Current AIRMIC executive director David Gamble is to head the new company, Risk Publishing Online (RPO), once a new executive director has been appointed for AIRMIC. The changes will take place after the annual conference in June.
AIRMIC feels that PRORIM needs the full time attention of an experienced individual to fulfil its potential, and, before joining AIRMIC, Gamble held a number of director-level positions in small and medium sized companies in the UK and Japan. He was largely responsible for the content of PRORIM. AIRMIC also plans to adapt the Insurance Buyer's Guide, another publication aimed at SMEs, into a training program.
The profits from selling PRORIM will go to AIRMIC, which will give discounts to its members. It is currently looking for re-sellers, such as insurers and brokers, who are interested in offering the course to their clients. The program can be adapted to incorporate the company's branding, and content can be added to tailor it to specific groups.
AIRMIC chairman, Geoff Taylor, describes the creation of RPO as a tremendous opportunity for AIRMIC. "As our mission is promoting excellence in risk management, we have a reason to help SMEs grow their competence in the field." He adds that although AIRMIC members tend to work for large businesses, their suppliers are often SMEs, and if their risk management improves, so does that of the AIRMIC member company.
"The association's core job remains the same: to represent and give support to risk managers. But we have always recognised that we have a wider responsibility to promote a risk management culture. With these changes, it will be easier for us to take our message to new audiences."
Taylor reveals that there is great interest in PRORIM from countries such as Spain, Russia and Bulgaria, but since it is as yet only available in English, French, German and Italian, outside the UK the new company is likely to concentrate on countries where English is the business language.
By the time of his move, Gamble will have been executive director of AIRMIC for 10 years, during which time he has been involved in many initiatives, such as obtaining terrorism cover for airlines, changes to the Pool Re terrorism scheme, keeping risk managers out of the regulatory clutches of the Treasury and promoting greater transparency in the insurance buying process.
