Geoff Lingham, chairman of the AIRMIC programme committee says there has never been a greater need to attend the conference
“After the events of 11 September, AIRMIC chairman, Philip Thomas, said: ‘There has never been a greater need for risk management.’ To paraphrase Philip, I would add that there has never been a greater need for risk managers to attend the AIRMIC conference.
“The June conference cannot come too soon for all those individuals who are involved in managing organisational risks. Risk professionals need to network like never before, and the conference provides the ideal forum. I believe this year’s conference will be like no other, and that is not a sales-pitch!
“Following the events of 11 September, my programme committee has altered the content to focus on practical help and assistance. The aim is to help meet risk managers’ current key requirements, with constructive help and advice to improve risk management programmes, the ability to network freely with colleagues, and the discovery of leading edge knowledge and practice, in order to better manage the cost of risk in a hard market.
“We are asking seminar presenters, exhibitors, service providers and speakers to provide brief practical advice guides for delegates to take away. We are also asking key speakers to angle their presentations to provide maximum practical assistance.
“Speakers in the plenary sessions include Will Hutton, chief executive, Industrial Society; Dr Larry Philips, visiting professor of operational research, London School of Economics; John Kay, feature columnist, Financial Times, and David Mair, president of RIMS, the US risk management body, whose words will carry a poignant impact.
“This year’s conference will be unique in the scope and quality of knowledge and information for delegates. It will offer major benefits for risk managers who are urgently seeking satisfactory insurance cover, reductions in high premiums, increased market capacity, alternatives to the hard insurance market, and suggestions and solutions to take back to their teams.
“This urgency and thirst for fresh ideas and advice will drive the content and the quality. As always, there will be a friendly informality, but I expect the conversations throughout the three days to be laced with undertones of serious need.
“The risk management world can be a lonely place when the pressure is on. Why not make some new contacts and help resolve your risk concerns at the same time?
