unison times...underwriter, technology & cyber insurance amie watson joined aspen in may 2019 as...

UNISONTIMESHAMBURG | GERMANY | WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2019 | INDEPENDENCE DAY EDITION 2019

SPONSORS& SPEAKERS

3SOCIALEVENTS

23ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

32

02

It is already one month ago that members

of the global unisonSteadfast community,

representatives of the renowned insur-

ance carriers and independent insurance

experts from all over the world joined us for

the Independence Day Conference 2019

in Vienna.

We can gratefully look back on a successful

conference and would like to thank our

numerous members, business friends and

sponsors, who supported us in making this

exceptional event possible, for attending our

IDC and contributing to making the unison-

Steadfast network a unique community.

With more than 270 participants, from over

40 countries, the IDC has again grown

enormously in size, promising to become

one of the leading conferences of the

global insurance industry. It was the largest

IDC ever since the foundation of unison-

Steadfast (former unisonBrokers) in 2005.

And the venue was perfectly chosen: With

a mixture of historic and modern locations

and themed events we paid tribute to the

diversity of Vienna but also of our network.

In this special post-conference newsletter,

we present you the different highlights of

our conference, including the great evening

events with special guests, such as Dr. Auma

Obama, but of course also with our many

sponsors and speakers, who gave us an

insight into an array of interesting topics.

This year's key issue was 'Market Transfor-

mation', with lectures on the M & A markets

in the USA and UK, but also the whole

technical and sociological change of our

society, which was picked up by Antony

Elliott, Zurich Insurance. Innovation, modern

technologies and digital client interactions

are leading to increasing risks, forcing the

creation of new business models in the

industry. New markets and segments are

developing, and new customer value

propositions are forming. To navigate

through this rapidly changing environment,

companies must understand how these

changes will impact them and develop

clear strategies to evolve and win. Beside

the presentation of new strategies and

product innovations, we put again em-

phasis on the importance of succession

plans and the new generation of brokers.

The foundation of practice groups has

brought us a step closer towards being

a global network with specialist expertise

in the domains of Cyber, Construction,

Employee Benefits, Event Cancellation,

Logistics, Renewable Energies, Real Estate

and Reinsurance. Further, we have initiated

open discussions on issues in our network

that will continue to advance in the future,

among others and most importantly the

creation of a new cooperation culture.

I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter

and look forward to seeing you all at the

15th Independence Day Conference in

New York City.

Yours

Wolfgang Mercier

PROLOGUE

Dear IDC delegates, Dear Members and Business Partners,

03

On behalf of unisonSteadfast and the unison community, we would like to extend a warm thank you and our greatest appreciation

to our valued sponsors for their commitment to making this event so unforgettable. It was the vision of unisonSteadfast to inform,

entertain and provide a networking forum for our members and business partners in a charming and comfortable environment.

Thanks to your generous contributions, our vision became reality. We had been able to choose wonderful locations such as our

conference hotel Palais Hansen Kempinski, the most famous Viennese Heuriger "Pfarrwirt" and last but not least the glamorous

Palais Ferstel, nearly all of them located in the heart of Austria’s beautiful capital. We appreciate having strategic partnerships with our

sponsors, which we understand are vital for our mutual success, and thank you for the trust you place in our network. On this basis,

we look forward to hosting many more successful conferences with you in the future.

SPONSORS & SPEAKERS

The Independence Day Conference in Vienna was a great success!

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

04

Dear unisonSteadfast members,

We were delighted to join your Independence Day Conference in Vienna from the 26th to the 28th of June. Zurich Insurance Group

(Zurich) and unisonSteadfast have collaborated over a number of years to support the development of international opportunities for

your clients in your local markets. The conference in Vienna was a great opportunity to experience the collaboration of your network

in person and discuss how we can best support each other with risk insights and solutions.

Zurich’s main contribution to the conference agenda was Antony Elliott’s keynote speech on the theme of Market Transformation.

As Zurich’s Group Head of Business Transformation, Antony was uniquely placed to share his insights on how geopolitical shifts,

digitalization, ecosystems and digital platforms, as well as climate change all impact our clients and their needs, creating both chal-

lenge and opportunity in the insurance market. At the closing stages of the presentation, we discussed examples on what needs to

change within the existing insurance business models, in order to move with the times and offer the services our clients will need

and expect, now and in the future. Antony’s presentation will be made available to you by the unisonSteadfast team, together with

all other conference materials. These are important topics to Zurich and we will continue the dialogue, to develop relevant solutions

for our respective clients. We welcome any feedback and comments you would like to share with Antony, Albin Vögele or myself.

We really enjoyed spending time with you in Vienna, sharing perspectives in person and on the insurer panel, and discussing how we

can best work together with you. Ultimately, getting to know you and your business better will continue to drive success for Zurich

and unisonSteadfast. Thank you all for your continued partnership and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

On behalf of the Zurich team,

Dimitrios Mazarakis

Broker Strategy and Distribution Manager | [email protected] | +44 (0) 787 588 7131

Zurich and unisonSteadfast

working together in times of exciting transformation

SPONSORS & SPEAKERS

05 SPONSORS & SPEAKERS

ZURICH INSURANCE COMPANY, SWITZERLAND

Antony Elliott

Group Head of Business Transformation

Antony is the Group Head of Business Transformation, responsible

for delivery of above Business Unit Transformations, Enterprise

Architecture and Innovation Execution. Antony stands for delivering

customer centric, efficient and effective solutions and propositions

for retail and commercial insurance customers. He believes that,

as Peter Drucker said, 'culture eats strategy for breakfast', and that

in the insurance industry we need to embrace a 'lean start up'

like innovative culture to drive meaningful transformation across

the industry.

Antony also serves as the Chairman of the Board of B3i Services AG

which was formed in 2018 and is 100 % owned by 17 insurance

market participants around the world. B3i’s vision is to see the

insurance market deliver better solutions for end consumers

through faster access to insurance with less administrative cost,

building applications leveraging Distributed Ledger Technology.

He has worked in the insurance industry since 1999 and for Zurich

since 2005. Antony has held a variety of roles within operations

including program management, enterprise architecture and

innovation involving projects in Latin America, the Middle East

and Europe.

Antony has a BSc in Economics from the University of York and

is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Source: Zurich Insurance Company, Switzerland

ZURICH INSURANCE PLC

Dimitrios Mazarakis

Broker Strategy and Distribution Manager, Commercial Insurance

Dimitrios Mazarakis works within Zurich’s global Distribution

function as Broker Strategy and Distribution Manager. In his role,

he works closely with key broker firms globally and in the EMEA

region to support Zurich’s distribution strategy and broker propo-

sition. He has a particular focus in driving Zurich’s collaboration

with key Global Broker Networks globally, alongside his involve-

ment in developing Zurich’s digital connectivity strategy in the

Commercial Insurance market.

Dimitrios joined Zurich in London in 2006 as a Financial Lines

underwriter and has a blend of underwriting and broker man-

agement experience from his UK, EMEA and global roles. For the

duration of his underwriting career with Zurich in the UK, he spe-

cialised in Professional Indemnity. He was lead underwriter for

Solicitors Professional Indemnity, working closely with actuarial

and claims colleagues. In December 2014, he assumed respon-

sibility for developing Zurich’s capability and responsiveness for

facilities business, within its Global Corporate business in Europe,

Middle East and Africa (GCiEMEA). Within the same role, he also

led and developed Zurich’s trading relationships and portfolio

with key Global Broker Networks within the EMEA region.

Dimitrios is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute and

holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the

University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Source: Zurich Insurance Plc

This is intended as a general description of certain types of insurance and services available to qualified customers through subsidiaries within the Zurich Insurance Group, as in the US, Zurich American Insurance Company, 1400 American Lane, Schaumburg, IL 60196, in Canada, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, 100 King Street West, Suite 5500, PO Box 290, Toronto, ON M5X 1C9, and outside the US and Canada, Zurich Insurance plc, Ballsbridge Park, Dublin 4, Ireland (and its EEA branches), Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, Mythenquai 2, 8002 Zurich, Zurich Australian Insurance Limited, 5 Blue St., North Sydney, NSW 2060 and further entities, as required by local jurisdiction. Certain coverages are not available in all countries or locales. In the US, risk engineering services are provided by The Zurich Services Corporation.

Protecting the business you love is easier when you have a clear view of what might affect it. My Zurich is an online portal that gives you 24/7 access to real-time claims data, the status of your policies and wordings, including benchmarking for risk engineering data, in a transparent way.

FIND OUT MORE AT zurich.com/myzurich

ZURICH INSURANCE.FOR THOSE WHO TRULY LOVE THEIR BUSINESS.

NOW YOU CANKEEP AN EYE ON

YOUR RISKS FROMONE PLACE.


ALLIANZ GLOBAL BENEFITS GMBH

Rachid Belarbi

Regional Director

Rachid Belarbi joined Allianz Global Bene-

fits as of July 1st, 2013.

Based in Stuttgart, he operates as Regional

Director of the Nordics, Europe II and

CEEMA and is responsible for the business

development of the global account port-

folio in his regions.

Prior to joining Allianz, he worked as

Regional Head of Sales at the Swiss Life

Network (2007-2013) and as Regional

Director of the Commerzbank AG (2005-

2007).

Source: Allianz Global Benefits GmbH

ASPEN INSURANCE

Tim Strong

Head of International Crisis Management

Tim is responsible for Aspen’s Crisis Man-

agement lines written on our London and

Singapore platforms, these include; Piracy,

Product Recall, Kidnap & Ransom, Terrorism

& Political Violence and Active Assailant.

Tim joined Aspen in September 2015 with

a focus on building the Terrorism and Po-

litical violence account. Prior to joining

Aspen Tim was responsible for the Ter-

rorism and Political Violence book for a

start-up Lloyd’s syndicate.

Tim holds a BSc in Biological Sciences

from the University of Exeter and has ob-

tained the Advanced Diploma in Insurance

(ACII).

Source: Aspen Insurance

ASPEN INSURANCE

Amie E. Watson

Underwriter, Technology & Cyber Insurance

Amie Watson joined Aspen in May 2019 as

an Underwriter in the Technology Liability

and Cyber Risk team. She was previously

a Cyber and Tech Underwriter at Liberty

Specialty Markets.

Amie has also worked at XL Catlin where

she was seconded to Singapore for a year

to develop Cyber and Tech solutions for

the Asian market.

Previously Amie worked for 10 years as an

E&O broker at Lockton and Willis which

included a secondment to Sydney Australia.

Amie holds a BSc in Geography from the

University of Southampton and has ob-

tained the Diploma in Insurance.

Source: Aspen Insurance

Combining local know-how with global reach

World’s largest Property and

Casualty insurer

Global leader in credit insurance

Leading strategic partner to

the automotive industry

Worldwide leader in travel insurance

and assistance services

Among the top 5 Life/Health insurers

worldwide

Among the top 5 active asset managers worldwide

countries

About Allianz GroupTogether with its customers and sales partners, Allianz is oneof the strongest financial communities. More than 85 million private and corporate customers insured by Allianz rely on our knowledge, global reach, capital strength and solidity to help them make the most of financial opportunities and to avoid and safeguard themselves against risks. Around 142,000 employees in 70 countries work to ensure that our customers are at the heart of everything we do and experience superior value whenever dealing with us.

Allianz Cross Border Business SolutionsOur Allianz entities and 140 selected network partners around the world are committed to offer tailor-made insurance solutions across the entire P&C segment for midmarket companies operating on a global scale. Thanks to our large international network we are a truly global partner with strength, stability, technical expertise and service excellence protecting our clients’ worldwide business operations. Please contact your local Allianz representative or [email protected]

selected network partners

million private & corporate

customers

thousand employees


CHUBB

Marc-Andre Birth

Line Manager Industry Practices

Germany & Austria

+ with Chubb since 2006

+ Underwriting experience in Financial

Lines, Casualty and Property

+ since January 2015 Line Manager In-

dustry Practices responsible for all lines

of business for the Life Science / Pharma,

Technology and Real Estate / Hospitality

industry

+ A total of 18 years’ experience in the

insurance business with insurers, rein-

surers and brokers

Source: CHUBB

AXA VERSICHERUNG AG

Patrick Gelsdorf

Regional Manager South – Mid Market

Division Germany & Austria

+ 01/2019 – today

AXA Konzern AG, Regional Manager

South – Mid-Market Division

+ 04/2009 – 12/2018

AXA Konzern AG, Regional Sales

Manager Broker Channel, Region South

+ 01/2004 – 03/2009

AXA Service AG, Regional Manager

Broker Relationship Management,

Region Southwest

+ 05/2002 – 12/2003

AXA Service AG, Regional Manager

Sales Administration, Region Southwest

+ 09/1999 – 04/2002

AXA Colonia Versicherung AG,

Coach-Trainee / Coach

Source: AXA Versicherung AG

AXA VERSICHERUNG AG

Carlson Grote

Head of AXA International Services

+ 05/2019 – today

AXA Konzern AG, Head of AXA

International Services Germany

+ 01/2017 – 04/2019

AXA Insurance Company US (New York),

Partnership Manager

+ 01/2014 – 12/2016

AXA Konzern AG (Munich),Casualty UW

+ 09/2005 – 12/2013

Insurance Broker „ERPAM“ (Munich)

Source: AXA Versicherung AG


CHUBB

Christian Kruppa

Director Broker & Middle Market

+ since March 2018 Director Broker &

Middle Market, Sales & Distribution and

previously Global Client Executive

+ responsible for strategic and nationwide

expansion of the brokerage segment

and all sales aspects

+ a total of 28 years’ experience in the

insurance business with insurers,

reinsurers and brokers

Source: CHUBB

ERGO GROUP AG

Thomas Losch

Director Liability, Underwriting Commerce

& Industry

In 1995, following his apprenticeship as an

insurance salesman with Victoria Versiche-

rung AG, Düsseldorf, Thomas Losch com-

pleted his insurance studies in Cologne.

This was followed by a liability trainee

program at Gerling Group General AG

(GKA) with jobs in Cologne, Munich and

Switzerland as well as activities as a liabil-

ity underwriter at GKA, Munich, and HDI,

Düsseldorf.

From 2000 to 2016, Losch held various

management positions for the CHUBB

Insurance Company of Europe, Düsseldorf.

Most recently, he was responsible for the

development of the portfolio as the liability

manager for Germany and Northern Europe.

Since January 2017, Thomas Losch has

been the Head of Department at ERGO

Versicherung AG, Düsseldorf, responsible

for underwriting, industry and health.

Source: ERGO Group AG

GENERALI EMPLOYEE BENEFITS NETWORK

Christian V. Keller

Regional Manager, Central Europe

We are based with the team in Frankfurt

and servicing multinational corporates,

brokers and consultants based in Germa-

ny, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein

for all lines of employee benefits world-

wide. Our offers are global programs like

pooling, global underwriting and captive

which are all based on reinsurance trea-

ties.

Source: Generali Employee Benefits Network

Easy to do business : at AXA we speak your language, with simple solutions and decisions taken locally.

Knowledge and Expertise : our SME and Mid-market clients benefit from our knowledge of local markets, regulations and practices.

Mid-market customers : specific focus on the needs of mid-market

clients with empowered local teams ready to find the right solution for you.

AXA INTERNATIONAL SERVICES

Here,there,

protecting you everywhere your business takes you


GENERALI GLOBAL CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL

Hans-Peter Klebe

Head of Generali Global Corporate &

Commercial Germany

+ born March 9, 1963 in Frankfurt am

Main / Germany

+ Degree in economics and insurance

at University of applied science in

Cologne / Germany

+ 23 years with AXA Versicherung AG;

experienced in Industrial Lines,

International Insurance; Regional CUO

AXA Versicherung Germany / Munich

+ since March 1, 2016 Head of Generali

Global Corporate & Commercial,

Germany

+ Hans-Peter Klebe is married. He’s

father of two children and lives in

Munich / Germany. He tries to play

golf and loves travelling.

Source: Generali Global Corporate & Commercial

HDI GLOBAL SE

Ralph Ganzenmüller

Head of Industrial Enterprises Division and Head of Digital Development

Ralph Ganzenmueller is a connoisseur of automotive and insurance industry. The business

economist gained a great deal of experience in logistics, special series construction,

leasing, rental and fleet business from previous positions at Mosolf, ACM and Ashford

Automotive Systems. He has been working in this market for more than 20 years, par-

ticularly in the aftersales and claims sector as well as in the key account management,

for e.g. Daimler AG.

While working for the former HDI Privat Versicherung AG he established the claims and

the automotive sales channel for the cooperation department. He became the general

manager of the claims management organisation SSV GmbH, which was a 100 % sub-

sidiary of HDI Direkt AG.

After a stopover at Allianz SE he is now Head of Division Germany at HDI Global SE. The

core tasks are the management of the broker and direct sales channels, the manage-

ment of the decentralized units and their networking with the different lines of business.

The area of responsibility also includes developing the business segment strategy and

orchestrating the product development and launch process. He has also been Head of

digital development at HDI Global SE since 07/2017.

Source: HDI Global SE

Let’s

Our expert teams are ready to help you and your clients achieve your ambitions. We recognise the mid-market as a dynamic and innovative space to grow and together we can overcome challenges and dive into this world of opportunities.

At the heart of business ambition.

For finely engineered risk solutions, visit chubb.com/mid-market

empower the

mid-market together

©2018 Chubb. Coverages underwritten by one or more subsidiary companies. Not all coverages available in all jurisdictions. Chubb®, its logo and Chubb. Insured.SM are protected trademarks of Chubb

8455_Chubb_A4_Press_ad_AW.indd 1 27/07/2018 15:35


KASKO BUTIK

Shahin Ahmadov

Owner & CEO

Shahin Ahmadov has been working in

the Insurance Industry for over 19 years.

He graduated from the Oil Academy in

Azerbaijan and obtained a Diploma of

Chartered Insurance Institute, London.

He has extensive practical experience in the

insurance industry, both from the insurer

side as well as from the broker side, giving

him the ability to evaluate the strengths

and weaknesses of such businesses.

Source: Kasko Butik

NYA, A GARDA WORLD COMPANY

Graeme Hudson

Senior Managing Consultant

Graeme Hudson is a Senior Managing

Consultant at NYA and a member of the

Crisis Response Management team. Graeme

joined NYA in 2016 following ten years in

the Security Risk and Crisis Management

industry, working alongside international

NGOs and government agencies in high

risk areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Prior to this, Graeme served 15 years with

the UK armed forces, primarily as a member

of the Close Protection Unit in Longmoor.

Graeme deployed on operations with the

UK government in EMEA and the Asia Pacific

regions, where he commanded and man-

aged close protection for members of the

British Royal Family and diplomats of the

Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Source: NYA, a GardaWorld Company

UNISONSTEADFAST CORP.

Peter Bleach

Senior Vice President

Peter Bleach assumed his new role on

May 1, 2019, performing as the official

representative of the global unisonStead-

fast network in the USA and Canada. With

over 25 years of hands-on experience and

proven expertise of the global insurance

business, both marine and non-marine

sectors, Bleach previously served as Vice

President at The Plexus Groupe LLC and

Near North Insurance Brokerage, both

based in Illinois.

Bleach joined Near North Insurance Bro-

kerage after 12 years with Alexander &

Alexander, Inc., progressing to become

Managing Vice President of A&A’s opera-

tions in the United Arab Emirates, and also

worked in the Jeddah, Beirut and Singa-

pore offices of A&A.

In his new role at unisonSteadfast Corp.,

Bleach represents the interests of the

global network in the USA market, serving

as the main contact person for the U.S.

members of unisonSteadfast and insur-

ance carriers, also representing unison-

Steadfast at associations and econom-

ic organizations. Furthermore, he is the

principal contact for all insurance-related

matters in the USA.

Source: unisonSteadfast Corp.

www.generaliglobalcorporate.com

Today’s commercial world is increasingly global, complex and unpredictable. Recognised operating risks are

compounded by new and even unknown threats, any of which could impact long-term growth and success. But

businesses increasingly face new challenges of growth, innovation and productivity – they need the confi dence to

take bold strategic decisions; to invest in new technology, to enter new markets and sectors as well as ensuring that

existing operations continue to thrive.

At Generali, your challenges are our business.

We speak your language, partner with your company and use our global experience, local knowledge and sector

insights to promote your company’s interests. We’re as interested in helping to drive the upside as protecting the

downside. Our contingent capital and insurance solutions are as original, seamless and fl exible as your business

demands and we aspire to add value far beyond resolving your immediate risk management needs.

WE SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE


UNISONSTEADFAST AG

Stefan Braasch

Advisor to the Board

As a renowned insurance expert with a

university degree and more than 35 years

of professional experience, Stefan Braasch

has held several management positions at

both domestic and international insurance

and reinsurance companies, agencies as

well as insurance and placing brokers. He

was also the authorized representative of

an international industrial and marine in-

surer for the German market.

Before joining unisonSteadfast as an Ad-

visor to the Board, Stefan was a member

of the Management Board of the industrial

brokers’ holding company of Ecclesia Group

and became a Partner at the holding com-

pany of Martens & Prahl Group.

Source: unisonSteadfast AG

HERMES LAW, P. C.

Dwayne Hermes

Attorney, Owner

Dwayne J. Hermes is the founder of Hermes Law, P.C., in Dallas, Texas. Hermes Law is

changing the way defense firms deliver services through metric-driven alignment and

transparency. Dwayne spent over 25 years working to change the way that legal ser-

vices were delivered. He was motivated to develop greater alignment in the traditional

attorney-client relationship and was intent on finding new ways to practice law that are

innovative, efficient, collaborative and that result in value for both the client and the legal

service provider. Dwayne founded Hermes Law so that he could accelerate and increase

his focus on this endeavor.

Hermes Law is delivering legal services that are Faster, Better, and Cheaper. With his

team members, Dwayne has developed a custom case handling process, Hermes Law

Case Architectūra (HLCA). Using the HLCA, Hermes Law provides transparency in liti-

gation activity and legal spend, benchmarking of performance, risk management, and

standardized case management. This focus has led to triple digit percentage reduction

in average legal and indemnity spend per file and in average case life.

Recently, William Henderson, founder of Legal Evolution and Professor of Law and

Stephen F. Burns Chair on the Legal Profession at Indiana University Maurer School

of Law, announced Dwayne Hermes as an inaugural member of the Last Miler's Club.

The Last Miler’s Club recognizes those that are dedicated to bridging the Last Mile to

true client and attorney alignment that comes with a compensation model that is not

dependent on the billable hour.

Hermes Law’s contribution to this effort is both the Hermes Law Case Architectūra and

Hermes Law’s Value Generating Agreement. Dwayne regularly publishes and is called to

speak on topics related to legal innovation, alignment in the attorney-client relationship,

and legal data analytics. Dwayne has been licensed to practice law in Texas since 1985.

Source: Hermes Law, P. C.


STONERIDGE ADVISORS LLC

Peter North

Director

Peter has over eleven years of investment

banking experience focused on both capital

raising mandates and mergers and acqui-

sitions for middle market clients across a

range of industries. Prior to joining Stone-

Ridge Advisors in 2012, Peter covered

industries including energy, financial ser-

vices, and technology for an international

middle market investment banking firm.

Education:

B.S. in Finance from Miami University,

M.B.A from the University of Chicago

Booth School of Business, with additional

studies at London Business School and

Duke University

Selected Deals:

+ Absentys LLC sale to Sedgwick CMS

Holdings

+ Hartvillle Group, Inc. sale to Fairfax

Financial Holdings Ltd.

+ National Catastrophe Adjusters,

Inc. (dba: NCA Group) sale to Worley

Catastrophe Response, LLC

+ Totura & Company, Inc. sale to Engle

Martin & Associates, Inc.

+ Audit Services Incorporated (dba: ASI)

sale to Worley Catastrophe Response,

LLC

Source: StoneRidge Advisors LLC

IMAS CORPORATE FINANCE LLP

Olly Laughton-Scott

Founder & Owner

Olly founded IMAS in 1992. He has been

involved in the majority of IMAS’ insurance

broker transactions and is highly expe-

rienced in what makes for a successful

transaction and making it happen. He was

responsible for the development of IMAS-

insight, IMAS’s central knowledge-based

system.

Prior to setting up IMAS, he worked for

Cazenove and Kleinwort Benson. He quali-

fied as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur

Andersen and has a degree in Economics

from Exeter University.

Source: IMAS Corporate Finance LLP

STEADFAST GROUP

Martyn Thompson

Executive General Manager – Corporate

Development

Martyn joined Steadfast in June 2018 with

over 35 years’ experience as an Insurance

Broker, the previous 29 years working in

senior roles for the global Broker, Willis

Towers Watson.

During this tenure he was National Client

Service Director responsible for imple-

menting service platforms and standards

across the network including providing

risk and insurance advice and solutions to

many ASX companies, government as well

as Multi-National organisations.

He is a Senior Associate ANZIIF, holds a Di-

ploma of Financial Services and a Graduate

Certificate in Business Administration.

Source: Steadfast Group

WE ARE MARINE SAFEGUARDS.

While your goods are being transported around the world on their long journey, we guarantee short administrative paths when you require our assistance. We are ever-present, not only in the case of a claim. Our risk engineers accompany you and your goods on your journey offering you the best prevention and protection from beginning to end.

More at www.hdi.global

WE DESIGN GLOBAL SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR GLOBAL MARKETS.


REP SEGUROS

Bruno Weiler Cervi

COO

Bruno is responsible for negotiations with

insurers and with reinsurance brokers at

REP Seguros. Bruno graduated in Law

from University Feevale / BRA

Courses:

+ Underwriting and Risk Analysis courses

and in the Reinsurance Subscription and

Pricing course, all by the FUNENSEG /

BRA

+ Risk Management program at

The Chartered Insurance Institute

in London / UK

+ Customer Experience – University of

Central Florida / USA

+ Insurance by FUNENSEG / BRA

+ International Strategic Management by

EADA - Business School Barcelona /

Spain

+ Negotiation and Leadership: Harvard

Law School - Boston / USA

Source: REP Seguros

REP SEGUROS

Felipe Weiler Cervi

Vice President & CCO

Felipe has more than 10 years of experience

in the insurance market, having worked in

London in the reinsurance sector, and also

in Asia, where he gained experience acting

in the area of negotiations. Felipe graduated

in Law from University Feevale / BRA.

Courses:

+ Introduction to Offshore Operations

from the University of Texas / USA;

+ Upstream Energy in London / UK

+ Business by WTC in Vancouver /

Canada

+ Insurance by FUNENSEG / BRA

+ Negotiation and Leadership: Harvard

Law School – Boston/USA

+ Public Business by University Feevale

/ BRA

Source: REP Seguros

TH

AN

KY

OU

Our very special thanks go to our

speakers! Your speeches were very

informative and brought lots of new

aspects into the general discussion

on topics like digitalization and

business transformation. Every

single one has been an essential

part of our conference program.

All presentations are available at

and can be downloaded from our

uniNet platform. If you need new

uniNet access details (for members

only) or certain presentation pdf

files, please kindly contact:

Melinda Keller

mailto:melinda.keller%40unisonSteadfast.com?subject=

23

I am pleased to present the first highlight

of the unisonSteadfast Independence

Day Conference 2019 in Vienna: This

year’s Sightseeing Tour was characterized

by the impressive architectural and cultural

heritage of Vienna.

The tour started in the morning and already

then Vienna was showing its best side with

lots of sunshine and high temperatures.

During a short bus ride, the group could

take a look at the impressive buildings

of Vienna’s past – from the ‘Burgtheater’

straight to the Imperial Palace.

From this popular starting point, the group

was taken to the indoor riding arena of the

adjoining Spanish Riding School, where we

had the opportunity to get an insight of the

morning exercise of the horses. During the

morning exercise, which is accompanied

by classical music, Lipizzaner stallions and

their riders practice some dressage tricks

according to their individual training level.

Discovering classical Vienna – walking, trotting, cantering… and dancing

Everyone was impressed by the unique

architecture of the riding hall and the skills

of both the riders and horses. Following the

performance, we were given the oppor-

tunity to get to know one of the riders of

the Spanish Riding School and to visit the

stables.

After a little refreshment, the participants

set off in individual groups to explore the city

on foot. Throughout the tour of the beautiful

city center, the participants had to solve

different tasks. The groups particularly

enjoyed the performance of Falco’s song

‘Rock me Amadeus’ in front of the Mozart

House and dancing the Danube waltz.

A special highlight was the visit of the

Austrian National Library. After a brief in-

troduction to its history, the participants

were visibly impressed by the magnificent

Baroque State Hall. In addition to the

numerous books on display, the participants

were also able to admire the beautiful

ceiling fresco, dating back to the year

1730. The task in the National Library was

to find a connection to unisonSteadfast.

Fortunately, the participants didn’t take long

to discover an antique masterpiece in a

prominent place. unisonSteadfast supports

the conservation of Georg Braun’s book

‘Beschreibung und Contrafactur der vor-

nembsten Stät der Welt’ by means of a

special sponsorship. The Sightseeing Tour

ended with a little afternoon reception in

the noble Sacher Hotel, with Viennese mé-

lange coffee and the traditional Sacher cake.

The participants were very enthusiastic

about Vienna and the stations of the city

tour and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon

individually, discovering more of Vienna

or relaxing and preparing for the evening

reception.

Author: Sebastian Ernsting

SOCIAL NETWORKING

24

After a whole day of sightseeing at

unexpectedly high temperatures,

the attendees could relax during an

approx. 20-minute ride in one of Vienna’s

historical trams, most of which originate

from the first half of the 20th century

(~ 1912 – 1930) and were restored around

the 1960s for the purpose of offering special

tours in a circle around the city center

(Vienna Ring tram) with its numerous sights

and well-known landmarks. To combine

the historical Vienna and the modern

world, the ride stopped near the Sofitel,

which is home to Vienna’s most trendy

bar 'Das LOFT' with its unique atmosphere

and its 360° view over the rooftops of the

Austrian capital.

Those who didn’t participate in the walking

tour in the afternoon could gain first im-

pressions of the massive cultural heritage

and the fascinating melange of old and new

from a bird’s-eye-view, while drinking an

aperitif, mingling with other member

brokers, insurers and partners of unison.

One could see a lot of familiar faces of loyal

representatives, who have been joining

the IDC for several years or even each year

from the very beginning. We were also very

happy to welcome a lot of new members and

even new sponsors to our IDC. Moreover,

the choice of venue seemed perfect for

both European and overseas guests. Some

members who have been a part of the

'unison family' for a long time, but have

never been to an IDC before, surprisingly

came for the first time. Therefore, we would

like to say thank you everyone for joining

us this year!

With regard to the Welcome Reception,

special thanks go to the sponsor of the re-

freshing drinks and delicious appetizers at

'Das LOFT': HDI Global SE. Thank you for

the shortest but most efficient welcome

speech, bringing everybody in the right

mood for enjoying a wonderful evening

of get-together and networking oppor-

tunities, also integrating the IDC newbies

in the unison community.

SOCIAL NETWORKING

Hello… Vienna calling! unisonSteadfast welcomes delegates in lofty heights.

The highly modern bar rewarded every-

one’s presence with a stunning view of

the sunset over Vienna and when it got

dark, the extravagantly animated ceiling

became the focus. Despite its modernity,

'Das LOFT' has its own charm and invited

its guests to stay until the morning hours,

which I am sure some people did.

Author: Melinda Keller

Swiss Re Corporate Solutions off ers the above products through carriers that are allowed to operate in the relevant type of insurance or reinsurance in individual jurisdictions. Availability of products varies by jurisdiction. This communication is not intended as a solicitation to purchase (re)insurance. © Swiss Re 2019. All rights reserved.

Your insights

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the world

Ourstrengths and

expertise

You know your business inside out. You know your markets, your customers, your competitors. Above all, you know the risks facing your business. At Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, we have the capabilities and the fi nancial strength to meet the risk transfer needs of businesses worldwide. But that’s only half the story. Whether your risk is basic or complex, whether the solution is off -the-shelf or highly customised, we believe that there’s only one way to arrive at the right solution. And that’s to work together and combine your experience with our expertise and your strengths with our skills. Long-term relationships bring long-term benefi ts. We’re smarter together.

corporatesolutions.swissre.com

26

Every year, we try to give our mem-

bers an insight view of the city or

region, where our Independence Day

Conference takes place. Vienna is special,

not only thanks to the astonishing scen-

eries which make you feel like you are

thrown back 200 years in time. It is simply

the classiness that comes from walking or

driving through the streets. The facades look

fresh, as if they have just been painted, and

the people are fitting right in, wearing stylish

dresses and suits, not thinking about any-

thing else but their daily business.

After a long day of presentations and news

from the insurance market with future

perspectives, we concluded the day at a

traditional Viennese wine tavern, a so-called

An evening to remember – Our Heuriger-Party at "Pfarrwirt"

Heuriger. Just in time, the buses departed

from Palais Hansen Kempinski through the

narrow streets of Vienna. This tavern is located

on the outskirts of Vienna, so we enjoyed a

nice tour through the city. The people were

cheerful and after a 30-minute ride, we

arrived at a beautiful historic building. It

is said to be the oldest restaurant in the

city. The foundations of the former farm

house had been laid in 1180. Over the

decades, the house has been overgrown

with plants and the lights were putting it in

the right spotlight.

Upon arrival, we had a warm welcome

reception in the yard, where our group

picture was taken. The waiters were serv-

ing wine and tasty little appetizers, there

SOCIAL NETWORKING

27

were groups of chatting people with wide

smiles on their faces – some were doing

small talk, some were having deep con-

versations. We enjoyed ourselves at this

traditional venue, dressed up in Tracht

clothing like Dirndl and Lederhosen and

waited for this evening to come.

During the actual dinner, we were sitting

on long tables with familiar and new faces

next to us and it was fun. You could easily

fit in as everybody could contribute their

story. And the time just flew by. The one

moment, you were having a nice talk with

your neighbor, the other you had delicious

food in front of you – ‘Wiener Schnitzel’

and potato salad, only to mention a few

of the ‘must-eat’ traditional dishes being

served. The night was closing in and wine

and beer became everybody's best friends.

We celebrated our birthday boy Rolf and

sang for him in the middle of the crowd.

The highlight was the Hungarian ‘Gypsy‘

band, which was performing during the

evening. With rhythm and their talent,

they got the people started to swing. The

music was a tribute to their culture and we

celebrated them with a big applause, for

which they were very grateful.

As the night was progressing smoothly,

we were still having a wonderful time at

this historic location in Vienna. Once the

first busses started to head back, we put

on the show by taking the ‘Jolly bus’. Our

desperate lead singer was giving 100 %,

but he surely underestimated the raising

voices coming from the back of the bus.

One could listen to an old Oasis song in

an orchestra-like version as well as some

other classics.

This was really a fun and crazy night to

remember.

Authors: Mailin Mühlheim and Dennis Saschek

SOCIAL NETWORKING

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29

Our 14th Independence Day Confer-

ence was complemented by the

most glamourous gala event in

the history of unisonSteadfast: the small

version of the renowned ‘Wiener Opernball’

(Vienna Opera Ball), which was held in the

magnificent ballroom of the famous Palais

Ferstel in the heart of Vienna.

In this warm summer evening, our guests,

wearing festive evening gowns, were carted

through the oldtown of Vienna in tradi-

tional Vienna ‘Fiakern’. The ball guests were

welcomed on a red carpet which led to

the imposing and charming Palais Ferstel.

The Florentine Venetian ‘Pallazzo Italiano’,

which was named after its architect Heinrich

von Ferstel, enchanted up to 230 glamou-

rous guests with its impressive architec-

ture, the pompous ballroom, equipped

with splendid chandeliers and last but not

A fairytale-like night in Vienna – IDC meets Austrian Renaissance glamour

least its unique trecento style arcade

court, which exuded pure Venetian charm

during the welcome reception of the

unison Steadfast Opera Ball.

Marble stairs led the guests to the Ferstel

ballroom, one of the most beautiful event

locations in Vienna, which is impressive

in more than just its architecture, but this

evening even more breath-taking thanks

to the festively decorated banquet tables,

the stunning flower arrangements on each

table and all the flickering candles which

enriched the room with a fairytale atmo-

sphere.

Especially the opening act, the colorful

'Tarantella' performance of the little pro-

fessional debutant girls of the 'Dance-

world' ballet school put a delighted smile

on everyone’s face.

SOCIAL NETWORKING

30

LETTHE WALTZ BEGIN!

THE WALTZ

SOCIAL NETWORKING

3-course menu, leaving their elegant sig-

nature on our plates. Between starter and

main dish, the sister of the former US pres-

ident Barack Obama, Dr. Auma Obama,

approached the podium and enthusiasti-

cally presented her 'Sauti Kuu Foundation',

which supports impoverished children in

Western Kenia. In a campaign with the

slogan ‘You are your future’ the private aid

organization aims at paving the way for

socially disadvantaged children in order to

create an independent and better future by

offering them education, improving their own

skills and giving them the necessary self-

confidence to stand on their own two feet.

Our members obviously shared Dr. Obama’s

great pioneer spirit and donated EUR

10,000 during a tombola dedicated to

supporting this unique and forward-looking

project.

Opera star Eugenia Dushina completed

the evening program with her excellent

performance of 'Sempre Libera' (La Traviata)

and 'Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiß'

(Franz Lehar), before the DJ animated our

guests, by playing less classical but more

electronic and Latin sounds, to hit the

dancefloor until the early morning hours.

We can gratefully look back on a success-

ful Vienna Opera Ball and want to thank

our numerous members, business friends

and of course our sponsor Zurich Insurance,

who supported us to make this exceptional

event possible, for attending our conference

and leaving these incredible memories in

our minds.

Author: Nadyn Kern

Even stars from opera and the Hungarian

state ballet, accompanied by the Vienna

Strauss Solists Orchestra, under the musical

direction of conductor Russel McGregor,

entertained our guests during the gala

dinner with various amazing dance inter-

ludes. Tanya Payeva and her partner Dmitry

Timofeev were presenting their impres-

sive duet performance ‘Franz Lehar Waltz’.

However, not only the professional dancers

of the ‘Tanzschule Elmayer’ dancing school

performed the famous waltz skillfully this

evening. To our great surprise, many of

our guests showed up on the dancefloor

and really cut the rug.

Gourmets were also well catered for: on

the basis of high-class traditional Viennese

Cuisine, the Ferstel kitchen team with its

150 staff members had created a delicious

Our strong partner in risk assessment.

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NATHANFOR LOCATION RISK INTELLIGENCE

32

A first-class event…

many thanks for the great

organization and the

enormous know-how

transfer. You have once

more demonstrated your

ability to host an event like

this – but also to celebrate

and enjoy!

Matthias Koch, Württembergische

Vertriebspartner GmbH

The event, the people,

the culture were beyond

spectacular. To create an

environment where each moment

of the day and night is special in

its own way is an accomplishment

I have never seen before.

Jozsef Sos,

Highcourt Partners Limited Many thanks and our com-pliments for this wonderful IDC conference. It was really an exceptional event and a highlight in our calendars: both the lectures and the evening events were great.In particular, the Opera Ball was unbeatable. In myopinion, there is hardly a

way to outdo this.Erich Burth,RVM Versicherungsmakler GmbH

I have attended many conferences

over the years and this was easily one

of the best – thank you and your

colleagues for all of your hard work.

The conference exceeded

all my expectations. It was a

very successful event –

characterized by professional

organization, interesting

guests and intriguing lectures.

Especially the outstanding

locations provided a perfect

platform for professional

exchange.

Ralph Ganzenmüller, HDI Global SE

Thank you very muchfor this wonderful and well-organized event!We are very proud tobe a member of theunison family.

Andrea Pfa�, Walter FreyVersicherungsmakler GmbH

Thanks a million forthis „wow“ event!I didn’t regret one single minute of attendance.

Hendrik Zülow,Gerd Augustin GmbH

As first-timers we didn’t

know what to expect. I

thought it would be good,

but you exceeded our

expectations. I was pleased

at the camaraderie and

willingness of attendees

to share knowledge and

experience, there was a

real spirit of unity.

Andrew Smyth, RFIB Group Ltd.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

We value your feedback

33 ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

unisonSteadfast becomes a book sponsor

Thanks to professional event man-

ager Lilli v. Reutter’s recommen-

dation to include the magnificent

Austrian National Library into the Sight-

seeing Tour program, unisonSteadfast

decided to become a book sponsor as

part of the Austrian National Library’s

Book Adoption Campaign.

There were a few options to choose from.

Wolfgang Mercier decided on sponsoring

the book ‘Beschreibung und Contrafactur

der vornembsten Stät der Welt’ (1574) by

Georg Braun I. – a large-scale work in two

volumes, showing splendidly colored city

maps from all over the world. During the

formal certification ceremony by Ms. Irmgard

Harrer, M.A., Head of Sponsoring and Events,

in the so-called Camera Praefecti on

Tuesday, June 23, 2019, the small group

could carefully leaf through the adopted

book.

Afterwards, the book was on display in one

of the showcases in the magnificent State

Hall for a few days, so that the IDC delegates

could easily spot the sponsor’s familiar

name. It was opened on the respective

page showing Constantinople, nowadays’

Istanbul and capital city of the former Osman

Empire, which due to its location on two

continents symbolizes a cosmopolitan out-

look and an open-minded international

business environment.

The Austrian National Library

The Austrian National Library looks

back on a history rich in tradition

going as far as the 14th century. It is

one of the oldest and most important

libraries in the world, building a bridge

between the past and the future-

oriented demands of a modern in-

formation society. Being the central

academic library of the Republic of

Austria, the Austrian National Library

regards itself as an outstanding na-

tional preservation institution and as

a multi-faceted center of public in-

formation and education, culture and

scientific research.

In its eight Departments, the Austrian

National Library, heir to the Habsburg

court library, conserves a significant part

of the world’s documentary heritage,

like manuscripts, music autographs,

incunabula, old printed works, histori-

cal maps, posters, bookplates and, of no

less importance, the literary estates of

Austrian writers. Its collections of ca.

12 mil. objects are part of the Austrian

cultural heritage. The historical State

Hall is one of the most impressive

Baroque library halls in the world.

Source: Austrian National Library

The Book Adoption Campaign

One of the major challenges is the preser-

vation of the valuable and unique collec-

tions, as the library’s books and other ob-

jects contain the knowledge of centuries.

Long-term conservation is needed to protect

them against damage caused by natural

ageing and frequent use. So-called book

sponsors contribute to the preservation of

these cultural treasures. The Book Adoption

Campaign is one of the most successful

cultural fundraising campaigns in Austria.

Donations are exclusively used for the

preservation purposes. They help rescue

badly damaged books and other objects

which urgently need conservation treat-

ment. In addition, the Book Adoption

Campaign financially supports the storage of

valuable books and manuscripts in state-

of-the-art acid-free archival boxes and

other long-term preservation activities.

The sponsor receives a certificate of honor

and an ex libris, showing the sponsor’s

name, is added to the antique object.

Even though the donations are one-time

donations, the ex libris stays with the object

and the sponsor will always be related to

the adopted book or other object. Not only

celebrities and business corporations around

the globe, but also numerous private book

lovers have adopted books, maps, globes,

drawings, music manuscripts, papyri, posters,

photos, and other objects preserved by

the Austrian National Library.

34 ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

There is always a first IDC… Junior Account Manager Roman gives us a glimpse about his very first Independence Day Conference impressions.

After his insurance apprenticeship and

some work experience with British

insurer Amlin Europe in Hamburg,

Roman Faulbrück joined our team in 2018

and has since learned a lot about inter-

national insurance handling as part of a

broking network. This year, we asked him to

attend his first IDC and we are curious about

how he experienced the days among the

international unison community.

Roman, this was your first Independence

Day Conference. Did the conference fulfill

your expectations?

As this was my first conference, I could

hardly imagine how everything would work

and look like. I knew the agenda and had a

rough idea about the processes, but you can

only feel the intensity of this conference

when you are there.

Which was your favorite memory?

If I had to choose just one, I would pick the

welcome reception in ‘Das LOFT’. I have

never had such an amazing view before!

You are young and quite new to the in-

surance business, as compared to others.

Is there something you learned during

these days in Vienna, about the unison

network or about international insurance

in general?

Most topics were rather new for me, so

yes, I have learned a lot and I could get

a better understanding of several lines of

business. It was also interesting to find out

about the different approaches on how to

adapt to the changing business environ-

ment of the insurance industry.

This year, we introduced the unison mo-

bile conference App. Do you think this is

a useful addition to our conferences?

Absolutely. The unison App is logical and

user-friendly. We have already had many

users this conference, even though we

have just launched it. I am quite sure that

the app will become more popular over

the next couple of years and we will try

our best to further develop it to become

better and better.

NEW YORK / USA

INDEPENDENCE DAY CONFERENCE 2020

SAVE THE DATE!

8 – 10June2020

35

IMPRINT Environmental plea:

Think before you print!

Disclaimer:

Information appearing in unisonTimesTM is

checked for technical accuracy but is not

intended to provide a basis of knowledge

upon which advice can be given.

unisonSteadfast accepts no responsibility

for any loss occasioned to any person acting

or refraining from action as a result of the

material included in this newsletter.

unisonSteadfast AG

Chilehaus C | Burchardstr. 13

20095 Hamburg | Germany

Tel. +49 (0)40 – 8090729 – 0

Fax +49 (0)40 – 8090729 – 99

unisonSteadfast Corp.

200 S Wacker Drive | Suite 3100

Chicago | IL 60606 | USA

Tel: +1 (312) 67 44 939

Fax +49 (0) 40 80 90 729 99

www.unisonsteadfast.com

Editorial Team:

+ Melinda Keller (Chief Editor)

+ Susanne Adolphy (Graphics Design)

+ Polina Balko

+ Sebastian Ernsting

+ Roman Faulbrück

+ Nadyn Kern

+ Mailin Mühlheim

+ Dennis Saschek

[email protected]

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

Team spirit at the IDC 2019

Tim, Polina & Dennis Sebastian & Tim

Roman, Muriel, Mailin & Oliver

Polina & Nadyn Melinda, Oliver, Lioudmila, Roman & Mailin

Henrik, Dennis, Roman, Lioudmila, Mailin & Melinda

unison times...underwriter, technology & cyber insurance amie watson joined aspen in may 2019 as...

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