his first election to the board of Ferma in 2015, he has contributed greatly to Ferma’s work and supported me as president. The commitment and leadership Dirk has shown as board member and deputy president will undoubtedly serve Ferma in achieving greater heights.”

Mr Wegener said it will be a privilege to serve as Ferma president. “I have always recognised the very important role that Ferma plays in lobbying for the interests of corporate risk managers and commercial insurance buyers, and acting as a catalyst for ideas and expertise for the risk manager community. That is ever more important in the age of digitalisation,” he added.

The German said the theme for Ferma’s 2019 Forum – Aim for the future: entering a new dimension of risk – reflects his vision as president. “I will support the profession to steadily embrace this future with confidence,” he said.

Four Ferma board members, including two new appointees, were chosen at its general assembly.

Anders Esbjörnsson, group risk manager at NCC Insurance, was elected for a third term, with Charlotte Hedemark Hancke, governance, risk and compliance officer at SAP Nordic, elected for a second term.

Valentina Paduano, chief risk officer at Sogefi S.p.A, was voted onto the board for this first time, along with Annemarie Schouw, manager of risk and insurance at Tata Steel.

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