Gulf Insurance Forum in Dubai to focus on climate resilience and reinsurance innovation
The UAE is gearing up to host the 20th Annual Gulf Insurance Forum on 28th and 29th October 2025, an event that promises to be a pivotal gathering for the insurance sector within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and beyond. Organised by the Gulf Insurance Federation (GIF), the forum will convene over 250 chief executive officers, experts, and managers from insurance and related professions across the GCC, alongside participants from Arab and Afro-Asian insurance federations, as well as regional and international reinsurance companies. This marks a significant opportunity for thought leadership and collaboration in a sector integral to the region's economic fabric.
Khaled Mohammed Al Badi, Chairman of both the Emirates Insurance Association and the Gulf Insurance Federation, has expressed high expectations for the forum, highlighting the pertinence of the topics on the agenda. The event will focus on the global shifts within the insurance landscape and their implications for the GCC. Emphasis will be placed on strategies required to adapt to these evolving conditions, including insights from international and regional speakers who will provide forecasts and recommendations tailored to future industry challenges.
A key theme of the forum is the increasing threat posed by natural disasters, with discussions centred on the preparedness of GCC states, insurance companies, and the Gulf Insurance Federation itself. Participants will examine advances in risk assessment methodologies, the development of bespoke insurance products designed for disaster resilience, and the role of public-private partnerships to enhance collective response capabilities. This is particularly timely given the rising incidence of climate-related events globally, which have intensified the urgency for comprehensive disaster risk management frameworks in the insurance industry.
Another critical focus will be the dynamics of the global reinsurance market. The forum aims to shed light on underwriting’s pivotal role in optimising reinsurance capacity, pricing, and terms, alongside exploring options for strengthening regional partnerships and pooling risks to reduce financial exposure. These discussions are set against a backdrop of global economic pressures including inflation and the pressures of climate change, which are reshaping risk evaluation on a worldwide scale.
Embracing technological innovation also features prominently within the agenda. The forum will delve into investment in digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and predictive analytics as tools to enhance risk evaluation and operational efficiency. Workshops led by reinsurance firms will offer practical insights on how global trends are influencing their strategic outlook on the GCC insurance market—a crucial knowledge exchange as the industry navigates through digital transformation.
Scheduled at the Millennium Plaza Downtown Hotel in Dubai, this year’s forum carries the theme "Navigating change: shaping the future of reinsurance in a dynamic global landscape," reflecting the urgent need for agility and foresight in insurance and reinsurance strategies. Given its scope and the calibre of participants from nearly 30 countries, the event is anticipated to be among the most successful editions, bolstering regional insurance markets through shared expertise and collaborative initiatives.
This forum not only reaffirms the Gulf Insurance Federation’s commitment to fostering a resilient and forward-looking insurance ecosystem in the GCC but also highlights the crucial interplay between regional and global factors shaping the industry’s future.