News from AIDA - Warsaw hosts large PC meeting

An AIDA Presidential Council meeting was held in Warsaw, Poland, on 11 April, in conjunction with the 7th AIDA Europe meeting on 12-13 April.

With 32 Presidential Council (PC) members attending, it was one of the largest PC events.

Much of the discussion focused on AIDA's new website; and representation and period of tenure of AIDA PC representatives. Some countries have duplicated membership while some countries keen to have representation have none.

There was concern there is no limit on the time representatives can serve on the PC. A motion will be put to all PC members for a vote before the next meeting in Rio to limit service to three four-year terms and that each chapter have only one representative.

Another motion was put to the membership to offer a PC position to NZILA President Jonathan Scragg. NZILA has been a strong AIDA supporter for many years, so this is a positive development and recognises the chapter's on-going commitment.

The PC has established a new working party (WP) for financial lines. Its primary focus will be D&O, W&I, fidelity losses, kidnap & ransom, and cyber risks. Prof Robert Koch, from Hamburg University, will chair the WP, assisted by vice chair Ray Giblett, from Norton Rose Australia, representing the Asia-Pacific region. Congratulations to Ray for his new position.

The new, long-awaited AIDA website will be functional before the World Congress in Rio. All PC members will be responsible for ensuring chapters they represent upload material to the new site and are encouraged to populate it with images and material relevant to their chapters' activities.

The website is an ideal mechanism to promote AIDA activities globally and will include material from WP meetings, up-coming domestic and international events and up-to-date contact details for all chapters.

The next World Congress in Rio is on 10–12 October including WP meetings on 9 October and a PC meeting on 8 October 8. Venue is the Windsor Convention and Expo Centre at Barra de Tijuca.

I encourage AILA and NZILA members to visit the website to view the conference program. We would love to see a substantial contingent of AILA and NZILA members attending. It promises to be an exceptional event.

Latin American CILA colleagues are known for their hospitality and I can personally attest to the lengths they go to entertain international guests.

It should be a superb meeting with an exceptional program of international speakers discussing hot topics in insurance law. The four themes dominating the program are:

• New technologies
• Disclosure duties
• Corporate governance for insurers
• Pollution insurance

AILA has, consistent with previous AIDA world congresses, submitted national reports on all four themes and consequently AILA representatives will participate in the discussions.

It promises to be a great conference and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in Rio in October.

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