FERMA leadership change and France’s expansion accelerate Europe’s captive insurance revival
The European captive insurance sector is gaining renewed momentum, with the theme taking centre stage at the ongoing FERMA Seminar in Zurich. This resurgence is underscored by developments in France, where the French Captive Federation (FFCE) recently convened its second annual meeting in Paris, signalling a positive trajectory for captive insurance within the country. The FFCE's activity reflects broader strategic interest in captive insurance as a vital component of European risk management frameworks.
France has emerged as a proactive jurisdiction in this space, with plans announced for the establishment of ten additional captive insurance entities. This growth underscores the country's commitment to enhancing its captive insurance infrastructure and positioning itself as a favourable environment for risk management innovation. The FFCE continues to play a critical role in this expansion, fostering industry collaboration and regulatory dialogue to support captive development.
The timing of these announcements aligns with the FERMA Seminar 2025, held on 23-24 October in Zurich, an influential event dedicated to risk managers across Europe. The seminar’s theme, "Going Beyond the Value Chain," is designed to offer strategic insights, practical solutions, and networking opportunities to advance the profession. Attended by about 250 European risk managers, the seminar covers a broad spectrum of critical topics including ESG risks, investor risks, insurance challenges, and compliance mandates such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Cyber Resilience Act.
Leadership transitions at FERMA add a fresh dimension to this evolving landscape. Philippe Cotelle, a board member and head of cyber insurance management at Airbus Defence & Space, officially took over as FERMA’s president during the seminar. Cotelle has articulated an agenda focused on fostering greater coordination and connectivity within the European risk management community, which is expected to further amplify the role of captives as strategic tools for managing complex and emerging risks.
These developments illustrate a concerted effort within European risk management circles to not only expand captive insurance capacity but also to integrate captives into comprehensive risk strategies that respond to regulatory, technological, and market shifts. As Europe faces an increasingly complex risk environment, initiatives like those spearheaded by the FFCE and supported at the FERMA Seminar signal a renaissance for captives in the region, blending innovation with robust governance to better serve the needs of risk managers and their organisations.