On June 25, 2026, the Pablo VI Foundation in Madrid hosted the 36th Congress of the Spanish Association of Risk Management and Insurance (AGERS). Under the slogan “Where Risk and Strategy Meet,” the event was a resounding organizational success, with a “sold-out” turnout, demonstrating the growing interest in a discipline that has become indispensable for corporate survival in times of uncertainty.
During the conference, the association’s new corporate identity was unveiled. This includes changing the name from “Risk Management” to “Management,” a direct reflection of the sector’s current role and its strategic position within the country’s business community
Javier Solana’s Masterclass: Europe, a Call to Action
One of the highlights of the conference was the masterful interview with Javier Solana, which kicked off the event. The renowned diplomat—a physicist by training and former Secretary General of NATO and the Council of the European Union—offered an analysis of the international landscape. Solana warned that the world order that emerged after the Cold War has disappeared, giving way to economic fragmentation and rivalry between the United States and China.
Faced with this scenario of global asymmetry, Solana firmly argued that Europe must break free from its strategic dependencies: it cannot continue to delegate its defense to the U.S. or its industry to China. In this regard, he expressed his full support for the Draghi Report on European competitiveness, calling on EU countries that “can and are willing” to step forward to resume coordinated leadership, emulating historic milestones such as the launch of the euro. He also called for the United Kingdom’s participation in matters of common security and defense.
The CEO’s Perspective: Risk as an Opportunity
The business forum featured executives from leading companies such as SENER and Scalpers, who offered different perspectives on how to manage risk based on the nature and ethos of each sector. The main conclusion was unanimous: the need to involve risk managers from the outset of strategic projects, transforming the perception of threats into drivers of opportunity and growth.
At the roundtable for senior management, participants discussed the new challenges shaping the current agenda:
- Artificial Intelligence: Evaluated from the Dual Perspectives of Operational Risk and Disruptive Opportunity.
- Generational Transition: New Ways of Understanding Management Culture and Organizational Structure.
- The Threat to Mutualization: In the insurance sector, there was concerned discussion about how excessive personalization (hyper-personalization) could jeopardize the basic principle of mutualization, while at the same time opening the door for brokers and companies to develop new value-added models.
AGERS Guides
Through Agers’ Young Generations initiative, four guides were presented: A Practical Guide to Risk Management in SMEs, Managing Risk Appetite, A Guide to Climate Scenarios, and Fraud in the Cyberspace Environment. In addition to the book: D&O Insurance in 185 Questions and 185 Answers. These publications offer a clear, practical, and educational perspective for the risk management sector.
Overview
Representatives of FERMA (Federation of European Risk Management) and AIRMIC (Association of Insurance and Risk Managers in Industry and Commerce), the UK association. Both organizations emphasized the goal of strengthening existing collaboration among different countries to achieve—despite their many differences—a convergence of approaches and efforts to improve the sector. This show of unity tied directly into Javier Solana’s opening remarks on the pressing need for a united and proactive Europe in the face of global threats.
The 36th AGERS Congress made it clear that risk is no longer simply something to be avoided, but rather a strategic variable that, when managed effectively, defines the success of tomorrow’s companies.
