Philippe Cotelle elected as next FERMA president
FERMA has announced the election of Philippe Cotelle (pictured left) as the next president of the Federation. The announcement was made at a Board meeting following the Federation’s General Assembly in Brussels this week.
Cotelle is a board member of FERMA and head of cyber insurance management and head of insurance risk management for Airbus Defence & Space. He will officially take on the role of president on 24 October following the conclusion of the FERMA Seminar 2025 in Zurich, succeeding Charlotte Hedemark who completes her two-year tenure.
Commenting on his appointment, Cotelle said: “I am deeply honoured to be elected President of FERMA. Today, the Federation holds an unprecedented position in representing and championing the interests of the European risk management community at both EU and international levels. Our mission—to embed risk management into the core of every organisation’s business model and culture—remains central to all we do. As we continue to empower our members and advance our profession, I am committed to ensuring FERMA remains at the forefront of innovation, strategic influence and thought leadership.”
Hedemark added: “Philippe is an excellent choice for President of FERMA. His passion for and commitment to advancing the risk management profession are evident in everything he has contributed during his time on the FERMA Board, and he has been instrumental in driving forward key initiatives that support and strengthen the risk management community. He is uniquely qualified to lead FERMA as it continues to represent and support its members in a rapidly changing world.”
Cotelle brings over 20 years of risk management experience to the role and has been a FERMA Board member for eight years, as well as a Board member of AMRAE. He joined Airbus Defence & Space in 2014 as Head of Insurance Risk Management before taking on his current dual role in 2017. He has also held senior risk positions at EADS Astrium Division and was also Senior Space Risk Underwriter at SCOR.
The General Assembly also announced earlier the election of four new FERMA Board members: Dr. Ulrich Adamheit, Head of Group Risk Management at Electrolux Group, Tadas Cilcius, Senior Risk Manager at Kashimi in Lithuania, Christian Jens Fuchsenthaler, Head of Corporate Insurance at Daimler Truck AG; and Luis Lancha Vázquez, Head of Risk & Insurance at SENER Group. Annemarie Schouw, Manager Risk & Insurance at Tata Steel Europe, was also re-elected to the Board.
Charlotte Hedemark (pictured right), President of FERMA, said: “FERMA is proud of the exceptional talent and wide-ranging expertise represented by our Board members. Each individual brings a unique risk perspective and decades of experience in their respective fields. Together, this collective strength positions us ideally to serve as a unifying voice for our member associations, elevating the profile of the profession, and advocating for the interests of the European risk management community.”
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